Stars shine in Sisters concert

A sold-out crowd filled Sisters High School cafetorium on Saturday, February 16, for the showpiece of this year's Sisters Starry Nights Concert Series.

Comedian Dana Daniels tickled the audience's funny bone with Luigi the Psychic Parrot's magic tricks. But the real magic started when Vince Gill, Amy Grant, and Leslie Satcher appeared on stage.

The names don't get any bigger and the music careers any brighter than Vince and Amy's. Gill has been honored with 14 Grammy Awards, more than any other country artist. His record sales exceed 22 million.

Grant has sold over 20 million records, won five Grammies, and 22 Dove Awards for Christian music.

Satcher is a rising star in Nashville, with her debut album getting enthusiastic reviews.

They are all incredibly talented songwriters, musicians, and entertainers.

But their show last Saturday night didn't feel like a performance. It felt like a glimpse into their hearts.

Grant, dressed in cowboy boots and blue jeans, opened the musical portion of the evening. She explained how they'd become involved with Sisters Starry Nights.

"(Keyboard player) Tim Lauer came to Sisters six years ago," she said, "and we've been hearing rave reviews about it ever since. Since we've gotten here, we've been treated like royalty."

The three performers then took turns introducing and playing songs they'd written.

"We get together and write songs about all kinds of things that happen in life," said Gill. "But sometimes, we just sit around and tell lies."

Most of the songs Gill performed were centered around family members. One was a tribute he'd written for his brother, who had died nine years earlier.

"I wrote the song to help me deal with my grief," Gill said of "Go Rest High On That Mountain," a song that is now much-requested at funerals.

Grant introduced her classic song, "All the Children of the World," by describing an outing she'd had with a handicapped child. Grant, who is deeply involved with the Make a Wish Foundation, has spent many afternoons with sick children. One day, she took Stephanie, a young woman with cerebral palsy, out to the Sonic drive-in for a cherry limeade.

"I was kind of fussing over her, asking if she needed help with her straw or anything," said Grant. "And Stephanie just looked at me and said, 'Amy, I'm normal on the inside.'"

Grant was touched by the girl's poise and insight.

"I kept telling her she should write a book," said Grant. "I took her to the cabins where I do a lot of my songwriting and asked her what she wanted me to play. Stephanie asked for 'All the Children of the World.'"

Leslie Satcher is a newcomer to the country music scene, but by the end of the evening, she felt like an old friend. The spunky red-head giggled and wise-cracked throughout the evening.

"I haven't known Amy very long," said Satcher, who's an old pal of Gill's. "But she brings peace with her everywhere she goes."

Satcher also spoke plainly about her faith and the role it has played in her music career.

"I was raised in church," said Satcher. "My faith in God is the strongest thing I have -- it never, ever fails. I think songs are gifts that come down from heaven -- like doves -- and just kind of land on you."

Vince Gill nodded in agreement.

"When it happens," he said, "just get out of the way."

Toward the end of the evening, Grant gave the audience a sneak preview of the album she is currently working on.

"It has been 25 years since I recorded my first record," she told the audience. "I was sixteen then, and a junior in high school."

To celebrate her 25 years in the music industry, Grant wanted to do something that would re-connect her with her roots. In her words, she "grew up singing church music," and felt drawn back to the hymns. Her next project, called "Legacy," will feature Grant's rendition of her favorite hymns -- along with a few original compositions of Gill's.

For the grand finale, four high school students joined the performers on stage. Ted Hunt, Patrick Hammons, Thalia Rodgers, and Heather Schwarzburg accompanied Grant and the others, singing on the chorus of "I'll Be Your Friend."

Kristen Lamoreaux had joined Grant earlier in the evening to sing "Cry a River."