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Amy Grant supports new releases
Christian/crossover star Amy Grant will keep a busy touring schedule through the end of the year as she supports the 20th anniversary edition of her album "Lead Me On" as well as her forthcoming holiday set.
The singer/songwriter will warm up with a couple of dates in Iowa next month before launching her "Lead Me On 20th Anniversary Celebration Tour" Oct. 12 in Augusta, GA. Grant recently told Billboard that the US outing will feature most of the musicians who accompanied her on the original "Lead Me On" trek.
"I am so excited to recapture and re-engage audiences with these songs," Grant said in a statement. "I can honestly say that I am truly looking forward to getting out and performing these songs, and hope to bring back the passion and inspiration these songs brought out in me and so many."
The two-disc, 20th anniversary set, released in June, comprises the fully remastered original album plus a CD of new and previously unreleased material, including acoustic versions of the title track (featuring Grant's hubby, Vince Gill) and "Faithless Heart" with Michael W. Smith.
Grant is also gearing up for the holidays with her forthcoming "Christmas Collection," which is due Sept. 30. The album combines favorites from the performer's previous Christmas CDs with her first new holiday recordings in nine years. New original tunes include "I Need a Silent Night," co-written with Chris Eaton, and "Baby It's Christmas," co-written with Gill.
Grant and Gill will support the project with a December tour that is expected to visit 15 US cities. The outing focuses on the East Coast and currently wraps with a two-night stand at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. Grant's full itinerary is listed below.
Between tour dates, the Grammy-winning singer is scheduled to tape the "Holiday Celebration on Ice" special for NBC-TV. The program will feature Grant and Smith singing Christmas favorites along with Olympic, World and National Champion skaters including Nancy Kerrigan and Viktor Petrenko, according to a press release. The special is set to air on NBC Nov. 30 and will also be televised multiple times on The Style Network and Universal HD.
Meanwhile, Grant told Billboard that she's got a dozen songs written for a new album and she hopes to record a few before she hits the road.
Grant, whose mainstream appeal is said to have opened the door for other Christian artists, has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide during her three-decade career, according to a press release. She has six Grammy Awards on her mantle along with 21 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards.
