Reading update

I took the book to the girls' piano lessons. I sat in the car and read the entire hour. I cried a bit, laughed a bit, and cried some more. As I read I realized how her music is woven through my entire life - it's like my own personal soundtrack. Okay, mine and the millions others who love her music, too, but it feels so personal.

I got through 100 pages during that hour, and I've just now finished the rest. It was great. I must admit I was afraid she wouldn't be as good a book writer as she is a songwriter, but I was definitely wrong on that account. I loved how she told stories and matched them to her songs. I loved all the pictures (but there could have been a lot more!). I enjoyed learning about her mom and dad and even her grandparents. I must admit I wish she would have delved more deeply into the period surrounding her divorce; I so want to believe it was his fault! She didn't bad-mouth him. As a matter of fact, she hardly talked about him at all. He was only mentioned as it related to their children or the musicians on a particular tour.

There was lots of talk about Vince. As in Gill, her current husband. I guess the guy's alright, but I hate what he's done to her music. Hillbilly central. Man, Amy, I know you love the guy but please make a record without him! His influence is so marked that her albums are sounding countrified. I'd give anything to go back to the days of her arena tours and a more pop sound.

I loved going to her concerts! I've been to 36 since my first at the World Congress Center in Atlanta, March 1981. I hadn't yet turned 11 but I knew I loved Amy Grant and her music. My love of her music only intensified as I went through high school, and my father has commented on several occasions that he's sure he spent enough money on tickets and albums and shirts and tour books to put at least one of Amy Grant's kids through college. A bit of an exaggeration, but not much.

So, yeah! I got to finish the book. But it's only left me wanting more. Which is always what happened when an album of hers would be released. Which is why I'm glad the Internet wasn't around when I was full-bore in love with Amy Grant; I'm sure I'd have spent untold hours surfing for stories about her, chatting in newsgroups and writing a blog just about her. It's also why one of the first Bible verses I memorized was 1 John 5:21: Little children, guard yourselves from idols. I needed it then; looks like I need it today.