Two icons of Nashville arts and culture were inducted to the Music City Walk of Fame Thursday.
Philanthropist and businesswoman Martha Ingram and singer-songwriter Amy Grant received the Walk’s 75th and 76th stars.
Grant, who’s married to country star Vince Gill, has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide of contemporary Christian and pop music.
At the induction ceremony, she said Nashville hit the “motherload of creativity.” And that the city was especially lucky to have a patron like Ingram, who mobilized others to foster the arts.
Grant told of when her husband went to Ingram for help with the Country Music Hall of Fame.
“Just with her bright shining blue eyes and her gracious smile, she said, ‘now tell me Vince, what is the country music community doing on behalf of their hall of fame?’ He took a deep breath and said…’I’ll be right on it!'” Grant recalled.
Ingram, who was a classical radio DJ in her youth, serves on the boards of Nashville’s leading educational and arts organizations, including the Symphony, Opera and Ballet. She also helped create the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.
“It’s such an honor to have a star on a walkway. I can’t sing or do any of those things,” Ingram said at the ceremony.
She also thanked Grant for helping the Nashville Symphony through a rough financial patch, singing with the orchestra and helping sell tickets.
“I’m not sure we could have made it through those days had Amy not been so generous with her talent and the proceeds that came to the symphony.”
Ingram has known Grant since she was in “grammar school” with her son, Orrin.
“It’s been a real pleasure to watch this lovely girl turn into this beautiful woman with all the talent and wonderful stardom she has acquired,” Ingram said.
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