Amy Grant Surrounded By Nashville’s Biggest Stars In Emotional Tribute Celebrating 25 Years Of Porter’s Call

Amy Grant found herself at the centre of a deeply personal Nashville celebration as an all-star gathering honoured both her extraordinary legacy and the organisation that has quietly helped recording artists through some of their darkest seasons.

The Christian music icon received the 2026 Porter's Call Founder's Award during the organisation's Evening of Stories at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on September 1. The award recognises individuals whose lives embody the compassion, hospitality and generosity that inspired Porter's Call.

Lady A, Natalie Hemby, Hillary Scott and Ellie Holcomb delivered what Rachael Lampa described as "heart-soaked tributes" to Grant. The evening eventually became an irresistible song party involving Grant, Lampa, Dave Barnes, Ben Rector, Melinda Doolittle, Leanna Crawford and several of the night's other performers.

For Lampa, however, the celebration was about considerably more than sharing a stage with famous friends. The "Perfectly Loved" singer revealed that she began meeting with Porter's Call founder Al Andrews when she was only 16-and has received its care throughout her entire 25-year career.

"I can see his and Nita's faces sprinkled throughout some of the hardest and highest moments of my life," Lampa wrote, calling Porter's Call both a "lighthouse" and a "lifeline."

Founded in 2001, Porter's Call offers free and confidential counsel to recording artists and their partners. Its work addresses the emotional strain that can accompany touring, public scrutiny, career uncertainty, relationship pressures and life inside an industry that frequently celebrates success while hiding its human cost.

The anniversary event also featured live and silent auctions supporting that mission, with Barnes and Doolittle serving as hosts. Yet it was the spontaneous-looking finale-with Grant surrounded by artists whose lives and music she has influenced-that appears to have delivered the evening's most unforgettable moment.

Lampa admitted that spending many years in Nashville can leave even established artists feeling "a little jaded." This star-filled night, she said, washed that feeling away and filled everyone "back up with the good stuff."

Behind the glamorous guest list was a revealing reminder: even the singers whose music helps millions of people sometimes need someone to sit with them, listen to them and help carry the weight.