On Tuesday, November 9, Provident Label Group, a division of Sony Music Entertainment focusing on Christian music, announced that Grant and Smith will reunite for the “2 Friends Tour” next year. This will be the first time that they will collaborate on a non-holiday tour in more than two decades. The tour will begin on February 10 in Holland, Michigan, and conclude on March 6 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “2 Friends” will support their latest albums, Grant’s Somewhere Down the Road (released on March 30, 2010) and Smith’s Wonder (released on September 28, 2010). Both albums did well on the Billboard Christian Albums charts, with both peaking at #2.
Although she is known outside the Christian music scene for her album Heart in Motion, Grant is known as a trailblazer in the contemporary Christian/Gospel music industry. According to her official website, Grant is the first contemporary Christian artist to have a platinum record, a #1 pop single, and the first to perform at the Grammys. She is also one of only two Christian artists to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Her success opened the doors for other Christian artists. One such artist is Michael W. Smith. In 1982, Smith toured with Grant during her “Age to Age Tour” as her keyboard player. During that time, he wrote songs for Grant and other Christian artists, while recording his first album, Michael W. Smith Project. Released in 1983, it yielded the hit “Friends” and his first Grammy nomination. Eventually, Smith was asked to be Grant’s opening act. The two continued to tour together until her 1989 “Lead Me On Tour.” Since then, they have collaborated musically, contributing on each others’ albums.
According to an interview with the “Tune In Music City” blog on the Tennessean newspaper’s website, both Grant and Smith are excited to perform together again. “This many years later, to get to tour together is just awesome,” said Smith. “When I think about set lists and what we might do together, the question isn’t, ‘Where do we start?’ The question is ‘Where do we stop?’” Grant agreed, saying, “There’s a nostalgia element that comes with having worked with someone solidly for so long and I’m ecstatic about hitting the road with Michael again.”
Fans should expect a mix of their favorites, new material from their recent releases and even a few duets. “We will share the stage and participate in each other’s sets,” said Grant. “But no kidding, I will have just as much fun sitting on the side of the stage and watching him. It will be like old times.”
For more information on the tour, go to their websites:
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