NASHVILLE, TN — When the holiday season comes around, music superstars Amy Grant and Vince Gill will embark on their sixth Christmas tour. The Twelve Days Of Christmas – Amy Grant & Vince Gill kicks off Dec. 7 in Baltimore, MD and wraps with 2 shows in Nashville at the Ryman Auditorium. “Christmas audiences are special,” explains Grant. “They tend to involve the whole family, and their emotions are a wonderful mix of anticipation and reverence. It’s a thrilling experience for both of us.” “These holiday tours have become our favorites,” Gill agrees.

In their two hour program, the Grammy-winning husband-and-wife team will present cherished standards and as well as newer seasonal fare.

Amy Grant’s career spans over 25 years and stretches from her roots in gospel into an iconic pop star, songwriter, television personality, and philanthropist. Grant has sold more than 30 million albums and won six GRAMMY® Awards in multiple categories, beginning with the platinum selling Age to Age in 1982. She also has six #1 hits, including “Baby, Baby,” and “Every Heartbeat” and is one of only two Christian artists to be awarded a star on the legendary Walk of Fame in Hollywood. Grant released her first live recording in 25 years with Time Again…Amy Grant Live in September 2006, and then announced her first ever label shift to EMI Music Group where her entire music catalog was re-mastered and released via a GREATEST HITS CD and made available for the first time digitally. In the fall of 2008 she released her first new Christmas music in 9 years, THE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION, and this past March released her first new music in 6 years, with SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD featuring the Grammy nominated song “Better Than A Hallelujah.”

One of the most popular singers in modern country music, Vince Gill has a love for country music, top-notch songwriting, and world-class guitar playing, all wrapped in a warm tenor and a quick and easy wit. Gill achieved his big breakthrough with “When I Call Your Name,” which won the Country Music Association’s Single of the Year award. Since then, he has won 17 more CMA honors, including Song of the Year four times – making him the most awarded artist in that category in CMA history. Since 1990, Gill has walked away with 20 Grammy Awards and has racked up sales in excess of 26 million. Gill co-hosted the CMA Awards for 12 consecutive years. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007. After a long and musically productive spell of writing, touring and recording with other artists, he roars back on his own with “Threaten Me With Heaven,” his first single in four years. The song is the opening salvo from his MCA Records album, Guitar Slinger, released Oct. 24. Gill boasts three best-selling Christmas albums of his own: Let There Be Peace On Earth, Breath Of Heaven and Christmas Collection.

Complete list of dates:
December 7 Baltimore, MD Lyric Opera House
December 8 Norfolk, VA Constant Convocation Center
December 9 Richmond, VA Richmond Landmark Theater
December 10 Augusta, GA Bell Auditorium
December 11 Savannah, GA Johnny Mercer Theater
December 12 Roanoke, VA Roanoke Civic Center
December 15 Louisville, KY Palace Theatre
December 16 Evansville, IN The Centre
December 17 Muncie, IN Emens Auditorium – Ball State
December 19 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
December 20-21 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium

Amy and Vince honored with the Joe Kraft Humanitarian Award.  The below video was played at a luncheon earlier this week here in Nashville!

Amy is currently enjoying the break in 2 Friends Tour dates and writing some new songs for a new album.

All of us here on Team Amy hope that you are enjoying your fall and we hope to see you on the road as the 2 Friends Tour continues – then on the 12 Days of Christmas tour with Vince!

Get information here:  http://www.amygrant.com/tour

We are headed home for two days off (over 20 dates still left on the 2 Friends Tour – hope to see you – tickets available:  http://www.amygrant.com/tour), but while I am sitting here at the airport I thought I would recommend some great new music to you. Switchfoot’s new record came out yesterday and is getting some great reviews. Also, “The Story” – a multi-artist collaboration produced by my dear friend Brown Bannister came out yesterday as well. Nichole Nordeman and Bernie Herms wrote all the songs for the project, which focuses on important stories from the Bible.

Nichole and I do a duet called “I’m With You.” And finally, LeAnn Rimes new record came out, which was produced by my sweet husband Vince Gill and recorded at our new home studio.

xo
Amy

Recently Amy Grant was interviewed by Pop Rocket Press on the upcoming 2 Friends Tour visit to Prescott Valley…

Check out the full article below:

Grant, Smith bring 2 Friends Tour to Prescott Valley

~Cheryl Hartz

Nearly 30 years ago, a guitar-pickin’ girl from Tennessee and a piano-playin’ boy from West Virginia became singing buddies through contemporary Christian music. Now, multiple Dove and Grammy award-winning artists Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith bring their Two Friends Tour to Tim’s Toyota Center in Prescott Valley Friday, Sept. 23.Amy Grant telephoned Monday morning (Aug. 22) after a bicycle ride found her “sitting on a giant rock in the middle of one of the largest urban parks” near her Nashville home.
“I may have gone too far. I barely passed a walker going up a steep hill,” Grant, 50, confessed with a laugh. “After my interviews, I will peddle home in the heat of the day.”

She said she’s always loved biking and “it’s good for singing.”

Evidently so, because singer/songwriter Grant, who signed her first recording contract at age 15, still maintains a full schedule. That includes recently recording her first album of all new songs in seven years, Somewhere Down the Road. Her daughter, Sarah Chapman, sang with her on “Overnight” from that album.

“That was a total thrill,” Grant said. “She was exactly the same age, 17, as I was when I recorded my first album.” (That album, Age to Age, made her the first contemporary Christian artist to reach platinum status.)

Grant said she was “so sad” after dropping off the now 18-year-old Sarah at college. She flew right to Salt Lake City for her next concert, and coming home, got a call from her husband, country star Vince Gill, about a surprise in the driveway. “The tiniest little Airstream camper sat in the driveway. It’s the ultimate hippie-mobile,” Grant said, laughing again.

She and Gill’s 10-year-old daughter, Corrina, slept in the trailer, and Gill joined them when he got home at 4 a.m. from his latest gig, she said. “Corrina even asked to have breakfast in the camper,” Grant said.

She noted their yard looks like “camper central” with another pop-up and equipment.

“People borrow my stuff all the time. I love connecting friends to nature,” Grant said. “But it takes a couple of hours to show them how to set it all up.”

Integrating life and kids and work takes place moment by moment, she said. Corrina is the last of her four children at home, and Grant wants to make sure she doesn’t feel isolated.

“I have four symphony shows this fall, during the weekend of my 10-year-old’s fall break,” Grant said, “so I called the conductor and asked if we could find a song Corrina could sing.”

She then admitted she hadn’t run the idea by Corrina yet. “She may say ‘no way,’ but she’s pretty easy going. Our job today is to explore song ideas: what would give you joy to sing?”

Grant said she also enjoys having her “I Do daughter,” Jenny Gill, touring with her. “Jenny joined me to sing Kim’s parts when Kim (Keyes) had her baby. Now I’ve got both. It’s great to have two women singing harmony parts,” Grant said.

***

Back in 1979, Michael W. Smith was thrilled to have a songwriting contract while playing keyboards for the group, Higher Ground. Then in 1982 he got the gig as new phenom Grant’s backup singer/keyboardist. Together and separately, they helped bring contemporary Christian music into its own.

By 1983, he recorded his first solo album, The Michael W. Smith Project.  He wrote all the music and his wife, Debbie, wrote the lyrics.

Smith, 53, also has written numerous books, founded Rocketown Records, which launched Chris Rice, and helped start New River Fellowship in Nashville.

He continued to tour with Grant through the 80s, and later on special Christmas tours. Their Two Friends Tour is a happy reunion for both. Grant opens the concert, Smith joins her for some songs, then he takes the second half, in which Grant joins him on a couple of tunes.

Altogether, 13 musicians will take the stage. “It’s a pretty streamlined package,” Grant said.

They all travel by bus to the venues. “It’s fun to see the country by bus. You can rest,” Grant said. “And we squeeze our bicycles in the bay of the bus.”

Whatever clears the mind and keep those lungs strong.

Article Link HERE

IS THE TOUR COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU?  CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT!

***Update on Tuesday, September 6, 2011:  In an effort to clearly communicate with all of Amy’s fans, we are announcing that Amy Grant’s – A Tennessee Weekend is officially sold out and currently has a waiting list of over 100 people representing 200 spots.  As of 3:00 p.m. CDT on 9/6/2011 we are not taking any more additional names on the waiting list.  We are humbled by your excitement and look forward to a great event.  If any seats/rooms become available we will post a message on Amy’s website and facebook – after current waiting list members are given the opportunity to fill the available spots.***

An Note From Amy:

Hello Friends,

If  you have ever wanted to travel to Music City and experience the pull that has drawn so many creative people to call this place home, then join me the weekend of June 22-24, 2012. I would enjoy being your host in my hometown and would love to introduce you to some of my favorite places.

The weekend event is a benefit for The Helping Hands Foundation and promises to be a very special time for everyone.

Hopefully you will come away from the weekend inspired to rekindle the creative flame in your own world. I look forward to seeing some familiar faces and making some new friends

See you soon,
Amy

Learn More About the Weekend and Book Your Reservation Now:  Learn more about the “sold out” event.

Amy has spent the last week in the United Kingdom and has sent these pictures back!  Don’t miss your chance to see Amy this fall when she visits your town:  http://www.amygrant.com/tour.

See images like this the moment they’re posted by clicking “LIKE” on Amy’s Facebook page here:  http://www.facebook.com/amygrant

Quite the bucket list weekend for Amy. On Friday night Amy attended an intimate private dinner with Bono and a handful of others artists hosted by Bill and Karyn Frist. On Saturday night, Amy and Vince attended the U2 concert at Vanderbilt, where Bono gave Amy a shout out from stage. And then today; Sunday, July 3rd; Amy and Vince boarded a plane to go spend the weekend with James Taylor!

Information on the James Taylor Concert Here: http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_18395953?source=most_emailed

Picture from the U2 Concert @ Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN on July 2nd.

Five artists and ten songwriters are among the 2011 nominees named by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation for induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

In the Songwriter/Artist category, nominees are Garth Brooks, Larry Gatlin, Amy Grant, Alan Jackson and Townes Van Zandt. In the Songwriter category, nominees are John Bettis, Robert Byrne, J.J. Cale,Jan Crutchfield, Mark James, Dan Penn, Gretchen Peters, Thom Schuyler, Allen Shamblin and John Scott Sherrill.

“This is an amazing group of songwriters and songwriter/artists,” said John Van Mol, chair of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation (NaSHOF), which owns and administers the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.  “Every one of them is extremely worthy of induction, and it is our honor to place each of their names in nomination.”

Songs penned by the nominees include “Top of the World” by The Carpenters/Lynn Anderson(Bettis), “Two Dozen Roses” by Shenandoah (Byrne), “Cocaine” by Eric Clapton (Cale), “Statue of a Fool” by Jack Greene/Brian Collins/Ricky Van Shelton (Crutchfield), “Suspicious Minds” byElvis Presley (James), “The Dark End of the Street” by James Carr/Archie Campbell & Lorene Mann (Penn), ”Independence Day” by Martina McBride (Peters), “16th Avenue” by Lacy J. Dalton (Schulyer), “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt (Shamblin), “Nothin’ But the Wheel” by Patty Loveless (Sherrill).

Songwriter/Artist nominees had numerous successes writing their own material, including “Unanswered Prayers” (Brooks), “Broken Lady” (Gatlin), “Every Heartbeat” (Grant), “Chattahoochee” (Jackson), “Pancho and Lefty” (Van Zandt).

Two songwriters and one Songwriter/Artist will be inducted at the NaSHOF’s annual Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony Saturday, October 16 at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.

The brand new version of SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD hits iTunes tomorrow, Tuesday, May 31st!  Includes lots of new remixes, the Better Than A Hallelujah Music Video, and a new recording of Turn Turn Turn.  Here’s a message from Amy about the release:

Click here to listen to a remix of OVERNIGHT now – and down the album instantly beginning on Tuesday, May 31st:   http://t.co/kNRVOkF