Amy Grant’s ‘CMT Giants’ Speech for Vince Gill Is True Love Defined

Amy Grant couldn't be there in person when Vince Gill was celebrated during last Friday's (Sept. 16) CMT Giants: Vince Gill broadcast. She still delivered a moving one-minute-long speech that stirred emotions.

During the Sept. 12 taping, Gill let those in the audience know his wife was doing well after a bicycle accident that sent her to the hospital. Recovery from that accident meant canceling her planned fall tour.

"On the advice of my doctors and other friends who have been through similar experiences of recovery, I am choosing to give myself the gift of a very simple fall season," she told fans in an Instagram post on Aug. 27.

In the CMT broadcast honoring her husband, her voice could be heard. "Hey my love," she begins in a clip shared by CMT. The familiar guitar line of "I Still Believe in You" hums quietly behind her voice as she adds, "I'm so glad I get to add a couple of words to this night full of voices of people celebrating you and celebrating so much good talent in this town."

Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Brad Paisley and Luke Combs were a few of the stars who turned out to offer a song in Vince's honor. The Country Music Hall of Fame inductee also performed one of his own: "I Gave You Everything I Had" tied a beautiful bow on the night.

The remainder of Grant's speech (find it below) focuses on the man Gill is off stage, with the Christian singer drawing parallels between home and work. Still photos from the course of their relationship guide her voiceover.

You know you're not just a great songwriter, or a killer guitar player, an amazing singer — all those things are true, but Vince, what I love the most about you that I see at close range every day is you make music the same way you live life. You're intentional and understated and you're kind and true. And funny. You're so easy to celebrate. And so have fun tonight. I love you so much and I'm so proud of you.

Gill and Grant married on March 10, 2000 just outside of Nashville. They'd met seven years prior, and years later would admit to falling for one another, but both remained married to someone else for several more years.

"He'd never, ever, ever invited me out of my world into his," Grant says, per an article at the Boot. "Ever."

Gill will continue to tour with the Eagles through November before his annual run of Christmas shows with his wife at Nashville Ryman Auditorium. Cody Johnson, Maren Morris and Wendy Moten are three more singers who celebrated Gill during the broadcast.