The great adventure
Amy Grant finds little moments make great memories of life
By Bruce R. Miller, Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, September 19, 2008
Amy Grant has performed several times in Siouxland during her 25-plus-year career. Most recently, she sang at a fundraiser with husband Vince Gill at the Iowa Great Lakes.
Enjoy today. That's Amy Grant's philosophy.
"If any of us knew what was ahead, we would just be rocking in a fetal position, switching the light on and off," she says. "It's better not to know."
Still, the Grammy-winning singer admits she didn't always have that "one day at a time" outlook. "When I was younger I would gear my energy more toward whatever was the big thing on the calendar. Now, because I have a good friend who has restarted (Alcoholics Anonymous) several times, I'm just grateful for the day."
Aiding her quest for spontaneity: husband Vince Gill. He's the king of changing course at a minute's notice. After finding a fan letter in a pile of old mail, he suggested they visit the woman on her birthday. They placed a phone call, "went the way the wind blew" and had a great time.
"I'm not a drifter," Grant insists. "But I saw 'The Bucket List' and realized 'this is my movie.'"
To prove as much, she went to the Bonnaroo Music Festival with her stepdaughter Jenny. "She said, 'You would love this. You're welcome to go with me and my friends.' So, I took my hula hoop and went. It was wonderful."
A long, "hard" horseback ride was also on Grant's list. She crossed a river, rode in the dark and got to experience a different lifestyle. "It was just amazing. When you're younger, time goes on forever. But life is like an infinity pool. There really is an edge. You bury some friends and you realize that."
Wait and it might be too late.
Interestingly, "the things that have meant the most to me are not five-star hotels. I've got a job where people roll out the red carpet. But the things that are most thrilling to me are the same things that are available to anybody. At some point, you have to turn off the television and say, 'I want to have a unique experience.' Now, you've got to schlepp through a bunch of boring, unique experiences to hit a good one. But every one of us woke up today and every one of us is still breathing. We all have the gift of this same day. We just have to wonder what surprises are hidden in this day that are beyond my 'to do' list."
While college shopping with her daughter -- "we're wired so differently," she says -- Grant saw signs to an outdoor art show and decided they should visit. "That's not the plan," her by-the-books daughter said. "But the plan was just spoken five minutes ago," mom argued. "It doesn't have power over us."
"And," Grant says, "it really made us look for a minute. I said some of the best things in life have come my way because I was able to lay down my plan. I'm a milkweed in the wind."
In more than 25 years in the business, Grant has won just about every award possible. In addition to six Grammys, she houses 25 Dove Awards, has a Gospel Music Hall of Fame plaque and plenty of humanitarian honors to land her on anyone's "nice" list.
"Three Wishes," an NBC series she hosted in 2006, promised to bring all those disparate job descriptions together. "It was the only job that I've ever done where I went to all my children, family and extended family and said, 'If I can do this, it can be a life-altering thing.' They all signed on."
The reality show brought Grant to Le Mars, Iowa, (among dozens of places) and made her part of a team able to grant wishes. "We had the right tools for a great experience, but who can explain why it didn't last. It was the least amount of sleep I've ever gotten in six months but I was always energized for the job. I was so sad when that ended. I've never cried over a job but I did that one. I felt like we had the pieces of what could have been an amazing puzzle."
Grant went back to music -- "It was impossible to do anything else" -- and won that sixth Grammy.
Earlier last week, she finished a song -- "It's Better Not to Know" -- that addresses the unpredictable nature of life.
More spiritual today than 20 years ago? "Absolutely," she says. "The best thing my parents did was tell me, 'God made you. The best part of your life is a relationship with him. Lean in. He loves you.'
"My parents took me to church so much it was a relief when they said, 'We're not going.' But during that time, I learned a lot of hymns. I don't remember any of the sermons but I do remember the truth in those songs. It meant one thing to me at 7 and 8. It means even more to me at 47."
Who: Amy Grant
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Where: Orpheum Theatre
Tickets: Available at the Tyson Events Center box office and at the Orpheum Theatre box office.
Details: As a benefit for Girls Inc., the Grammy-winning Grant sings a selection of songs from more than 25 years of performing. In 2006, she offered a free community concert in Le Mars, Iowa, as part of the "Three Wishes" television show. Grant hosted the series which traveled the country granting wishes of deserving people. "Rock of Ages" netted Grant her sixth Grammy. Among her hits: "Baby Baby," "Lead Me On," "Takes a Little Time" and "Every Heartbeat." A greatest hits CD is among her latest releases.
"If any of us knew what was ahead, we would just be rocking in a fetal position, switching the light on and off," she says. "It's better not to know."
Still, the Grammy-winning singer admits she didn't always have that "one day at a time" outlook. "When I was younger I would gear my energy more toward whatever was the big thing on the calendar. Now, because I have a good friend who has restarted (Alcoholics Anonymous) several times, I'm just grateful for the day."
Aiding her quest for spontaneity: husband Vince Gill. He's the king of changing course at a minute's notice. After finding a fan letter in a pile of old mail, he suggested they visit the woman on her birthday. They placed a phone call, "went the way the wind blew" and had a great time.
"I'm not a drifter," Grant insists. "But I saw 'The Bucket List' and realized 'this is my movie.'"
To prove as much, she went to the Bonnaroo Music Festival with her stepdaughter Jenny. "She said, 'You would love this. You're welcome to go with me and my friends.' So, I took my hula hoop and went. It was wonderful."
A long, "hard" horseback ride was also on Grant's list. She crossed a river, rode in the dark and got to experience a different lifestyle. "It was just amazing. When you're younger, time goes on forever. But life is like an infinity pool. There really is an edge. You bury some friends and you realize that."
Wait and it might be too late.
Interestingly, "the things that have meant the most to me are not five-star hotels. I've got a job where people roll out the red carpet. But the things that are most thrilling to me are the same things that are available to anybody. At some point, you have to turn off the television and say, 'I want to have a unique experience.' Now, you've got to schlepp through a bunch of boring, unique experiences to hit a good one. But every one of us woke up today and every one of us is still breathing. We all have the gift of this same day. We just have to wonder what surprises are hidden in this day that are beyond my 'to do' list."
While college shopping with her daughter -- "we're wired so differently," she says -- Grant saw signs to an outdoor art show and decided they should visit. "That's not the plan," her by-the-books daughter said. "But the plan was just spoken five minutes ago," mom argued. "It doesn't have power over us."
"And," Grant says, "it really made us look for a minute. I said some of the best things in life have come my way because I was able to lay down my plan. I'm a milkweed in the wind."
In more than 25 years in the business, Grant has won just about every award possible. In addition to six Grammys, she houses 25 Dove Awards, has a Gospel Music Hall of Fame plaque and plenty of humanitarian honors to land her on anyone's "nice" list.
"Three Wishes," an NBC series she hosted in 2006, promised to bring all those disparate job descriptions together. "It was the only job that I've ever done where I went to all my children, family and extended family and said, 'If I can do this, it can be a life-altering thing.' They all signed on."
The reality show brought Grant to Le Mars, Iowa, (among dozens of places) and made her part of a team able to grant wishes. "We had the right tools for a great experience, but who can explain why it didn't last. It was the least amount of sleep I've ever gotten in six months but I was always energized for the job. I was so sad when that ended. I've never cried over a job but I did that one. I felt like we had the pieces of what could have been an amazing puzzle."
Grant went back to music -- "It was impossible to do anything else" -- and won that sixth Grammy.
Earlier last week, she finished a song -- "It's Better Not to Know" -- that addresses the unpredictable nature of life.
More spiritual today than 20 years ago? "Absolutely," she says. "The best thing my parents did was tell me, 'God made you. The best part of your life is a relationship with him. Lean in. He loves you.'
"My parents took me to church so much it was a relief when they said, 'We're not going.' But during that time, I learned a lot of hymns. I don't remember any of the sermons but I do remember the truth in those songs. It meant one thing to me at 7 and 8. It means even more to me at 47."
Who: Amy Grant
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Where: Orpheum Theatre
Tickets: Available at the Tyson Events Center box office and at the Orpheum Theatre box office.
Details: As a benefit for Girls Inc., the Grammy-winning Grant sings a selection of songs from more than 25 years of performing. In 2006, she offered a free community concert in Le Mars, Iowa, as part of the "Three Wishes" television show. Grant hosted the series which traveled the country granting wishes of deserving people. "Rock of Ages" netted Grant her sixth Grammy. Among her hits: "Baby Baby," "Lead Me On," "Takes a Little Time" and "Every Heartbeat." A greatest hits CD is among her latest releases.
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