Every year the Faith-Centered Music Association, the FCMA, gathers for the annual Pearl Awards -- recognizing excellence in recorded music.

This year’s ceremonies in the BYU Fine Arts Center featured the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to the very-deserving Ron Simpson.  He’s an LDS musician, songwriter, player, studio owner, teacher, music publisher, record label general manager, columnist for Meridian Magazine, and so much more.  A man who has made a difference in the church and in the world with his own music and in the way he has mentored and encouraged others.

Today we’ll bring you the audio of that presentation, including live and phoned-in comments from (in this order) country singer Dave Lemmon, performer/writer/arranger Clive Romney, composer/producer Merrill Jenson, studio owner Cliff Maag, director of BYU’s Living Legends Janielle Christensen, sound company owner Joe Anderson, BYU Young Ambassador director Randy Boothe, managing director of BYU’s Tantara Records Ben Fales, member of Diamond Rio Dan Truman, singer Wendee Jensen Truman, songwriter/artist Mindy Gledhill, songwriter/playwright/broadcaster Steven Kapp Perry, songwriter/producer Staci Peters, singer/songwriter Cherie Call, and songwriter/producer/arranger Tyler Castleton.

That’s this week on The Cricket and Seagull...