Mela Kamin – 4:10 Ministries

Amy Grant’s newest album “Somewhere Down the Road” released today. I had already listened on her website the past few weeks and fallen in love with “Better Than a Hallelujah” and the catchy duet “Overnight” with Amy’s beautifully-voiced daughter, Sarah. Now, I just nabbed it on iTunes.
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I’m happy to see Amy is still putting out new music. She feels matriarchal for someone in this very far-flung, extended Christian music family.
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Though we’ve never met, I do feel slightly connected in a Kevin Bacon-ish way. My co-writer & Producer, Dan Needham was the drummer for Amy’s Behind the Eyes album and part of her tour band. A group picture hangs in his studio (near the Amy, Smitty & Chris Tomlin records). And, Sarah Hart co-wrote “Better Than a Hallelujah.” I met Sarah and saw her perform last year at a songwriter’s night at Tin Roof in Nashville, that my other Producer, Carl Herrgesell invited me to sing at.
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Now, for my real-live experience with Amy:
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My Mom, Aunt, cousin & I went to see Amy at the Wisconsin State Fair in the nineties. I was in college getting a degree in journalism at the time. I was busy planning moving on and moving out of my small-town existence. I had absolutely no dreams of becoming a Christian singer, or any type of singer, for that matter. And, I wasn’t attending church then either – hadn’t read my Bible in ages. My Aunt & cousin were the “religious” ones who brought us.
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Now, to be fair, Amy had crossed over by this time and was well-known enough that even I knew some of her pop songs. It wasn’t like we were going to a Christian concert – it was Amy Grant – and we knew what to expect … sort of.
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I remember the way Amy put the whole enormous crowd at ease, got us up dancing and clapping and then had us sitting in awe as she effortlessly sang from her heart in her unique folk/country/gospel way. We were far from the stage, yet felt connected. I didn’t know all the songs, but somehow it still felt familiar.
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What I hear in this new music is that same comforting voice, that’s filled with experience, depth and topped with that breathy control that is no small task to deliver.
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I became a fan of hers at that concert, bought the music and the necklace I’m wearing in this picture. Yes, I still have it thanks to the “save-it” gene that was passed down by my Mom.
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I never would’ve imagined that one day, I’d find my way back to church, find my voice and decide to pursue music – Christian music. Is it because of Amy’s impact on me that day? I don’t know.
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I do know that God has a way of using experiences and sometimes even music to crack open the hardened places of our hearts. He knew the plans He had for me.
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I pray Amy’s music continues to impact others – for those that know Christ deeply, and those, like me, who just knew about Him, but didn’t yet have a real relationship with Him. I’m grateful to Amy that she shares her relationship outwardly through her music, even when she’s come under attack for life and musical changes.
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You never know who’s listening.
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What’s a concert experience you remember?