People Article~~~Here it is, the whole Article!
SarahMichelleone
Finally a Duet
1 | 2
After painful divorces, and years of speculation, Vince Gill and Amy Grant
confess they are in love
"Everybody can see they're crazy about each other," an acquaintance says of
Gill and Grant (together last October in Oklahoma City).
November 29,1999 -- Kids ask the darndest things. At a recent barbecue that pop
singer Amy Grant threw at her colonial home for her 10-year-old daughter
Millie, one of the youngster's friends sized up the presence of country
star--and longtime Grant pal--Vince Gill and blurted out the question Nashville
nabobs had been asking each other for years: "Is he your boyfriend?"
"I kinda took a breath,"Grant recently told The Tennessean, "and said, 'He is,
honey, yeah.'" Thus ended the seemingly endless speculation about the pair, who
had vehemently denied they were romantically involved while married to their
respective spouses. Since that moment, Gill, 42 (who was divorced from wife
Janis in 1997), and the 39-year-old Grant (whose divorce from husband Gary
Chapman was finalized in June) have been taking their act all over town--dining
at a local Waffle House, attending church together and canoodling on golf
courses. "They giggle a lot," says Kathy Dozier, a volunteer at Gill's annual
golf tournament. "They laugh and touch each other. They are very funny together
and very sweet. It's like they're in high school."
"I've never seen him happier," says photographer Bill Thorup, a Gill friend.
Their teen antics aren't reserved for the links. During a bus trip returning to
Nashville from a tour with his band last September, Gill received a call from
Grant on his cell phone. Changing his plans, Gill told the driver to drop him
off at a McDonald's parking lot along the way, where Grant would pick him up.
"We just took off and left him there," says photographer Bill Thorup, a Gill
friend. "I've never seen him happier." Grant shares her beau's sunny outlook.
She recently told a local reporter that Gill "is hands down, slam dunk, my best
friend. We [are] like two peas in a pod."
Not surprisingly, the pods Grant and Gill used to occupy were not nearly so
happy. Janis Gill, 44, Vince's wife of 17 years and mother of his daughter
Jenny, 17, initially tolerated the close friendship he struck up with Grant,
known for her Christian-themed paeans to eternal love, after she performed at
his 1993 Christmas concert. Janis's forbearance vanished the next year after
she found hand-written notes from Grant in her husband's golf bag. Her sister
Kristine Arnold recalls coming home and finding a sobbing Janis parked in her
driveway on the night of the discovery. "She was holding a crumpled note," says
Arnold. "It said, 'I love you, Amy.' That was the beginning of the end." After
unsuccessfully begging Gill to cut his ties with Grant, Janis finally divorced
him citing "irreconcilable differences"in 1997, reaping a hefty settlement
valued from $9 to $20 million, depending on her ex-husband's royalty earnings.
1 | 2
Gill and Grant maintain that Janis's suspicions were unwarranted and that their
relationship remained platonic until their divorces were completed. During
Gill's divorce proceedings, Vince and Amy were even prepared to sign sworn
affidavits stating that they hadn't had sex together. But claims of chastity
don't wash with Arnold. "Janis tried desperately to keep that marriage
together," says Arnold, 43, who runs a Nashville boutique with Janis. "She did
not leave her husband. He left her. She loved Vince deeply, and the whole
experience has been horrifying. Just because people are not having a physical
relationship doesn't mean they aren't having an affair."
Meanwhile, Grant's long troubled, 16-year marriage to songwriter Chapman was
disintegrating. According to a family friend, Chapman, 42, a former Nashville
Network host, felt overshadowed by his wife almost from the moment they met at
a party in 1979. "[Gill] wasn't what broke them up. I'd say it was the final
straw. They weren't getting along," says the friend, "and they hadn't been for
years." Still, the devoutly Christian pair struggled to make the union work,
seeing numerous marriage counselors. But Gill was a constant reminder to Grant
that relationships should be easier. "Sometimes an innocent party can come into
a situation, and they're like a big spotlight," the Augusta, Ga.-born Grant
told the magazine CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) this month. "What they do
is reveal, by comparison, the painful dynamics that are already in existence.
Through all of that process in my life, Vince was a friend of mine."
During Gill's divorce proceedings, Vince and Amy were even prepared to sign
sworn affidavits stating that they hadn't had sex together.
In February, Grant finally moved out of the family's $6 million Franklin,
Tenn., farm to a house in Nashville. (Their kids Matthew, 12, Millie, 10, and
Sarah, 7, now divide time between parents.) "This is easily the saddest thing
I've encountered in my life," Chapman told PEOPLE at the time. "I'm an old-
fashioned guy who believes marriage should last until one of you quits
breathing."
For Grant and Gill, it's time to move on. While some Christian radio stations
have pulled Grant's music from the air because of her divorce, says Lindy
Warren, a CCMnewsletter editor, Grant is about to begin a sold-out, 21-city
tour to support her latest disc, A Christmas to Remember. The pair themselves
seem carefree. "I have a picture of them where they are just looking at each
other lovingly," says Gill friend Thorup. "It's just that look--it looks like a
couple in love."
Gill and Grant . . .
lk...@seaside.net
I just have to wonder that if Vince had not been in the picture,
waiting, just how much harder Amy would have worked at her marriage. It
seems to me that yes, she and Gary may have had problems, but, in my
opinion and from past experience, there is no way this was going to work
with Gary with Vince in the background. If Amy truly wanted this
marriage to work, she would have forsaken this friendship, and what kind
of friendship enables your primary relationships to deteriorate! I
guess naysayers will say if it wasn't Vince it would have been someone
else! Well, I went through exactly what Gary did, and let me tell you,
there may be things broken, but there is no way you can fix them
half-heartedly! And indeed, an affair does not need to be sexual, in
fact, I think an emtional affair is far more devastating!
Amy didn't do right, in my own opinion, by her God, her children, her
husband, and lastely herself.
In article <19991120153916...@ng-cd1.aol.com>,
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
chrisnu
"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone". Jesus had the compassion
to forgive a prostitute in the Bible. Why don't we try to show Jesus to Amy,
as she has done to us in the past, instead of cursing her, tearing her down,
and practically convicting her of adultery when we have no real evidence.
Innocent until PROVEN guilty.
CLOUCH
>According to a family friend, Chapman, 42, a former NashvilleNetwork host,
felt overshadowed by his wife almost from the moment they met at a party in
1979.
After the goings on of the last year-and now to find out the past several
years-and as an avid Amy fan, I've had to ask myself what was the strength and
pull of Amy's songs. The songs seemed so grounded, but now in obvious
opposition to her actions.
Just recently and IMHO, I've concluded that the "overshadowed"-and I find that
hard to believe- Gary was the "overshawdowing" strength of Amy' songs.
nycz...@my-deja.com
chrisnu <chr...@xoommail.com> wrote:
> Then burn the harlot to the stake, o blameless one!
>
> "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone". Jesus had the
compassion
> to forgive a prostitute in the Bible. Why don't we try to show Jesus
to Amy,
> as she has done to us in the past, instead of cursing her, tearing her
down,
> and practically convicting her of adultery when we have no real
evidence.
> Innocent until PROVEN guilty.
>
> lk...@seaside.net wrote:
>
> > Amy didn't do right, in my own opinion, by her God, her children,
her
> > husband, and lastely herself.
> >
>
>
Gabrielle
host,
> felt overshadowed by his wife almost from the moment they met at a
party in
> 1979.
>
several
> years-and as an avid Amy fan, I've had to ask myself what was the
strength and
> pull of Amy's songs. The songs seemed so grounded, but now in obvious
> opposition to her actions.
>
> Just recently and IMHO, I've concluded that the "overshadowed"-and I
find that
> hard to believe- Gary was the "overshawdowing" strength of Amy'
songs.
>
time when the two of them seemed so happy together; it really seemed
like the complimented and balanced one another.
I remember Amy talking about how Gary proposed to her. She said they
went to see a terrible movie and then they did some laundry. Gary's
reason for proposing on a 'bad day'? He said something to the effect
of, "If you'll stick with me on a day like today, you'll stick with me
for the rest of my life."
I have trouble believing the 'overshadowing' spin as well. I think
that there seemed to be harmony and equality in their marriage, at
least in the early years.
They seem like good people; the whole situation is so sad!
Gabrielle
lillith99
(Don't ask-too long of a story) but to make a longer story even longer - i
sat their looking at all these "things" i had acquired through the years of
something tangible of this entertainer. Period. It doesnt have to mean a
hill of beans to anyone BUT me - but as I sat their and looked at all these
items I started grinning from ear to ear - and the reason why is because it
made me happy to recount moments of what if felt like to rip into that new
LP on release day or get a poster or flat from a bookstore to add to my
bedroom wall. Well lots of those things dont exsist anymore lots of what I
have collected over the years is now in boxes and in poster tubes etc etc -
and I was filled with such gratitude for what simple pleasures it brought me
through the years and the times in my life that sometimes seemed dark, Amy's
songs found a place in my heart. These things are just things.
I dont know, all that to say is that we all find happiness in different
places and different people. Maybe instead of us dwelling on what Amy did
and or didnt do with or without OUR approval maybe we should just standback,
look at it and smile, for whatever reason Vince has found a place in Amy's
heart! We should try and be happy for her, and them, as best as we can.
I know it sounds simple - maybe that's all it needs to be - is simple.
SarahMichelleone <sarahmic...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:19991120153916...@ng-cd1.aol.com...
SRobin6053
far better when those second chances are extended to us personally, but not to
fellow brethren. <sarcasm alert> :-)
Lillith if Amy says that she has been released from her marriage, then she has
been. I'm not the lady nor have I been in her shoes for the past 16 1/2 years
as a married woman (thank God!!!). If after years of almost countless
counselling she saw that her home environment was not one she wanted to contine
exposing herself or her children to, then she would be the one to know it.
It's great to know she has found such a friend in Vince Gill and vice versa. I
just hope that in the midst of all the mud slinging they will continue to
privately work out their own soul salvation and grow in their relationship with
the Lord and in their relationship with each other. I hope they will both
earnestly seek the Lord in leading and directing them in all of their paths.
The past is the past, and they need to go on with their present and future
according to the Lord's will for their lives. JMHO.
Sherry
MJoann
SRobin6053 wrote:
>
> Thanks be to God that He is indeed a God of 'second chances'. Even if it is
> far better when those second chances are extended to us personally, but not to
> fellow brethren. <sarcasm alert> :-)
(snip)
He does forgive us, but it is our duty to try to avoid sin. Sure, Amy
has been forgiven, but its not like we can all go around disobeying God,
just because we know He will forgive. As Christians, we have access to
God's word, and knowledge of what is right and wrong, which IMO, makes
it all the more disrespectful when we knowingly sin. Its like taking
advantage of God's grace. All sins are weighed equally, but Amy
disobeyed God, knowing that divorce was wrong, where as a non-Christian
may not know any better. We all slip-up, but with something as big as
divorce, Amy wasn't just making an everyday mistake, she had to plan
ahead to do what she knows is wrong.
I know that if I stole my neighbor's car, God would forgive me, but I'm
still not going to do it, because I know its wrong.
Mjoann
katy...@my-deja.com
mjo...@megsinet.net wrote:
>
>
> SRobin6053 wrote:
> >
> > Thanks be to God that He is indeed a God of 'second chances'.
Even if it is
> > far better when those second chances are extended to us personally,
but not to
> > fellow brethren. <sarcasm alert> :-)
>
> (snip)
>
> He does forgive us, but it is our duty to try to avoid sin. Sure, Amy
> has been forgiven, but its not like we can all go around disobeying
God,
> just because we know He will forgive. As Christians, we have access to
> God's word, and knowledge of what is right and wrong, which IMO, makes
> it all the more disrespectful when we knowingly sin. Its like taking
> advantage of God's grace. All sins are weighed equally, but Amy
> disobeyed God, knowing that divorce was wrong,
That's right. She should have stayed in an unhealthy relationship for
the sake of the kids, so they could all become equally screwed up and
stressed out. Maybe more counseling would have helped them regain the
bliss they had at the beginning of their marriage.
where as a non-Christian
> may not know any better. We all slip-up, but with something as big as
> divorce, Amy wasn't just making an everyday mistake, she had to plan
> ahead to do what she knows is wrong.
That's what I call giving someone the benefit of the doubt when they
don't really know what happened.
> I know that if I stole my neighbor's car, God would forgive me, but
I'm
> still not going to do it, because I know its wrong.
Bad analogy. Divorce (for whatever reason) is legal. Stealing your
neighbor's car is not.
If God wasn't a god of second chances, we'd all be in trouble.
Katy
>
> Mjoann
MJoann
katy...@my-deja.com wrote:
>
> In article <383912AD...@megsinet.net>,
> mjo...@megsinet.net wrote:
> > He does forgive us, but it is our duty to try to avoid sin. Sure, Amy
> > has been forgiven, but its not like we can all go around disobeying
> God,
> > just because we know He will forgive. As Christians, we have access to
> > God's word, and knowledge of what is right and wrong, which IMO, makes
> > it all the more disrespectful when we knowingly sin. Its like taking
> > advantage of God's grace. All sins are weighed equally, but Amy
> > disobeyed God, knowing that divorce was wrong,
>
> That's right. She should have stayed in an unhealthy relationship for
> the sake of the kids, so they could all become equally screwed up and
> stressed out. Maybe more counseling would have helped them regain the
> bliss they had at the beginning of their marriage.
I don't know about your Bible, but in mine, Jesus says that the only
justification for divorce is fornication.
It also says: (Mark 10:9) "Therefore what God has joined together, let
man not seperate." (NIV)
NOT... "Therefore what God has joined together, let man not seperate
until a famous, well-loved singer decides she's happier with someone
else."
Mjoann
C. Jordan
MJoann <mjo...@megsinet.net> wrote in message
news:383B6450...@megsinet.net...
>
> I don't know about your Bible, but in mine, Jesus says that the only
> justification for divorce is fornication.
> It also says: (Mark 10:9) "Therefore what God has joined together, let
> man not seperate." (NIV)
> NOT... "Therefore what God has joined together, let man not seperate
> until a famous, well-loved singer decides she's happier with someone
> else."
>
> Mjoann
Maybe God didn't join them together in the first place. Maybe their first
act of disobedience was to get married.
My point is that we don't know the whole story -- only God does. He will
deal with Amy and Gary as He will -- and that should be enough for all of
us.
Catherine
Chris
CLOUCH
>> act of disobedience was to get married.
Maybe.... but God causes all things to work together for the good of those that
love him, that are called according to his purpose........all things includes
our mistakes. Thank God.
Precious
view for the longest time.
I sin every day! I know I am not where God wants me..
but I am not in the ministry, I don't have people praying for me and with me
everyday and I don't say "God doesn't care that I do such and such, he is ok
with it" ..
Amy says that God released her from her marriage.
I cannot believe God would do that unless Gary commited adultery before Amy
did..
so until we know that.like we know Amy did it, I will always believe Amy is
making excuses for sinning..
and that's what I find reprehensible
Chey
lillith99 <lill...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:AK5_3.95176$YB4.3...@typ12.nn.bcandid.com...
Precious
been translated like that..)..
those who were throwing stones were also commiting adultery..
yet they felt they were better than the harlot.
Personally, I feel free to judge Amy on this.
I have been where she is and I let the LORD lead me out of it!
and I haven't been a christian steadily especially for as long as Amy..
Chey
chrisnu <chr...@xoommail.com> wrote in message
news:38374B3A...@xoommail.com...
> Then burn the harlot to the stake, o blameless one!
>
> "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone". Jesus had the compassion
> to forgive a prostitute in the Bible. Why don't we try to show Jesus to
Amy,
> as she has done to us in the past, instead of cursing her, tearing her
down,
> and practically convicting her of adultery when we have no real evidence.
> Innocent until PROVEN guilty.
>
> lk...@seaside.net wrote:
>
Precious
really..
I mean it really doesn't sound right coming from anyone here..
The bible is clear on christian marriage..regardless of how the two met or
married.
I know for a FACT that I was walking out of God's will when my husband and I
got together..
BUT we bothed believed in Jesus...
that was my criteria..above all other reasons
Even when he cheated on me in the midst of a drug problem over 10 years ago,
and I wanted to walk out.was READY to walk out..in my heart..
The Lord told me to forgive him..
clearly enough that i listened..
God knew his heart and why he cheated..that he wasn't in his right
mind..etc..
he knew that my husband loved me and didn't want to be with anyone else..
but HE had to convince ME to forgive my husband.
I finally did..it was a rocky road..and I am glad I did..
and of course, I keep an open eye at all times..which is a problem I have.
but .. my point is! that God loves you from where you give himyour life.
as long as the two of you believe in the Lord and seek him out.
he will bless your union..
Saying that God doesn't want you in a marriage because gee, we were in sin
when we started leaves alot open for people to walk out on their vows
doesn't it?
Please reread those scriptures regarding this situation..
its very clear
Chey
C. Jordan <jor...@home.com> wrote in message
news:GBQ_3.3953$lY5....@news.rdc1.nj.home.com...
>
> MJoann <mjo...@megsinet.net> wrote in message
> news:383B6450...@megsinet.net...
> >
> > I don't know about your Bible, but in mine, Jesus says that the only
> > justification for divorce is fornication.
> > It also says: (Mark 10:9) "Therefore what God has joined together, let
> > man not seperate." (NIV)
> > NOT... "Therefore what God has joined together, let man not seperate
> > until a famous, well-loved singer decides she's happier with someone
> > else."
> >
> > Mjoann
>
> Maybe God didn't join them together in the first place. Maybe their first
> act of disobedience was to get married.
>
Precious
C.,
CLOUCH <clo...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:19991124175249...@ng-ch1.aol.com...
> >Maybe their first
> >> act of disobedience was to get married.
>
Precious
since the media gets hold of tidbits of reality and prints it all the time
about performers and artists etc, don't you think we would have heard, even
RUMORS by now of whatever it was that was bad in their marriage? Just like
there was speculation (now real)
about Amy and Vince.. someone would have read about Gary
and how he was in the marriage.
Please..
like I said before, chances are, Gary just wasn't perfect and Vince seemed
to be in her eyes.
"he was a spotlight in comparison"..
wow.. well Ms Grant, I have had many spotlights..compared to my gruff and
rough around the edges hubby..
and a few times even thought about what it would be like to be with them..
and have REMOVED myself from each situation every time because of my love
for my husband, the CHOICE I made to marry him for better or for worse and
those..ahem, VOWS I took before God.. and tho sometimes I think I HATE my
husband or we don't agree or I think "forget him!!" God always helps me see
how things could be better with US..
and it happens.
Choose to love and the feelings will follow.
Chey
<katy...@my-deja.com> wrote in message news:81f5mj$l45$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
> In article <383912AD...@megsinet.net>,
> mjo...@megsinet.net wrote:
> >
> >
> > SRobin6053 wrote:
> > >
> > > Thanks be to God that He is indeed a God of 'second chances'.
> Even if it is
> > > far better when those second chances are extended to us personally,
> but not to
> > > fellow brethren. <sarcasm alert> :-)
> >
> > (snip)
> >
> > He does forgive us, but it is our duty to try to avoid sin. Sure, Amy
> > has been forgiven, but its not like we can all go around disobeying
> God,
> > just because we know He will forgive. As Christians, we have access to
> > God's word, and knowledge of what is right and wrong, which IMO, makes
> > it all the more disrespectful when we knowingly sin. Its like taking
> > advantage of God's grace. All sins are weighed equally, but Amy
> > disobeyed God, knowing that divorce was wrong,
>
> That's right. She should have stayed in an unhealthy relationship for
> the sake of the kids, so they could all become equally screwed up and
> stressed out. Maybe more counseling would have helped them regain the
> bliss they had at the beginning of their marriage.
>
>