Amy Grant, "Queen of Christian Pop," Named Kennedy Center Honoree
Amy Grant will be the first contemporary Christian artist to receive the Kennedy Center Honor.
The Christian community celebrates, too, happy to see our music represented at the highest levels. Amy Grant says it all in her quote on Facebook accompanying the announcement.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine ever receiving this prestigious Kennedy Center Honor. Through the years I’ve watched so many of my heroes serenaded by colleagues and fellow artists, always moved by the ability of music and film to bring us together and to see the best in each other.
“I cannot wait to celebrate with my fellow honorees, friends and family. Thank you for widening the circle to include all of us,” Amy said.
Joining Amy in the list of inductees for this year are actor George Clooney, singer Gladys Knight, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Tania León, and the rock band U2.
Christianity Today quotes Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein’s statement about Grant saying she “became the first artist to bring contemporary Christian music to the forefront of American culture, then equally thrived after crossing over into mainstream pop with hit after hit, and today is revered as the ‘Queen of Christian Pop.’”
Amy has always been public about her faith in Christ and those of us who grew up with her celebrated her victories and agonized with her struggles.
In a 2021 interview with Today, then 60-year-old Grant talked about feeling as if she’s gained the courage to be authentically herself because of her faith, “‘I am so grateful,’ she said. ‘As I’ve gotten older, I just say, ‘Wow, it changed everything when I believed that God designed me to be uniquely me.’
“‘And I’m going to believe he designed you to be uniquely you. I’m sure there are so many things I don’t understand. But I’m just trusting that God, who holds everything in his hands, it’s not a surprise to him.’”
Grant, now 61, has enjoyed a music career that has spanned over 40 years.
Her website lists astounding statistics for any musician including three multi-platinum albums, six platinum albums and four gold albums, her total career album sales have exceeded 30 million, over 1 billion global streams, six No. 1 hits, 10 Top 40 pop singles, 17 Top 40 Adult Contemporary tracks and multiple Contemporary Christian chart-toppers.
She’s won six Grammy’s, 26 Dove awards, and has stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Music City Walk of Fame and the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.
Amy presents a gracious but unapologetic public faith in Christ, and in a Mercury News interview credits prayer as her difference-maker, “I have felt prayed for my whole life and it has made all the difference. I just want to share some of that blessing with the rest of my family.”
Fans who have appreciated Amy’s music, resonated with her faith, and prayed for her through heartache and heart surgery now celebrate with her as she represents Christian contemporary music in this prestigious honor to be broadcast in December on CBS.
