Amy Grant

Amy Grant

Born: Amy Lee Grant

November 25, 1960

Birthplace: Augusta, Georgia 

“What keeps our faith cheerful is the extreme persistence of gentleness and humor. Gentleness is every where in daily life, a sign that faith rules through ordinary things: through cooking and small talk…storytelling and making love…through corn and flowers…music and books…raising kids, all the places where the gravy soaks in and grace shines through.”

  ~Amy Grant

Young, Bright-Eyed and Eager

Michael Holloway

The first time Amy Grant stepped on stage with a guitar was the Spring of 1976.  She was sixteen, bright-eyed and eager, and frankly naive. When Grant’s friend and producer Brown Bannister told her he had booked a tour to promote her debut self-titled album in 1977, she sadly informed Bannister she could not afford to go on tour.

Going in Concert Would Break the Bank

Grant said, “As much as I wanted to go to Denver for the concert, spending three hundred dollars would wipe out my savings. I told Brown why I couldn’t go. He started laughing and corrected my thinking. No, I did not have to pay them three hundred dollars for the opportunity to sing. Miracle of miracles, they were willing to pay me. I couldn’t believe my ears.”

One of Grant’s trademarks is her winsome innocence and wonder at the ways of the world.  Especially refreshing in a society where cynicism is rampant. Grant’s optimism and hope for a better world shines through in her humanitarian endeavors and her music.

Versatile and Humanitarian

Grant has a unique ability in moving easily from inspirational ballads, to fun, passionate rockers, to journeys into the dark recesses of the human soul. Though she sings with reverence about the spirit, Grant insists she is no saint. Another reason why her fans love her so much.  She is human and makes mistakes like we all do, yet she does much good for the world, more than making up for any failings.

Battle With Depression

If you have not read Grant’s book, you may not realize she battled depression in her youth, when not a lot was known about this debilitating illness.

Grant says, “Back in the early eighties, on a winter day in College Station, Texas, I wandered into a strip mall pet store and found myself staring at a wall of fish tanks. The season of the black dog had me pretty well socked in, though I was still too young to understand it. I just remember watching the fish and churning on the inside, angry with them for their contentment.

She adds, “The good news is I’ve learned to recognize it and not be ashamed of it. I know as surely as it comes, it will go. Because I live with these occasional extremes in myself, I look at other people differently. We never really know what is going on inside another person. It’s good reason to be gentle.”

Christmas Album

 

On September 30 2008, Grant released her Christmas album, The Christmas Collection, a selection of Amy’s favourites from her previous three holiday albums, 1983’s A Christmas Album, 1992’s Home For Christmas, and 1997’s A Christmas to Remember. This new compilation features four new songs recorded by Amy for the project: Jingle Bells, I Need A Silent Night, Baby, It’s Christmas, and Count Your Blessings.

 

 

Unafraid To Colour Our Day

 

 

The latest news on Grant’s career is that she is back in the studio, and has been working steadily on new songs which are sure to delight and inspire her enthusiastic fans, so we can be sure of a new studio release by Grant sometime in the near future. Jennifer Cooke, Grant’s manager, sent fans the following message via a group bulletin.

 

 

From Jennifer Cooke

“Amy is putting the finishing touches on 5 new tracks. In addition to recording these five new songs she is continuing to write new material almost every week. She is very excited about this extended time off the road and being able to focus on writing and creating new material. As soon as the first five tracks are finished she plans to go back in and record five more. LOTS of new music will be coming your way in the months to come.

To start, we are taking one of the new finished tracks called “Unafraid” and releasing it on Itunes on May 5th for a special Mother’s Day 4 song EP. The other songs on the EP will be “She Colors My Day,” “Baby Baby,” and “Oh How The Years Go By.” We will also be premiering the “She Colors My Day” video in connection to the launch of the EP. Philosophy has an entire line of “She Colors My Day” products that will be released as well and all the net proceeds will go to support the Women’s Cancer Research Fund.
More to come…Jenn”

 

 

Want more Amy Grant? Visit her Official Website and Official MySpace.