Amy Grant Artistfacts

November 25, 1960
Amy Grant was born in Augusta, Georgia was but was raised in Nashville, Tennessee. She is widely known as a Contemporary Christian singer, but her reach extends to pop and country. Her career began when she was only 15 years old after World Studios offered her a recording contract. She released her self-titled debut album two years later.
After earning numerous awards and accolades for her Christian pop recordings in the 1980s, Grant switched to a more mainstream sound with her album Unguarded in 1985. The following year, she had her first #1 pop song with "The Next Time I Fall," a duet with former Chicago band member Peter Cetera.
Grant's 1991 album Heart in Motion came as a surprise to her Christian music fans. It was pure pop, with four Top 10 singles that made the Hot 100, "Baby Baby," which went to #1 and was nominated for Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Her more conservative fans were upset by the song's video, which shows Grant singing to an actor rather than to her husband at the time, fellow Christian artist Gary Chapman.
Grant's personal life came under scrutiny after she divorced Gary Chapman in 1999. The mutual attraction between Grant and country superstar Vince Gill was not a secret among country music insiders, although neither Grant nor Gill acted on their feelings while still married. Grant explained that she felt terrible for Chapman, who was well aware of her feelings for Gill before the divorce. Grant and Gill were married in 2000 and had a daughter, Corrina, a year later. Grant has three kids from her marriage to Chapman and Gill has a daughter from his previous marriage.
Her six Grammy wins are all in Gospel categories. The first came in 1983 when her album Age to Age won Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary. Her last came in 2006 when her album Rock of Ages... Hymns and Faith won for Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album.
Grant is careful not to evangelize, which has helped expand her reach in the secular world. For instance, she didn't try to spread the gospel when she made a few appearances on Johnny Carson's popular talk show, and she had some great conversations with the host. "When you're invited into someone's home or onto their set, you graciously go where the conversation goes," she explained to Songfacts.
She and Vince Gill have a residency every holiday season at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville called Christmas At The Ryman. This tradition started in 2010 when they finished their Twelve Days of Christmas Tour with two shows at the Ryman. They did the same thing in 2011, but in 2012 they just played all their shows at the theater, taking residency instead of touring. Many fans return to see the show every holiday season.
Apart from their Christmas shows, she and Vince Gill don't mingle musically that much, but they've written some songs together and have done a handful of duets, including "When I Look into Your Heart" from Gill's 2000 album Let's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye and "True Love" from Gill's 2011 album Guitar Slinger.
Among the signs that she and Vince Gill were meant to be together: His middle name is Grant.
Grant had a series of health issues starting in 2020 when she had open-heart surgery to correct a heart defect she was born with. In 2022 she was in a nasty bicycle accident that left her with a traumatic brain injury. In 2023 she had surgery to remove a cyst on her throat, which required a lot of rehab to get her back in singing shape.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

More Songfacts:

At This MomentBilly Vera & the Beaters

"At This Moment" was first released by Billy Vera & the Beaters in 1981, and hit #79. After it was used in two episodes of Family Ties in 1985-1986, it went to #1.

Mr. Tambourine ManBob Dylan

Bob Dylan's original version of "Mr. Tambourine Man," released on his album Bringing It All Back Home, has no tambourine, just guitars and harmonica.

Piano ManBilly Joel

"Piano Man" was inspired by Billy Joel's time playing at a piano bar in Los Angeles. The "real estate novelist" was a guy who always talked about writing a book, but spent all his spare time in the bar.

True ColorsCyndi Lauper

With a message of acceptance and inclusivity, "True Colors" became a gay rights anthem. Cyndi Lauper help form an organization called True Colors United to help support LGBTQ youth.

Edge Of SeventeenStevie Nicks

The death of John Lennon was an influence on the Stevie Nicks hit "Edge Of Seventeen." He's the one with the "words of a poet and voice from a choir."

VoodooGodsmack

The line, "I feel the snakebite enter my veins," led many to believe the Godsmack song "Voodoo" is about drugs, but it's really about Wiccan ritual, inspired in part by the Wes Craven movie The Serpent and the Rainbow.