It was a Friday afternoon, my deadline was rapidly approaching and I was trying not to panic because I hadn’t found a celebrity couple to interview for the “Bridal” issue of Luxury Las Vegas magazine. It’s challenging to find the right person, but two celebrities was nearly impossible.
All of a sudden the names Amy Grant and Vince Gill came to mind as clearly as if someone had whispered them in my ear.
I quickly sent an email to Vince and Amy’s publicists in Nashville. Twenty minutes later I got a phone call from Vince’s publicist. It was nearly five o’clock in Nashville, and she was leaving on vacation the next day, but she said she’d forward my request to both Vince and Amy’s managers. (Country singers and their representatives tend to be extraordinarily nice.)
Less than 30 minutes later, she called back. That’s usually not a good sign; things just don’t happen that fast. Unless, of course, it’s meant to be. In this case, it seemed to be divinely orchestrated, because Amy and Vince’s managers both said yes.
That was late Friday afternoon and by the following Wednesday both interviews were done! That’s unheard of in the world of celebrities and journalists, especially when you’re asking for an hour with each person.
LIFE LESSON: When we’re in tune with God/The Universe, things can happen effortlessly. Try connecting with your inner spirit more. I listened to the voice that whispered in my ear, took immediate action, and was rewarded with immediate results. It’s not always like that, but when it is, you really feel the connection to a higher power.
Interviewing Amy and Vince for the June issue was especially poignant because their road to marital bliss was a journey filled with lots of twists and turns.
Amy and Vince’s Love Story
Amy and Vince were both married to other people when they first met in 1990. Vince had a daughter; Amy had a son and two daughters. The two of them were good friends and had worked on projects together on and off for years. It was only after Vince got divorced in 1998 and Amy got divorced in 1999, that they allowed themselves to consider something deeper. In 2000 they got married and in 2001 they added a baby girl to their blended family.
Amy and Vince’s love story is inspiring because so many of us don’t get marriage right the first time. It might be because we’re young and immature with unrealistic expectations; maybe we’re stubborn or insecure. Maybe we’ve been lugging around the emotional baggage of always needing to be right, the fear of being alone, or resentments that keep our souls forever wounded.
If you’re like me and you believe in second chances, in true love, in soul mates, in miracles and happy endings you’ll enjoy this nine-minute clip that’s part of a conversation Amy and Vince had with Larry King back in 2003 where they talked about how their friendship blossomed into something deeper.
For those who have known the loss of love and have felt abandoned for whatever reason, for those who left a marriage that didn’t nurture their soul, or for those who may want to leave, but are scared to start over again, it’s important to remember that at its core, love is about being supportive, sensitive, respectful, and caring. That’s what you should not only be giving but receiving.
On Larry King
When I talked with Amy, I loved the way she expressed herself. Her voice was soft, yet she exuded strength as a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister and a friend. When I asked her a question, she took the time to think before she spoke. You could hear the wheels turning as she searched for the best way to express what she was feeling. What she said was comforting and nourishing.
When I asked her who had most influenced her life she said:
“Vince altered the course of my life. I was married when I met him, and my ex and I had spent a lot of years in counseling. Then Vince came along and recognized something in me and called it out—something I had been waiting years for someone to do. A few years ago we were driving in the car, and I was spilling my guts to him about something I can’t remember now. He was quiet. I hoped he was listening. Eventually he made a comment or two that made me feel as though he fully understood me, maybe even more than I understood myself. In the quiet that followed, I studied his profile and I was filled with gratitude and relief that here in my forties I was experiencing what I had dreamed of and longed for since I was a young woman. I tried to find the words to communicate my wonder in being fully understood by a man.
“Finally he said with a smile, ‘Amy, I don’t want to take credit where it isn’t due. I love you, but I can’t say I always understand you. What I can say is that I welcome you and whatever you bring to the table is enough.’ I thought, better still.”
I love you, but I can’t say I always understand you. What I can say is that I welcome you and whatever you bring to the table is enough.”
– Vince Gill
Ah, to be loved like that, to be enough, to be all that someone needs, even when you’re at your worst, is something to be treasured.
I also asked Amy what life lesson she had learned and once again her answer touched me:
“In life you find what you are looking for. If you’re looking for the bad in your mate, or a co-worker, you’ll find it because we’re all a mix of everything. But if you look for the good, you’ll find that too. Also, in our lives, the darkest times, the days that are bleak and black, add depth to every other experience. Like the dark bits of color in a mosaic, they add the contrast and shadows that give beauty to the whole.”
– Amy Grant
Amy Grant’s Book Mosaic
How apropos that the title of Amy’s book is “Mosaic: Pieces of My Life So Far.”
Both Amy and Vince left their footprints on my heart. Vince has a great sense of humor, along with a sensitive side that allows him to write songs like “True Love.” In my interview, Up Close and Personal with Amy Grant and Vince Gill, you can see how their answers differ to the same questions.
Last month, Vince was scheduled to perform at the Las Vegas Hilton. I emailed Amy, not knowing if she would even remember me from the previous year, and asked if she was joining him. She answered back as if no time had passed. She said she wasn’t coming because she was on the road herself, but she made sure I had two tickets and backstage passes so I could say hi to Vince.
After the show my friend and I went backstage. Vince was incredibly gracious. We talked for about 30 minutes, then we took a few photos. In one of them I held up a copy of the magazine so that Amy would know she was there with us in spirit
You can’t help but feel her energy. She touches you with her kindness, her sensitivity and thoughtfulness. When I asked what she was passionate about how her answer touched my heart.
Amy Grant Sings “Better Than a Hallelujah”
In this music video “Better Than a Hallelujah” sings about the love lost and the passage of time. It conveys the loss and pain that people go through. Some of it is not of our making, but some of it is. If we keep our hearts open and are willing to communicate in a truly meaningful way with each other, we can prevent so much emotional pain and eliminate so many misunderstandings. It’s all about LOVE! Giving it and receiving it.
New Chapter for Vince Gill
I was certainly surprised and pleased when I heard that Vince Gill was playing with The Eagles (one of my all time favorite bands) after the shocking death of Glenn Frye. No one can replace Glenn, but it’s nice to see such a great musician and a genuine guy on stage as part of The Eagles.
In this video, Vince talks about the time Eric Clapton called him to play with him and his time with The Eagles.
Deborah Pittman
Marsala,
Thank you for shining a beautiful loving light on these celebrities, and putting a very human face on them, and for sharing their and your spiritual journey.
I cant wait for the book!!!!!!!!
With Love,
Deborah