Past Internet Chats with Amy Grant

FOA February 7, 2006 chat summary

Not allowed to post full transcript so here is a summary...

>? about Abby from 3W...is able to do sports yet?
ag- got a call from Leo her dad a few months ago...Abby had been invited to a softball sports clinic in FL that invite came as a result of the show...fun to see how the ripple effect continues..

? additional concerts this year, including Christmas concert?
ag-how do I put this...for the most part of this year I plan on being a "kept woman"...Vince & I have spent so much time apart & my kids are growing up too fast so I will probably do a few shows this spring and maybe a dozen symphony shows this fall...at this point no plans for a Christmas Tour...

My question I emailed to Nan about if Amy had every thought about writing a book about life with her many stories as I love hearing them in concert..
ag-thought many times about the untold stories of people I�ve met unique exp..that's a great idea to write some of them down. good past time for a kept woman...

with 3W cancelled, did that exp make you want to do more TV hosting?
ag- if another 3w opportunity presented itself I would definitely be interested...in my mind perfect scenario 3W specials by turn around time bw episodes would allow for bigger projects..shooting schedule got a little hairy and tight by end of fall..

?special gift at OCT 29 San Antonio show..what was it?
ag-friends of mine...steve and Melinda brought me a composite cd of mine that had been put together by an astronaut and taken on the space shuttle...items been in space carefully monitored by nasa..honor to be given a cd that had been on several space missions. plaque was documentation of shuttle mission. musician�s version of a flat Stanley..

?what is corrina into? any cute sayings...
ag-loves ballet, loves being in the country, at the barn, latest passion is stream of consciousness songwriting. Vince & I have sat thru concerts lasting up to 45 min performed on the coffee table..

?with busy life, what are your fav/best ways to recharge when you fell run down? and any advice you and Vince do to stay connected
ag-not going to pretend to do it all. delegate deep house cleaning and overwhelming laundry loads to 2 friends that I pay to lighten my load. do cook and find that the kitchen is a magnet for everyone in the family. that is one job I will not delegate. as far as time w/ Vince, he is much better at engaging in conversation and visiting with me that I am at initiating with him. tend to always be aware of my to do list even tough we have teenagers if I can start turning off lights in the house around 9:30 pm even the night owls begin retiring to their rooms...there's a chance that we can get in bed before being completely exhausted. hold on. my son just walked in..back..our greatest conversations happen at night..

my ? about former band members and what has become of them...
ag-Donna McElroy is teaching vocal performance at Berkeley school of music in Boston...Chris Rodriquez and Chris McHugh are both on the road with Keith urban..Jerry McPherson is mostly doing studio work and touring with Reba McEntire..Chris Eaton spends part of his time in England and part of his time in Nashville writing songs. Wayne Kirkpatrick has a few songs on Bonnie Raitt's latest record..Tabitha Fair is living in NYC and doing a lot of studio work.

?how is Vince and what is he up to these days?
ag-Vince is in the studio as we speak...working on a multiple cd project of all new material..

?what advice would you give to someone about to get married that has doubts?
ag-it's no mystery that seeds of true love can only grow in the fertile ground of respect. I�m going to give you a piece of advice that I give younger women in my family...when you love somebody it is your natural instinct to champion whatever cause is important to that person...to her out their frustration over and & ever situation...to be a sounding board. here�s my advice...observe interaction between the one you love and the most inconsequential people with whom they come in contact. someone on the other side of the argument. a person with whom they are frustrated..whether a friend of stranger...ask yourself the question "Do I respect the thought process of this person that I love?" "Do I respect their treatment of 'the least of these'?".."Do I respect their tools for argument?" because at some point in life, those tools, that behavior, will be aimed at you...if you have a pretty high level of respect for what you have seen meted out of other people then at least that issue of respect between the two of you has a firm foundation...biggest clue in a relationship is not how one treats the object of their affection, that's easy...but rather how does one treat the people with whom they are at odds.

?does Amy use message board Martha Stewart made for her?
ag-as a matter of fact, I just received that in the mail last week...I have it up in our play room...and have pictures of kids on it.

?princess751 talks of meeting her compassion sponsor child, Sunitha ...is there a particular story/moment that has stuck with you in any of your charitable work?
ag-do you know that moment when you first saw Sunitha & suddenly she became completely 3 dimensional in your mind?...She's no longer the child on the envelope...she has a life that you are a small but incredibly significant part of...I get that "full chested" feeling all the time with the work I do with kids..zI am such a small part of their daily life, but sometimes.like last Thursday at St. Jude, a big strapping teenage boy will tell me how special he feels by of some small amount of time that she talked, that we shared...and I am overwhelmed to have the opportunity to be invited into another person's thoughts, their vulnerability. \

nan thanks everyone for submitting ??? asks Amy what she is announcing...
ag- time for big announcement, no not pregnant...and for that I'm going to turn it over to Jen...hey everyone...it's me, Jen..ok so I know you've heard Amy talk in concert and interviews about her next project being a live recording...tonight we have 4 announcements to make about that project and how members of FOA can participate...so here we go..

1.Amy Grant LIVE at Bass Hall in Fort Worth, TX is going to be recorded on April 10 and 11, 2006tickets will go on sale first at amygrant.com..tickets will go on sale within the next couple of weeks. watch the site daily for upcoming details about how you can purchase your tickets before they go on sale to the general public..

2. We will be holding a special coffee with Amy for all FOA members who attend either night of the concert. the coffee with be held mid-morning on April 12th..time and location TBD..this will be a chance to mingle with Amy, ask ??, and perhaps hear a song or two.

3. We will also be securing a special group discount rate at 1 or 2 area hotels where your membership to FOA will save you money on the price of a room..watch the site daily for upcoming details about how to make your reservation..

4.We are going to be holding a register to win contest for all members of FOA..we will work with Star One network to set up an online registration ...we will pick 5 winners and 1 grand prize winner. the 1st 5 winners will all receive a personalized autographed copy of the new live cd/dvd upon its release..the grand prize winner will receive a once in a lifetime opportunity to fly to ft. worth from anywhere in cont us attend the concert and work with the film crew by using a hand held video camera and filming portions of the show since there are 2 shows they can watch one show and film the other..they will also be able to film the audience, fan interviews, and backstage footage...all the footage film with then be turned over to the producer of the DVD and including the making of bonus footage..the grand prize winner will be given a credit on the DVD packaging ..we will determine eligible rules and other restrictions in coming days and will announce start of registration process very soon..

thanks Amy and jen great news..special for FOA

reporter part of the chat..

Mykelbel-talks about meeting Amy and wearing believe necklace hopes to meet again. her friend shelli and daughter inspired..
? how do you learn/develop ability to be in the moment when performing a song? ag-being in the moment comes more naturally for some people that others...(going to be slow going...typing for myself..jen has hands full with her baby boy) just don't try to sell a song..believe it for yourself..

?if you have any quotes that are special to you?
ag-let me think for a moment...there's one my former mother-in-law used to say...it goes something like this..there's enough good in the worst of us...and enough bad in the best of us..that it never behooves any of us to talk about the rest of us....behooves is a little odd but you get the drift..

?will you be at the Grammy�s tomorrow night?
ag-no

?would you tell us something about you that has never been asked in an interview or chat session?
ag- interesting jumping off point...o.k...Granny panty or thong?.. no.. that's not interesting...I used to love to build a roaring fire in the fireplace, turn on some devastatingly beautiful music and dance wildly in the dark..it was like an altered state...like worship...then my kids grew up and there was no private place to dance..

?luckyone633..am I still only person who has asked if it's your handwriting on Vince�s breath of heaven Christmas cd?
ag-not anymore

says she works for Jockey and if Amy ever needs undies knows where to go... ?if they were doing movie of your life, what actress would you choose to portray you as a child, teenager, then adult?
ag-do u have any ideas?ok let me think...

?how Amy came to be barefoot at her wedding to Vince, it was march after all and very cold
ag-it was actually a warm day for March..and I wanted to feel the solid earth under my feet because that is how Vince has always felt to me...like solid earth...I'll keep thinking about the actress thing..

?are there any artist which songs you can listen to everyday? can you name 3 songs you never get tired of listening to?
ag-Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Keb 'Mo ...3 songs I never get tired of listening to?...Sarah is practicing piano in the room next to me and it is impossible for me to think of any song except what she is playing...sorry.

? are you an organized neatnik or more disorganized type person?
ag-disorganized. definitely ...except I�m getting less sloppy as I get older..

?about book listing on Amazon and when going to post her songs that didn't make the cut on BTE and posting pix of her home...
ag-I haven't written a 3 Wishes book..not aware of any on amazon.com..we did promise to put songs on there and Jen dropped the ball..Jen will put a couple of tracks this weeek..and this is Jen writing...I promise..sorry..

Chaz asks if he missed anything.. ag- only the granny panty or thong question...

ladyj???do u remember the 1st time you heard yourself on the radio and what was your reaction?
ag-I was driving home from school my senior yr in HS and the song was "Old Man's Rubble"..i remember thinking that they had overcompensated a very sibilent"S", so I thounded like I was thinging a thong with no etheth

?who have you met that made you shake in your boots'
ag-Kevin Costner, bill gates, Carole king, Paul Newman. what I�ve learned is that people are people..no more shaking...

?what has been your funniest on stage "moment"?
ag-funniest onstage moment would probably come form pranks that the road crew pulled on us..one night somebody in the crew brought a calf out on the stage...Gary used to play a guitar that had a cow skin on it..very funny things are usually funny in the moment b/c of the people sharing the moment...it's hard to think of these things by myself.

?what do you love most about your hometown?
ag-I love knowing generations of families here. I love the landscape...the rolling hills...the four seasons...I love that I spent my whole life here and I remember when the developments were farms and 4 lanes were 2 lanes...it's growing but Nashville still feels like a big small town.

?what was your day like today (before the chat)?
ag-5:50am alarm. coffee pot on. I spent the next 45 minutes waking up Vince, Sarah, and Matt, who each wanted just 5 more minutes, just 10 more minutes...just come get me in 15 more minutes...Millie wakes herself...I exercised...I had a meeting about a luncheon at which I'm speaking...a fundraiser for MS..I spent the rest of the day at the barn with a horse and a vet.

?is there anything that you've always wanted to ask a FOA member?
ag-several things actually..are u a member of multiple fan clubs?... are you drawn to music like it's a lifeline at times?...is this a satisfactory relationship for you?

John317 turn as a reporter
do u remember me? young boy met during Legacy tour in Portland, OR that Lord Jesus used "Saved by Love" to save me from suicide and to ask him into my heart...
ag-John317 your experience is not one I hear very often and I do remember thinking that that was an old song to have had such an effect on a young man. yes, I remember you.

john-no idea what a blessing that is for me...mom has all your albums on cassette tape
ag-tell your mom thanks

??what your plans are in the future for your career?
ag-there is so much going on w/ my family that I don't want to miss right now that it might seem like I�m not interested in music, but I�d like to think my best songs are still ahead.

?how do you like songwriting with Vince? does it draw you closer?
ag-Vince is a much more disciplined writer that I am. I feel like his writing wheel is always greased..i am distracted by my fear that I won't have any good ideas because my energies are divided..but once we start writing he is so enjoyable to write with b/c he pushes for an economy of words and honest communication..

?is there anything you feel Jesus would have you share with FOA members?
ag-I feel a little under qualified to answer that question...I�m smiling...when I lay my head on the pillow at night I try to say out loud a handful of things that I was thankful during the day...that's a good jumping off point for prayer...gratitude...in direct response to your question, I feel compelled to say find some silence and try to listen.

RichrdWork - surprise reporter

Nan asked Jen for an update on the baby and for a photo to put up on FOA before going to surprise reporter...

???where to u get your daily inspiration when things get tough?
ag-the thing that gives me the greatest inspiration when the alarm goes off at 5:50 am is pressing my face to the cold window pane & watching as the light creeps in behind the spindly, silhouetted trees in my front yard...then the pink sky...in the middle of the day, it is clouds or wind or sunshine..if I wake up in the middle of the night, I find the moon...sometimes I go outside. I hadn't thought about it until you asked, but I always find inspiration in the tough times in nature.
Rich youngest son has Asperger's syndrome...things can get tought..thanks for inspirations...

people talk bout actress choices
ag-I was thing Andie Macdowell except something about her is too hesitant... to Rich ag-you're welcome look up challenge

ag-Thanks for spending these 2 hrs together.