Award winning singer Amy Grant has revealed she is planning to host the marriage of her niece and her same sex partner.

Speaking to the Washington Post, she spoke of the positive impact on her family of having a close relative who is gay.

“Honestly, from a faith perspective, I do always say, ‘Jesus, you just narrowed it down to two things: love God and love each other,’” she said. “I mean, hey, that’s pretty simple.”

Grant has been a vocal supporter of the LGBT community in recent years.

In an interview with gay publication Pride Source in 2013, she said: "I know that the religious community has not been very welcoming, but I just want to stress that the journey of faith brings us into community, but it's really about one relationship.

"The journey of faith is just being willing and open to have a relationship with God. And everybody is welcome. Everybody."

Grant was speaking ahead of receiving the Kennedy Center Honours - an award given annually to those working in the performing arts for contributions to American culture.

Just five people or collectives receive the prize each year. This year's other recipients are U2, George Clooney, Gladys Knight and Tania León.

Her comments haven't been received well by evangelist Franklin Graham however.

Writing on Twitter in response to the interview with the Washington Post, he said: "Yes, we are to love God & love each other. But if we love God, we will seek to obey His Word. Jesus told us, 'If you love Me, keep My commandments' (John 14:15). God defines what is sin, not us; & His Word is clear that homosexuality is sin.

"For me, loving others also means caring about their souls & where they will spend eternity. It means loving people enough to tell them the truth from the Word of God. The authority of God’s Word is something we can never compromise on."