SHORT TAKES : Stevens Curtis Chapman Voted Gospel Music Artist of the Year

Steven Curtis Chapman, who has been making records for just three years after giving up his ambition to become a doctor, has been voted gospel music’s artist of the year and top male vocalist.

He won the two top honors and three others Thursday night at the Gospel Music Assn.’s 21st annual Dove Awards presentations.

“My prayer and desire is to represent Christian music to honor my peers and the one to whom we all sing: our Lord, Jesus Christ,” he said after the show.

The 27-year-old Chapman’s other awards, presented during a live broadcast on cable’s The Nashville Network, were songwriter of the year and songwriting honors for the tunes “His Strength Is Perfect” and “I Can See the Hands.”

Sandi Patti, who has dominated gospel music awards for much of the past decade, was chosen best female vocalist for the ninth straight time. She also received a Dove trophy for “The Friendship Company,” voted top children’s music gospel album.

The Winans, a brother-sister duo from a well-known gospel music family in Detroit, won four awards to add to the two Grammy honors they won in February in Los Angeles. The four awards: best group; No. 1 contemporary black song for “With My Whole Heart”; and top contemporary album and best contemporary recorded song, both for “Heaven.”

Amy Grant, a traditional big winner in gospel music, received one award when her “ ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” won for best country-gospel song.