The countdown to the 43rd Annual GMA Dove Awards has begun, scheduled to land at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre on April 19. For those who can’t make the ceremony, there’s a chance to catch the onstage action (and several backstage surprises) on gmc Thursday, April 24 at 8 pm et with a special encore at 10, though in the meantime, why not test your trivia skills to see how much you know about the event’s history? gmc went into the vault and uncovered some surprising twists and turns, starting with the program’s humble beginnings. An impressive list of big winners, a slew of unexpected celebrities, and even a few strange trophy storage locations were revealed, as gmc dug deep to find little-known facts about some of Christian music’s most familiar faces.

#1: Southern Roots

Long before the days of gracing the stage of the legendary Grand Ole Opry House or the historic Fox Theatre, the GMA Dove Awards were held in hotel banquet rooms. In 1969 and 1970, Memphis served as headquarters and the focus was primarily on southern gospel music. Need proof? Consider the fact that the early Doves took place during the National Quartet Convention, a far cry from the more recent years of Gospel Music Association (GMA) Week, culminating with an evening of contemporary performances.

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#2: The Firsts