When there’s a Christian rock singer in Washington, some people may have images of an extreme conservative on a mission to blame the government for all the problems in America. But not Amy Grant, the best-selling Christian artist of all time — she’s working as hard to start a new organization as much as she is trying to keep it nonpolitical.
“The biggest mouths don’t necessarily have the biggest impact,” Grant said while talking to Yeas & Nays about her upcoming event at the Kennedy Center in honor of “Challenge America,” an organization that benefits wounded troops through recreational activities and job placement.
The June 8 concert will not feature such pols as George H.W. Bush, Colin Powell and Jimmy Carter — who all initially agreed to be honorary chairmen when Grant joined with the nonprofit — but rather will reflect the “grass-roots” nature of the organization with an “uncensored” night of singing with such artists as husband Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, Darius Rucker and Michael McDonald.
Grant is no stranger to politics. Although she said she “never [uses her] music as a political platform,” she’s certainly targeted by groups with one. On one hand she’s been labeled “too sexy” to be a Christian rock singer, and on the other was told she went against God for divorcing her first husband. How aligned, then, is she really with the current loudest and most influential Christians in Washington?
“I think the whole religious evangelical movement [that supported President George W. Bush] is funny in a way. It’s as if no one believes [in God] in the Democratic Party,” Grant said with a laugh.
And what about another “sexy” Christian in the news, Miss California Carrie Prejean?
“Many people that make the biggest difference to the lives of our country would never stand in front of a microphone,” Grant said.
What a nice Christian way to answer that question.
