Why Amy Grant Almost Didn’t Record “House of Love,” Her First Duet with Vince Gill

Amy Grant and Vince Gill have one of the sweetest love stories in country music. They started as collaborators, then became friends. Years later, after some major life changes, their friendship developed into something more. Now, they’re a power couple. It all started with a Christmas special and a song Grant didn’t want to record.

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The future couple performed together for the first time during the 1993 TV special Christmas with Vince Gill. Later, Gill agreed to join Grant to sing at a fundraiser for the Nashville Symphony. However, the first time they spent any real time together was during the recording sessions for Grant’s 1994 album House of Love. She needed someone to sing high harmony on the title track and chose Gill for the role. The time they spent together in the studio helped to strengthen their budding friendship. However, Grant almost didn’t record the song.

[RELATED: Vince Gill and Amy Grant Recall the First Time They Met]

Amy Grant Almost Didn’t Record the Legendary Duet with Vince Gill

Amy Grant and Vince Gill have been singing “House of Love” together for roughly three decades. As a result, some may find it surprising to learn that she almost passed on the song.

Grant’s manager, Mike Blanton, was enamored with “House of Love” and wanted her to record it but she wasn’t sure. “I thought, ‘I don’t really think I’m that soulful. I’m not sure if that’s really a great tool in my toolkit,’” Grant recalled. “Whatever tools are in my toolkit, to me it’s like if somebody comes into any kitchen and they say ‘We’re gonna make soup,’ most kitchens have the capability of creating soup. Every kitchen’s going to have a different kind of soup,” she added. “Basically, he walked into my kitchen and said, ‘We are going to create this song magic. And we just worked with what I had available.”

Written by Wally Wilson, Kenny Greenburg, and Greg Barnhill, Grant released “House of Love” in 1994 as the second single from the album and it was a hit. It landed at No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the publication’s Adult Contemporary chart.

More importantly, it became a timeless duet between two powerhouse vocalists and a chapter in a love story for the ages.

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