Remarkably, when Grant first attempted to sing again after her throat surgery, her voice not only worked, but was better than ever. She joked, “If I were a car, I’ve made a lot of trips to the shop…I feel like a classic now. And actually, sort of, re-revved up in a really beautiful way.”
On Dec. 4, Grant, who has six Grammys and more than 20 Dove Awards, was recognized at The Kennedy Center Honors. She has the distinction of being the first contemporary Christian artist to be named an honoree and was celebrated alongside George Clooney, Gladys Knight, Tania León and U2.
Grant said her experience at the Kennedy Center was “otherworldly special.” It was hard not to cry, and since Grant was still healing, she knew once she started crying, she “might not recover.”
“The emotion of it felt like being in…a cone of light,” said Grant. “That’s what it felt like.”
Amy Grant: ‘I Feel Fantastic’
Regarding how her faith has helped her deal with these recent challenges, Grant said, “It’s helped me not be afraid, and just to go, however this turns out…I believe I’m held by love, just like I believe that about you [Melvin] and everybody I meet.”
The bike accident was good for her, said Grant, because of the simplicity it brought to her life. Noting that she has been touring since she was in college, Grant said that after the accident, for “the first time ever, everything disappeared from my calendar, like, really disappeared.” She had to “develop a new relationship with myself,” and face the question, “What is my value if I have no purpose?”
The accident has been a “great reminder that life is dynamic, people are dynamic, nobody’s all good, nobody’s all bad,” said Grant. “A circumstance is not all bad or all good. Even in the worst, awful, worst trauma, beauty and goodness are still present.”
Now, Amy Grant says, “I feel fantastic.” She starts a 70-day tour this week, and this spring will be releasing her first new music in 10 years. She also plans to write while on tour.
“It’s fun to be reminded after a season of simplicity of what really makes me happy,” said Grant. “And music and making music really makes me happy.”
