Vince Gill & Amy Grant Named Rick Byrd Character Award Recipients

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“Night Of Hope” at Country Music Hall of Fame near Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, October 27, 2024. Photo: Sam Simpkins

Belmont University honored Vince Gill and Amy Grant with the Rick Byrd Character Award on Sunday night (Oct. 27) during the school’s “Night of Hope” at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

The annual honor is named after former Belmont men’s basketball coach Rick Byrd. Recipients are chosen for their steadfast integrity and significant contributions to their community and profession. Honorees help promote a legacy of leadership, winning tradition and a culture of selfless service.

“We are thrilled to honor Vince Gill and Amy Grant with the Rick Byrd Character Award,” says Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones. “Their extraordinary musical talents have deeply enriched our culture and are matched by their unwavering commitment to serving others. Vince and Amy exemplify the very essence of what this award represents: individuals who lead with integrity, inspire through their actions and use their gifts to make a profound difference. Their dedication to numerous charitable causes and ability to bring people together through music truly embody the spirit of servant leadership that Coach Rick Byrd has always championed.”

Gill’s career has been backed by his stewarded songwriting, undeniable guitar playing and soul-stirring voice. Throughout his career, he has earned numerous RIAA certifications, 18 CMA awards, 22 Grammy awards and eight ACM awards. He was a 2007 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame, before receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame five years later in 2012 and was named a 2014 BMI Icon.

Beyond his illustrious music career, Gill has participated in hundreds of charitable events, included his own-created “All For The Hall,” benefiting the Country Music Hall of Fame. He has worked with a vast array of non profits such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Special Olympics and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, among others.

With a career spanning over four decades, Grant started with her gospel roots and eventually expanded into pop, while also becoming a songwriter, television personality and philanthropist. Having amassed over one billion global streams, Grant boasts 13 RIAA certified albums, six Grammy awards, 26 Dove awards, all while having stars on the Hollywood and Music City Walk of Fames. A member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Grant was named into the 2022 class of Kennedy Center Honorees.

Grant is a hands on philanthropist, hosting the Barefoot Republic camp for two weeks each summer on her farm. There, she leads worship and outdoor adventures for attendees. In 2020, Grant was awarded with the Tony Martell Outstanding Entertainment Achievement Award by the T.J. Martell Foundation, which recognized her contributions to medical research focusing on cancer treatments and cures.

Madison Hahnen
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