June 4, 2010 — it seems impossible to believe that spring is nearly over and summer is on almost here. The days are indeed longer and the heat is on! I love summer for all of its weekend get togethers with friends and family, fresh fruit and veggies, and great music blasting from the stereo speakers.

As you know, the Flood of 2010 that occurred in Nashville and surrounding communities was a devastating natural disaster. So many people lost their homes and belongings. Some lost loved ones and pets. Having grown up in Southern California I have lived through several big earthquakes, but nothing prepared me for the impact and damage of the flood. Although my home was unscathed, several of my friends and their families lost almost everything. It has been heartbreaking to experience and yet at the same time it has been so inspiring to see people pull together and help loved ones and strangers. I can not remember a time I have ever been as proud to live in Tennessee as I have been in the past month — the “volunteer spirit” runs deep in our veins and it has made all the difference in the world.

Amy has done several benefits for flood relief. She participated in both our local Channel 2 and Channel 4 flood telethons. She and Vince donated a total of $150,000 to the telethons to go to flood relief offered through The Red Cross, Salvation Army, and Feed America. (Although Amy has always been very private about her personal giving, she allowed us to publicize this particular gift because she was hopeful that other individuals would be inspired to give as much as they could afford) She also participated in Brandon Heath’s “Love Your Neighbor” benefit which raised over $60,000 to help rebuild the “El Shaddai Church” of Nolensville. She also volunteered to help try to salvage and clean the belongings of some dear friends whose house was lost in the flood. As I watched her do so much I was reminded of the lyric from “Find What You’re Looking For” that says:

“what would they find
if they searched for a heart of gold?
they’d find sacrifices of
time and of money never told.”

But the work continues. On June 22, Amy will be joining Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and several others for the “Nashville Rising” concert at the Bridgestone Arena. All proceeds from that evening will be designated for flood relief through the Community Fund of Middle Tennessee. Tickets sold out in about 15 minutes. It promises to be a great night of music and inspiration for our community.

The weekend after the flood, Amy’s “I Do” daughter, Jenny Gill, married her longtime companion, Josh VanValkenburg, got married in Amy and Vince’s backyard. The weather was perfect and the setting was something out of a fairy tale. Jenny was a stunning bride and Vince was beaming from ear to ear as he walked her down the aisle. It was a night of friends, family and celebration.

Amy only has a handful of concert dates in the next few months, but August through December are going to be very busy. We are very excited about the “Pieces Of Our Lives” tour with Compassion International. It promises to be a very special and intimate night of music in very special venues. Amy was so inspired by her trip to Africa last summer and asked to partner with Compassion in a new and unique way.

“Better Than A Hallelujah” is continuing to climb the Christian charts. We are so excited with the response of this song and believe there is still a lot of upward momentum for the song. Last week Amy shot a video of the song that should be premiered in the next couple of weeks. The director took a very unique approach to crafting a “film like” storyline for the video and we are excited to see the final results.

Again, as always, I say thank you to all of you for continuing to support Amy’s music. She often says that this is the sweetest stretch of life she has ever known and she loves the balance she is discovering of making new music, touring with dear friends, and also spending focused time at home.

Blessings to you and yours…

Jen

since the release of “Somewhere Down The Road,” and it has been a busy month at that.

First, what a humbling experience for Amy and for me to read so many of the comments from people who are being touched by this collections of songs. Honestly, it is the personal connection of music to listener that makes me wake up every day and get excited about what I do for a living. I love hearing the stories and testimonies. I’ve heard so many people relate to the sentiment in “Better Than A Hallelujah,” or in the age old truths about the passage of time in the song “Overnight.” I’ve received personal emails from people who feel like “Come Into My World” was written specifically for them, and other emails telling me how either “Somewhere Down The Road” or “Imagine” were played at loved ones funerals.

Thank you to those who took the time to write. Although I can’t say we read every single comment or letter, we did read most of them and we cried, laughed, and felt inspired by your stories. So thank you.

And, ok, let’s talk about reviews — they have been terrific for this project!!! Better than I expected – and I always expect the best! So many reviewers seemed to really take this project as a whole and look at each song as a stepping stone in the journey of life, each one somehow connected to the next. That was how we sequenced the record and what we hoped for, but I can honestly say I am surprised at how many critics totally got what we were attempting to do with this record. If you haven’t already picked up a copy of “Worship Leader” magazine, you need to check it out. The review of “SDTR” is one of my alltime favorite reviews.

So April is coming to a close…quickly. We’ve been out on the road promoting and touring, Amy has done a slew of interviews, and we’ve seen our fair share of buses and airplanes. It feels good to be home this week without another trip on the immediate horizon.

Next up for Amy will be shooting a video for “Better Than A Hallelujah” as well as continuing to promote the new album. However, she is also taking some well deserved time off to stick close to home for Jenny Gills wedding as well as Mother’s Day with her mom and kids, and the end of the school year for Sarah and Corrina. She is flying to Tucson in the middle of the month to partake in her dear friend Cindy Parseghian’s “One More Victory, Ara” benefit for Neimann Pick Type C. If you aren’t familiar with Cindy’s story, I urge you to visit www.parseghian.org to learn more about this tender yet brave family.

In addition to her new album, Amy is also continuing to help spread the word about the “She Colors My Day” initiative for the Woman’s Cancer Research Fund and Susan G. Koman organization. If you haven’t already purchased your copy of the song, you should consider checking it out on itunes. All artist and publishing proceeds are being donated to cancer research.

And speaking of good causes, Amy has taped a Mother’s Day PSA for The American Red Cross that will be seen on the internet and television as we approach this sweet holiday honoring our mom’s. If you don’t know what to do for your mom this year, consider making a financial or blood donation to the American Red Cross in her honor. Truly it is the gift that keeps on giving.

We’ve added some new tour dates to the calendar as well so check out the tour page on the website. And for those of you who keep asking — YES, there will be an Amy and Vince Christmas tour this year. Cities to be announced soon. Ho! Ho! Ho!

So as you can see — busy time, but also a great stretch. We are invested in projects we care deeply about and appreciate all of your support.

Blessings to you and yours!

Jen