“Vinyls are fun,” she admitted. “We have a tiny little record player right beside the kitchen. I love spinning records while I am cooking. I am excited for these to come out. I love the nostalgia of vinyl. I need to work on my vinyl collection.”
For her fans, she said, “I hope that this vinyl release brings back all the old memories when vinyl was all we had to listen to music on. Memories of our childhood, our parents, and our grandparents, among other memories.
Grant is embarking on a Christmas tour with Michael W. Smith, which kicks off on November 30 in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it wraps up on December 8 in Des Moines, Iowa. “The symphonies shows are always just glorious and Marc Martel is our special guest and man, his voice is rocking,” she said. “These seven shows are happening first, and they are elegant and beautiful.”
It will be followed by the “Amy Grant & Vince Gill – Christmas at the Ryman” shows, which will take place from December 11 to December 23 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.
On being an artist in the digital age, Grant explained, “Part of my wiring will always be old school. I am just such a child of the ’60s. My idea of fun is giving back to nature, cooking with friends, and my favorite kind of music is live. I am so glad to keep doing what I have always loved. I never thought it would last this long. What a gift.”
In April of 2016, Grant celebrated the 25th anniversary of her smash hit single “Baby Baby” with a worldwide release of the song that featured pop singer Tori Kelly. “Time flies, doesn’t it? I turned 59 right before the Christmas tour starts, and I don’t think I’ve ever considered being 60. I guess everybody feels that way about life,” she said.
On the title of the current chapter of her life, Grant said with a sweet laugh, “Untethered.” “That’s how I feel right now. Our youngest just child left for college. It was sad for just a minute and then, it was exciting. I am traveling and loving it, and I am planning a big camping trip next year. I will take life as it comes and I will write about it,” she said.
When asked if there are any moments in her career that helped define her, she responded, “Songs have defined me and there is something beautiful about every performance just because they are happening at the moment that’s why live music is beautiful and forgiving.”
“Now, I have entered my fifth decade of making music. I feel this beautiful perspective that keeps growing and enlarging. In some ways, I feel freer. As we age, the pressure that we feel when we were younger, minimizes. There is total freedom from that, and that happens with time. There is something defining in every decade, and I am continuing to explore what creativity looks like in every stage,” she said.
On the key to longevity in the music and entertainment business, Grant said, “Maintaining your true outlook on life and people. That always gives you something to write about. Also, just enjoying music. I just love exploring and hearing artists that I would have never heard. It’s an endless frontier of creativity.”
She also honored the late but great country star Lynn Anderson. “‘(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden’ was the song I knew the most of hers. Many years ago, I was doing a recording session in Ocean Way Studio in Nashville and she dropped by. Lynn was cool,” Grant said.
Grant defined the word success as “living a day where people and things that mattered occupied your time and attention.”
For more information on Amy Grant and her new music, check out her official website and her Facebook page.
