Amy Grant facts for kids

Amy Lee Grant, born on November 25, 1960, is a talented American singer, songwriter, and musician. She started her music journey in contemporary Christian music (CCM) and later became popular in pop music during the mid-1980s. Many people call her "The Queen of Christian Pop" because of her success. Amy Grant has been married to country music singer Vince Gill since 2000.

Amy Grant started her career as a teenager and quickly became famous in Christian music in the 1980s. Some of her early hits include "Father's Eyes," "El Shaddai," and "Angels." By the mid-1980s, she began reaching a wider audience, becoming one of the first Christian artists to also succeed in mainstream pop music. This happened after her popular albums Unguarded and Lead Me On. In 1986, she had her first number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with "The Next Time I Fall," a duet with Peter Cetera. Her 1991 album, Heart in Motion, became her biggest seller, staying at the top of the Billboard Christian album chart for 32 weeks. It sold five million copies in the U.S. and featured her second number one pop song, "Baby Baby." This album also had three other top 10 hits: "That's What Love Is For," "Every Heartbeat," and "Good for Me."

By 2009, Amy Grant had sold over 30 million albums around the world. She has won six Grammy Awards and 22 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards. She also had the first Christian album to sell over a million copies (called "platinum"). In 2006, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her amazing work in music. In 2022, she was recognized with the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors. Amy Grant has also written several books, including her life story, Mosaic: Pieces of My Life So Far, and a book inspired by her popular Christmas song "Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)."

Quick facts for kids Amy Grant
Grant performing in West Wendover, Nevada in 2008
Born	Amy Lee Grant (1960-11-25) November 25, 1960 (age 65) Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
Education	Furman University Vanderbilt University
Occupation	Singer-songwriter musician
Spouse(s)	Gary Chapman ​ ​ (m. 1982; div. 1999)​ Vince Gill ​ (m. 2000)​
Children	4
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Origin	Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres	Contemporary Christian pop rock soft rock gospel
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1976–present
Labels	Myrrh A&M Word Sparrow

Amy Grant's Early Life and Career

Growing Up and Starting Music

Amy Grant was born in Augusta, Georgia, and is the youngest of four sisters. Her family moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1967. She is the great-granddaughter of A. M. Burton, a kind person who helped Nashville a lot. He founded a big insurance company and radio stations. Amy has said that her family, especially the Burtons, influenced her music journey. She has a versatile singing voice, which means she can sing in different ranges, from mezzo-soprano to soprano and contralto.

In 1976, Amy wrote her very first song, called "Mountain Top." She performed it publicly for the first time at her school, Harpeth Hall, in Nashville. She made a demo tape (a sample recording) for her parents with her church youth leader, Brown Bannister. While Bannister was making a copy, the studio owner, Chris Christian, heard it. He was so impressed that he called Word Records and played the tape over the phone. Amy was offered a recording contract just five weeks before she turned 16!

In 1977, Amy recorded her first album, also called Amy Grant. Brown Bannister produced it, and he went on to produce her next 11 albums. The album came out in early 1978, just a month before she graduated from high school. Later that year, after starting college at Furman University, she performed her first concert where people bought tickets.

In May 1979, at a party for her second album, My Father's Eyes, Amy met Gary Chapman, who wrote the album's main song. They toured together that year. In late 1980, she moved to Vanderbilt University. Amy released a few more albums, like Never Alone and two live albums in 1981, before deciding to focus completely on her music career. During these early concerts, she started a unique tradition: performing barefoot! She still does this today, saying it's simply "more comfortable."

In 1982, Amy released her very successful album, Age to Age. This album included the famous song "El Shaddai" and "In a Little While." "El Shaddai" was later recognized as one of the "Songs of the Century" in 2001. Amy won her first Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Gospel Performance for this album. She also received two GMA Dove Awards for Gospel Artist of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year. Age to Age made history as the first Christian album by a solo artist to sell over 500,000 copies (gold) in 1983 and over a million copies (platinum) in 1985.

In the mid-1980s, Amy started working with a talented new songwriter, Michael W. Smith. They became great friends and still work together often. They write songs for each other and sing on each other's albums. They also frequently tour together in November and December for special Christmas concerts. In the 1980s, Amy also sang backup for Bill Gaither.

Amy followed this album with her first Christmas album, which became the basis for her popular holiday shows. In 1984, she released Straight Ahead, another Christian album with a pop sound. This led to her first appearance at the Grammy Awards show in 1985. An executive from NBC saw her performance and quickly arranged for her to have her own Christmas TV special.

Reaching a Wider Audience

After becoming known as the "Queen of Christian Pop," Amy decided to reach an even bigger audience. She wanted to be a successful pop singer while still sharing her Christian message. Her 1985 album, Unguarded, had a very mainstream sound, which surprised some of her fans. The song "Find a Way" from this album became one of the few Christian songs (not about Christmas) to reach the top 40 on the Billboard chart. It also reached number 7 on the Adult Contemporary chart. In 1986, she had her first number one song on Billboard with "The Next Time I Fall," a duet with Peter Cetera from the band Chicago. That same year, she also recorded "I Could Never Say Goodbye" with Randy Stonehill and The Animals' Christmas with Art Garfunkel.

Her 1988 album, Lead Me On, featured songs about faith and relationships. Some people felt it wasn't "Christian" enough, but years later, CCM Magazine called it the greatest Contemporary Christian album ever. The song "Saved by Love" was played on many radio stations. The album's title song also became popular on pop radio and reached number 96 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other songs like "1974 (We Were Young)" and "Saved By Love" also charted as Adult Contemporary hits. In 1989, Amy even appeared in a Target advertisement, singing songs from the album.

Amy Grant's Mainstream Success

Grant during her Behind the Eyes tour in 1998

When Heart in Motion came out in 1991, many fans were surprised by its modern pop sound. Amy wanted to reach more people with her music. The song "Baby Baby" was written for her newborn daughter, Millie. Amy said Millie's "six-week-old face was my inspiration." This song became a huge pop hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. This made Amy Grant a well-known name in mainstream music. "Baby Baby" was even nominated for several Grammy Awards, including Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Four other songs from Heart in Motion also became top 20 pop hits: "Every Heartbeat" (number 2), "That's What Love Is For" (number 7), "Good for Me" (number 8), and "I Will Remember You" (number 20). All five of these songs were top 10 hits on the Adult Contemporary chart, with "Baby Baby" and "That's What Love Is For" reaching number one. Many of her Christian fans continued to support her, keeping the album at the top of the Billboard Contemporary Christian Chart for 32 weeks. Heart in Motion is Amy's best-selling album, having sold over five million copies. Amy followed this album with her second Christmas album, Home For Christmas, in 1992. It included the song "Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)," which she co-wrote. Many artists, like Donna Summer and Vince Gill, have since covered this song.

Her 1994 album, House of Love, continued with pop songs that also had spiritual messages. This album was also very successful, selling millions of copies. It featured the pop hit "Lucky One" and the title track, a duet with Vince Gill. She also covered Joni Mitchell's song "Big Yellow Taxi."

After singing "The Things We Do for Love" for a movie soundtrack, Amy released Behind the Eyes in September 1997. This album had a more thoughtful, acoustic soft-rock sound with mature lyrics. While "Takes a Little Time" was a moderate hit, the album didn't sell as much as her previous two. However, Behind The Eyes still sold over 500,000 copies. The music video for "Takes a Little Time" showed a new side of Amy, featuring New York City and a more grown-up rock style. She then released her third Christmas album, A Christmas To Remember, in 1999, which also sold over 500,000 copies.

After the September 11 attacks, Amy's song "I Will Remember You" became popular again as many radio DJs played it as a tribute. In the same year, Amy won $125,000 for charity on the "Rock Star Edition" of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

Returning to Gospel Music

Amy returned to Christian pop with her 2002 album of hymns called Legacy... Hymns and Faith. This album celebrated her 25th anniversary in the music industry and featured a mix of bluegrass and pop. She followed this with Simple Things in 2003, but it didn't achieve the same success as her earlier pop or gospel albums. That same year, Amy was honored by being inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. In 2005, she released a sequel album titled Rock of Ages...Hymns and Faith.

Amy hosted Three Wishes, a TV show on NBC where she and her team helped make wishes come true for people in small towns. The show aired in 2005 but was canceled after one season. After Three Wishes, Amy won her 6th Grammy Award for Rock of Ages... Hymns & Faith. In 2006, she mentioned that she believes her "best music is still ahead."

Grant performing in October 2008

In April 2006, a live CD/DVD called Time Again... Amy Grant Live was recorded in Fort Worth, Texas. This concert was released on September 26, 2006. Besides receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Amy also appeared in CCM Magazine and performed on The View.

In February 2007, Amy discussed a book she was writing called Mosaic: Pieces of My Life So Far. She described it as a collection of memories, song lyrics, poetry, and pictures, rather than a full autobiography. The book was released on October 16, 2007, and debuted at number 35 on the New York Times Best Seller list. Amy also shared that she was eager to get back into the studio after finishing the book and "reinvent myself as an almost-50 performing woman."

2007 marked Amy's 30th year in music. She signed a new contract with EMI CMG, which re-released her studio albums as remastered versions on August 14, 2007. To celebrate her career, a greatest hits album was released, featuring digitally remastered songs. It came out as a single CD and a two-disc CD/DVD Special Edition with music videos and interviews. Amy appeared with Vince Gill on The Oprah Winfrey Show for a holiday special in December 2007.

In February 2008, Amy joined the writing team from Compassionart as a guest singer at Abbey Road studios in London. She recorded a song called "Highly Favoured" for the album CompassionArt. On June 24, 2008, Amy re-released her 1988 album, Lead Me On, for its 20th anniversary. This two-disc set included the original album and a second disc with new acoustic recordings, live performances from 1989, and interviews. Amy recreated the Lead Me On tour in the fall of 2008. She also appeared on the 2008 album Anne Murray Duets: Friends & Legends, singing "Could I Have This Dance."

Grant speaking and performing at Grammy Museum at L.A. Live in September, 2013

Grant in 2013

On May 5, 2009, Amy released an EP (a short album) with two new songs, "She Colors My Day" and "Unafraid," along with "Baby Baby" and "Oh How the Years Go By." This EP, available on iTunes, helped raise money for the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Women's Cancer Research Fund. In 2010, Amy released Somewhere Down the Road, which included the hit single "Better Than a Hallelujah." This song reached number 8 on Billboard's Top Christian Songs chart. Amy shared that she hoped her songs would offer companionship and remind listeners of what's important. In September 2012, Amy participated in a campaign called "30 Songs / 30 Days" to support Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, a project inspired by a book about women's issues.

Amy's next album, How Mercy Looks from Here, was released on May 14, 2013. It reached number 12 on the Billboard 200 chart, making it her highest-charting album since 1997. Two singles from the album, "Don't Try So Hard" and "If I Could See," both appeared on the US Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart. On August 19, 2014, she released In Motion: The Remixes, an album of her hits remixed by famous engineers and DJs. It charted at number 110 on the Billboard 200 and number 5 on the US Dance chart. To promote the album, new remix EPs were released, including for "Find a Way," "Stay for Awhile," "Baby Baby," "Every Heartbeat," and "That's What Love Is For." Due to club play, the remixes of "Baby Baby" and "Every Heartbeat" reached number 3 and 13, respectively, on the U.S. Dance Chart. This was her first appearance on that chart in 23 years. On September 30, 2014, Amy released a new single called "Welcome Yourself," with proceeds going to breast cancer research for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

On February 12, 2015, she announced a new compilation album, Be Still and Know... Hymns & Faith, which was released on April 14, 2015. It charted at number 7 on the U.S. Billboard Christian Albums chart. Amy released a Christmas album on October 21, 2016, Tennessee Christmas, featuring classic Christmas songs and new material. It reached number 31 on the Billboard 200 and number 3 on the Billboard Top Holiday Albums chart. The single "To Be Together" reached number 32 on the Hot Christian Songs chart. She supported the album with Christmas concerts alongside Vince Gill at the Ryman Auditorium. She also toured the U.S. and Canada with Michael W. Smith and Jordan Smith. In February 2017, she released a new song, "Say It With a Kiss." During November and December 2017, Amy performed more Christmas concerts with Vince Gill and toured with Michael W. Smith and Jordan Smith. Amy has also been a guest narrator for Disney's Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World in 2012, 2013, and 2015. In 2026, she released the album The Me That Remains.

Amy Grant's Personal Life

Grant with husband Vince Gill in 2004

On June 19, 1982, Amy Grant married fellow Christian musician Gary Chapman. They had three children together. In March 1999, they separated. On March 10, 2000, Amy married country singer-songwriter Vince Gill. Vince Gill had also been married before. Amy and Vince have one daughter together, Corrina Grant Gill, who was born on March 12, 2001.

In June 2020, Amy Grant had heart surgery to fix a condition she was born with called partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR).

In July 2022, Amy Grant was hospitalized after a bicycle accident. Doctors advised her to rest, so she postponed some concert dates while she recovered.

Amy Grant's Music

Studio Albums

• Amy Grant (1977)
• My Father's Eyes (1979)
• Never Alone (1980)
• Age to Age (1982)
• A Christmas Album (1983)
• Straight Ahead (1984)
• Unguarded (1985)
• Lead Me On (1988)
• Heart in Motion (1991)
• Home for Christmas (1992)
• House of Love (1994)
• Behind the Eyes (1997)
• A Christmas to Remember (1999)
• Legacy... Hymns and Faith (2002)
• Simple Things (2003)
• Rock of Ages... Hymns and Faith (2005)
• Somewhere Down the Road (2010)
• How Mercy Looks from Here (2013)
• Tennessee Christmas (2016)
• The Me That Remains (2026)

Collaborative Studio Albums

• The Animals' Christmas (with Art Garfunkel) (1986)

Awards and Achievements

Grammy Awards

GMA Dove Awards

Special Awards and Recognitions

A child playing congas in the Amy Grant Music Room at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Grant and husband Vince Gill being awarded the Class of 1966 Friend of West Point Award in 2008

• 1992: Junior Chamber of Commerce Young Tennessean of the Year
• 1994: St. John University Pax Christi Award
• 1994: Nashville Symphony Harmony Award
• 1996: Sarah Cannon Humanitarian Award – TNN Awards
• 1996: Minnie Pearl Humanitarian Award – Columbia Hospital
• 1996: Voice of America Award – ASCAP
• 1996: Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award
• 1999: "An Evening with the Arts" Honor – The Nashville Chamber of Commerce, Nashville Symphony, and Tennessee Performing Arts Center
• 1999: The Amy Grant Room for Music and Entertainment – The Target House at St. Jude's Children's Hospital
• 2001: Easter Seals Nashvillian of the Year Award
• 2003: Inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame
• 2003: Summit Award – Seminar in the Rockies
• 2006: Amy Grant Performance Platform – Nashville Schermerhorn Symphony Center
• 2006: Hollywood Walk of Fame star unveiled
• 2007: Charter member of Tiffany Circle – Red Cross
• 2007: Inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame
• 2008: Class of 1966 Friend of West Point award with Vince Gill
• 2012: Honorary Doctorate Degree of Music and Performance – Grand Canyon University
• 2015: No. 52 in The Top 100 Female Artists of the Rock Era (1955–2015)
• 2022: Kennedy Center Honoree
• 2023 Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts – University of Notre Dame

Images for kids

• 

  Grant with Michael W. Smith in 2011

See also

In Spanish: Amy Grant para niños