Amy Grant Honors Mac McAnally With Poignant Tribute at 2025 ACM Honors

Music City witnessed a truly moving moment at the 18th Annual ACM Honors when multi-Platinum, GRAMMY-winning singer and songwriter Amy Grant paid tribute to her longtime friend and collaborator Mac McAnally, who was celebrated with the prestigious ACM Poet's Award. Grant delivered a stirring performance of McAnally's 1992 ballad "All These Years," a song that remains one of his most acclaimed and emotionally resonant works.

The ACM Poet's Award is given to a songwriter for "outstanding and longstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions" with an emphasis on the cultural impact of their songs. This year, the honor went to McAnally, whose work has helped shape the sound and heart of country music for nearly five decades.

Before stepping to the microphone, Grant admitted to the audience that singing the song would be difficult for her to get through without tears. "It's just so much about human nature," she reflected, "and we learn most of the best lessons the hard way."

Her heartfelt delivery of "All These Years" was met with a standing ovation, a testament not only to McAnally's songwriting brilliance but also to the deep personal respect and affection between the two artists. Originally released by McAnally in 1992 and later made a Top 5 country hit by Sawyer Brown, the song has endured as a touchstone of honesty and emotional depth in country storytelling.

Over the span of nearly fifty years, Mac McAnally has built a career as one of Nashville's most trusted and admired voices - not only as a singer-songwriter but also as a producer, musician, and collaborator. His catalog includes hits such as "Old Flame" recorded by Alabama and "Cafe on the Corner" made famous by Sawyer Brown. Beyond his chart success, McAnally's songs are cherished for their lyrical craft, storytelling power, and their ability to cut to the core of the human condition.

This ACM Poet's Award honor is the latest in a long list of accolades for McAnally, who has also been named CMA Musician of the Year multiple times and has earned respect across genres for his versatility and artistry.

For Amy Grant, the night's tribute carried an added layer of meaning. McAnally is not only a peer she admires but also the producer of her upcoming studio album, The Me That Remains. Marking her first non-holiday project in more than a decade, the album was deeply inspired by Grant's recovery from her 2022 bicycle accident and her reflections on resilience, faith, and renewal.

Grant and McAnally co-wrote the album's title track, which she describes as central to the project's theme. "This record is about taking stock of what remains after loss, struggle, and unexpected change," Grant said. "Working with Mac has been a gift - he knows how to honor a lyric and capture the heart of a song."

Their collaboration at the Honors ceremony was both a public celebration of McAnally's achievements and a preview of the creative bond that will soon be heard on Grant's new record.

Fans can revisit this emotional moment here:

Tags : Amy Grant MAC MCANALLY 2025 ACM Honors