Amy grant breath of heaven

Entertainment Editors

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Sept. 26, 2001

Nickel Creek, Rachael Lampa and The Nashville Symphony Round Out Bill

For the first time, Vince Gill and Amy Grant will unite for a holiday tour--"Target Presents: A Christmas To Remember." Target Stores continues its 10 year relationship with Grant as her exclusive tour sponsor. The 13-city event, which runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 16, will also feature the bluegrass trio Nickel Creek and young contemporary Christian artist Rachael Lampas. Backing Gill and Grant on the tour will be the Nashville Symphony Orchestra.

Although Gill and Grant have each headlined their own holiday tours, this is the husband-and-wife team's first one together. As solo artists, their Christmas albums have been bestsellers with a combined total of over nine million records. Gill's include Let There Be Peace On Earth and Breath Of Heaven. Grant's top titles are Home For Christmas, A Christmas Album and A Christmas To Remember.

The tour is partnering with child relief organization Compassion International. Founded in 1952, Compassion International is a not for profit organization dedicated to the long-term holistic development of children living in poverty. Compassion International is reaching out to nearly 400,000 children in 22 countries including the United States.

During his distinguished recording career, Gill has sold over 22 million records, won 14 Grammys and 18 Country Music Association awards, including Entertainer of the Year twice. Prized for his charm and quick-wittedness, Gill has hosted the top-rated CMA Awards television special for the past nine years and is set to preside over the 2001 awards show on Nov. 7.

With sales of over 22 million albums to her credit, Amy Grant is one of pop music's most prolific artists. Her fifteen albums to date have garnered numerous awards, including five Grammy Awards and 22 Dove Awards, plus additional nominations from the MTV Awards and the American Music Awards. Songs like "Baby, Baby," "Next Time I Fall," and "Takes A Little Time" have firmly established Grant as a pop powerhouse.

Nickel Creek (Chris Thile, Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins) was hailed as the new sound of bluegrass this year with rapturous articles in Time, The Washington Post and The New York Times. The band is the International Bluegrass Music Association's reigning Emerging Artist of the Year. A vocal prodigy, Rachael Lampa was signed to Word Records when she was 14 and has made numerous national television appearances on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "The View," "Disney's America's Teacher Awards" and CBS's "Miss Teen America Pageant." Her debut album, released last year, is Live For You.

Tickets will go on sale Oct. 13 in most markets. Nashville's on-sale date is October 20 and Philadelphia's is October 22. The dates and venues for "Target Presents: A Christmas To Remember" are:

Nov. 30--Houston, TX, Compaq Center

Dec. 1--Dallas, TX, American Airlines Center

Dec. 2--Oklahoma City, OK, Myriad Center

Dec. 4--St. Louis, MO, Savvis Center

Dec. 5--Nashville, TN, Gaylord Entertainment Center

Dec. 7--Philadelphia, PA, First Union Center

Dec. 8--Uncasville, CT, Mohegan Sun Arena

Dec. 9--Washington, DC, MCI Center

Dec. 11--Columbus, OH, Nationwide Arena

Dec. 12--Cleveland, OH, Gund Arena

Dec. 14--Detroit, MI, Auburn Hills

Dec. 15--Chicago, IL, Allstate Center

Dec. 16--Minneapolis, MI, Target Center

All dates are subject to change