Vince Gill | |
|---|---|
 Gill performing live with the Eagles in February 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Vincent Grant Gill (1957-04-12)April 12, 1957 (age 68) Norman, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Origin | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter, musician |
| Instruments |
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| Works | |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Labels | |
| Member of | Eagles |
| Formerly of |
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Spouses | |
| Website | Vince Gill |
Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He played in a number of localbluegrass bands in the 1970s, and from 1978 to 1982, he achieved his first mainstream attention after taking over as lead singer of thesoft rock bandPure Prairie League. Gill sang lead on their hit single "Let Me Love You Tonight" in addition to writing several of their songs. After leaving Pure Prairie League, Gill briefly played guitar inRodney Crowell's backing bandthe Cherry Bombs before beginning a solo career incountry music in 1984. Gill recorded forRCA Records Nashville from then until 1988 with minimal success. A year later he signed withMCA Nashville and has recorded for them since.
Gill's commercial peak came in the first half of the 1990s, starting with his breakthrough albumWhen I Call Your Name. He has made 65 entries on theBillboard country music charts, including four solo number one hits: "I Still Believe in You", "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away", "One More Last Chance", and "Tryin' to Get Over You", all between 1992 and 1994. He has also had number-one singles as a guest onReba McEntire's "The Heart Won't Lie" in 1993, andChris Young's "Sober Saturday Night" and the multi-artist collaboration "Forever Country", both in 2016. All of Gill's albums released in the 1990s were certified platinum or higher by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA), withI Still Believe in You (1992) his highest, at quintuple-platinum. Gill has won 22Grammy Awards, the most among solo male country music artists.
Gill was a member ofWestern swing groupthe Time Jumpers from 2010 to 2020, and joined the rock bandEagles in 2017 following the death of founding memberGlenn Frey. He has also participated in a variety of collaborations, including songs byPatty Loveless,Brooks & Dunn,Kelly Clarkson, andMaren Morris. Additionally, Gill has written songs forAlabama andTy Herndon, and holds a number of credits as a backing vocalist and session musician. From 1980 to 1997, he was married to Janis Oliver, one-half of the country duoSweethearts of the Rodeo; after they divorced, he marriedcontemporary Christian music singerAmy Grant in 2000.
Gill is known for his songwriting, histenor singing voice, and his lead guitar work, with many critics noting his proficiency in bothemotional ballads anduptempo material. He plays guitar,mandolin,banjo, andDobro.
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Vincent Grant Gill was born April 12, 1957, inNorman, Oklahoma,[1][2][3] as the youngest of three children to Jerene and Stan Gill.[4][5] Stan Gill was a judge who also played guitar andbanjo, both of which he taught his son how to play.[3][6] Jerene also sang and playedharmonica.[7] The Gill family often listened to theGrand Ole Opry on the radio, as well as contemporaryrock and roll artists.[8] Both parents also enjoyedgolf, a pastime that Gill himself would develop as well.[9] As a child, Gill began playing a guitar his grandmother owned, and learned how to play "Old Shep" on it when he was five years old; three years later, he and his half-brother Bob playedthe Beach Boys' "Long Tall Texan" on a local radio show. Gill also took guitar lessons from a local guitarist named J. Julian Akins.[10] Additionally, Gill brought his guitar to school forshow and tell a number of times, where he would entertain students by playing "The House of the Rising Sun".[11] Gill also learned how to playDobro,fiddle, banjo,mandolin, andbass guitar during his teenage years.[3]
He developed an interest inbluegrass music after becoming friends with the son of his father's friend, who was a fan of the genre and also played mandolin.[12] After graduating from high school, Gill founded his own bluegrass band called Mountain Smoke, which opened for thehard rock bandKiss at a concert on March 4, 1976.[7][13] According to Gill, the crowd began booing and throwing objects on the stage during Mountain Smoke's set, to which he responded byflipping the bird andmooning them before leaving the stage.[14][13] After Mountain Smoke disbanded, Gill moved to the state ofKentucky.[3] There he played in the bands Bluegrass Alliance and Boone Creek, the latter of which also featuredRicky Skaggs as a member.[15] Later in 1976, he moved toLos Angeles, California, where he briefly joined fiddle playerByron Berline's backing band, Sundance.[15]
In 1978,soft rock bandPure Prairie League was auditioning for new lead singers after their previous vocalist Larry Goshorn departed. Gill attended the auditions at the recommendation of a friend, as he had served as an opening act for the band while in Mountain Smoke.[3][16] By October 1978, Gill had begun performing in concert as guitarist and vocalist for Pure Prairie League.[17] He appeared on their 1979 albumCan't Hold Back in addition to writing several songs on it.[18] During Gill's tenure as lead vocalist, the band had a top-ten hit on theBillboard Hot 100 with "Let Me Love You Tonight";[19][15] he also wrote its follow-up "I'm Almost Ready",[20] as well as five other songs on the corresponding albumFirin' Up. Of this album, Joe Viglione ofAllMusic thought that Gill's contributions to the album were "highly entertaining" and showed more of acountry pop andadult contemporary influence than his later works.[21] By comparison, Jim Worbois wrote ofCan't Hold Back on the same site, "By this time, they are [Pure Prairie League] in name only as there is no resemblance between this and the original band."[18] Overall, Gill recorded three albums as lead singer of Pure Prairie League.[15]
In 1982, Gill was invited by singerRodney Crowell to play guitar in his backing band,the Cherry Bombs.[15][22] Gill had previously been offered the opportunity to do so during the success of "Let Me Love You Tonight" and declined, but chose to accept Crowell's offer the second time because the following singles and albums had not been successful.[22] As a result, he quit Pure Prairie League and was replaced byGary Burr.[23] His role as guitarist in the Cherry Bombs also led to him briefly playing guitar for Crowell's then-wife,Rosanne Cash.[24] Because of these roles, Gill moved toNashville, Tennessee, a year later.[25]
Another member of the Cherry Bombs, keyboardist and record producerTony Brown, became the president ofartists and repertoire atRCA Records Nashville in 1983. As Gill wanted to become a solo artist, Brown recommended him toJoe Galante, then an executive of the same label, who signed him that same year.[26] Shortly before his signing with RCA, Gill also appeared as a guest vocalist onDavid Grisman'sHere Today,[3] and sang backing vocals onSteve Wariner's "Midnight Fire", on which Brown was a producer.[27]
Gill debuted on RCA in 1984 with a six-songextended play titledTurn Me Loose.[28] The project accounted for three singles on theBillboard Hot Country Singles (nowHot Country Songs) charts: "Victim of Life's Circumstances", "Oh Carolina", and the title track, all of which peaked just within the top 40.[2]Delbert McClinton wrote the former of these, while Gill wrote the title track. The album was produced byEmory Gordy Jr., also a member of the Cherry Bombs at the time.[16] Following the album's release, Gill won Top New Male Vocalist from theAcademy of Country Music in 1984.[29] Word of mouth within the Nashville community towards Gill's extended play also led to him serving as a backing vocalist andsession musician for a number of other country singers. He served in this capacity forConway Twitty andLee Greenwood,[30] in addition to providing backing vocals on Rosanne Cash's 1985 albumRhythm & Romance.[31]
AfterTurn Me Loose, Gill performed a number of shows at Nashville'sBluebird Café, a popular venue for songwriters, as a means of refining his own songwriting.[32] His first full album for RCA was 1985'sThe Things That Matter.[3] While the lead single "True Love" underperformed on theBillboard country charts, the follow-up "If It Weren't for Him" (a duet with Cash) became Gill's first top-ten country hit the same year. This song was originally to have been included onTurn Me Loose, but was delayed untilThe Things That Matter due to legal complications between Gill's and Cash's labels.[31]The Things That Matter accounted for another top-ten in "Oklahoma Borderline",[2] which Gill wrote with Crowell andGuy Clark.[33] "With You", the final single, was less successful.[2] To promote the album, Gill began touring as an opening act for Ricky Skaggs.[34]
Author Jo Sgammato stated that while Gill's first two projects for RCA were not commercially successful, both were well-received by music critics and fans.[35] For his third RCA release,The Way Back Home (1987), Gill wanted to choose a new producer to vary his sound. He selectedRichard Landis, who had previously worked withJuice Newton. Gill recalled Landis as being "outspoken" and initially thought Landis would make a "slick pop record", but ultimately noted that Landis was open to production suggestions from Gill. In particular, Landis allowed Gill to play mandolin, banjo, and Dobro, as well as guitar.[36] Crowell provided backing vocals, as didSweethearts of the Rodeo, a duo consisting of Gill's then-wife Janis and her sister Kristine.[37]The Way Back Home produced four singles. First was "Cinderella", written byReed Nielsen, which peaked at number five on the United States country music charts in 1987.[2] The album's second and third singles "Let's Do Something" and "Everybody's Sweetheart" were both top-20 hits, but the final single "The Radio" stopped at number 39 onBillboard's country music charts.[2] After this album, Gill ended his contract with RCA as Galante wanted him to record only songs by other writers. Sgammato believed this decision was made because most of Gill's songs had not been as successful as those written by others. Despite this disagreement, Gill stated that he left RCA amicably and still considered Galante a friend.[38] During Gill's departure from RCA,Dire Straits guitaristMark Knopfler invited Gill to join the band on their then-upcoming world tour, but Gill declined as he wanted to stay within country music.[39]
Gill had remained in contact with Tony Brown, who by 1988 was president ofMCA Nashville Records and helped him sign a contract with that label in 1989.[40][41] Brown would also go on to serve as Gill's producer throughout the entirety of the 1990s. Of their relationship, Brown stated that he considered himself more of a "coach" due to his perception of Gill's artistic identity.[42] Brown also chose to put more emphasis on Gill's vocals bymixing them more prominently than the instruments; previously, both Gordy and Landis had mixed the instruments more prominently due to Gill's lack of confidence at the time over his singing ability.[43] His first single release for MCA was "Never Alone", previously recorded by Cash onRhythm & Romance and co-written by both of them.[2][44] This was the first of four singles off his MCA debutWhen I Call Your Name, considered by the editors ofThe Encyclopedia of Country Music to be Gill's breakthrough album.[15]When I Call Your Name featured a large number of backing vocalists, including Kathie Baillie (ofBaillie & the Boys),Patty Loveless,Emmylou Harris, andHerb Pedersen.[41] The second single from the album was "Oklahoma Swing", a duet withReba McEntire. This charted within the top 20 in early 1990, with Sgammato noting that some stations refused to play the song due to itsWestern swing sound.[45] It was followed by the number twotitle track and number three "Never Knew Lonely" by year's end.[2] "When I Call Your Name" also received amusic video.[46] AllMusic writer Thom Jurek praised the singles in particular, stating that the album "serves as the testament to Gill's arrival as a star and an enduring part of the country music legacy."[47]
When I Call Your Name garnered numerous accolades. The album itself wascertified double platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1996, honoring shipments of two million copies in the United States.[48] The title track won Gill his firstGrammy Award in 1991, in the category ofBest Male Vocal Country Performance; it was also nominated forBest Country Song.[49] Additionally, the song won Single of the Year from theCountry Music Association (CMA), his first award from that institution, in 1990. It would win Song of the Year at the academy's 1991 ceremony, where Gill was also awarded Male Vocalist of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year. He would win the former again in 1993, 1994, and 1995.[50] The success ofWhen I Call Your Name led to Gill touring in support of the album, which included a concert atSeaWorld San Antonio and one opening for McEntire atCaesars Palace, along with an induction into theGrand Ole Opry.[51]
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Next on MCA was 1991'sPocket Full of Gold.[3] The album'stitle track served as its lead single, and charted at number seven on theBillboard country music charts that same year.[2] The song was inspired by an idea given to Gill by Brian Allsmiller, a friend of his who at the time was playing basketball forVanderbilt University's college team. Although Gill wrote the song by himself, he credited Allsmiller as a co-writer.[52] Follow-up "Liza Jane", which Gill wrote with Nielsen, reached the same peak.[2] "Look at Us" (co-written by Gill andMax D. Barnes) and "Take Your Memory with You" also charted within the top five between then and 1992.[2] Gill told Bob Paxman of the blog Sounds Like Nashville that he allowed Brown to select songs for the album, as he "trusted [Brown's] song sense".[52] Once again, Loveless and Pedersen were among the backing vocalists.[53] Another contributor to the album waspedal steel guitar playerJohn Hughey, whose intro on "Look at Us" Gill later described as "iconic".[52] Like its predecessor,Pocket Full of Gold was also certified double-platinum.[48] The album accounted for Gill's second consecutive Grammy nomination in the category of Best Male Vocal Country Performance,[49] as well as CMA Award for Song of the Year.[29] In October 1991, Gill hosted the CMA awards telecast withClint Black.[54] Gill went on to host the awards ceremony every subsequent year through 2003.[55]
The late-1992 releaseI Still Believe in You was Gill's third on MCA.[3] It also became his best-selling album, receiving a quintuple-platinum RIAA certification for shipments of five million copies in the United States.[48] Thetitle track became Gill's first number-one on Hot Country Songs in September 1992, a peak also achieved by its follow-up "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away" between December 1992 and January 1993. After this song, Gill provided duet vocals on Reba McEntire's number-one single "The Heart Won't Lie",[3] on which Brown was also a producer. She had originally intended to record the song withKenny Rogers, but after proving unable to find a key in which both of them could sing the song comfortably, she instead chose Gill.[56] The next single offI Still Believe in You was the number three "No Future in the Past". Following this, "One More Last Chance" and "Tryin' to Get Over You" both topped Hot Country Songs between late 1993 and early 1994.[2] The latter was also Gill's first solo entry on theBillboard Hot 100.[2]Alanna Nash ofEntertainment Weekly contrastedI Still Believe in You favorably with then-labelmateTrisha Yearwood'sHearts in Armor in a dual review, considering both singers to have emotive vocals and an affinity for mature lyrics. She praised the lyrics of "I Still Believe in You" and "No Future in the Past" in particular.[57] AllMusic writer Johnny Loftus considered Gill to have a "smooth" voice, while finding influences ofsoul music on the title track and ofbluegrass music on "No Future in the Past".[58] "I Still Believe in You" won both Best Country Song and Best Male Country Vocal Performance at the35th Annual Grammy Awards in 1993, while "The Heart Won't Lie" was nominated for aGrammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals a year later.[49] Gill won five CMA Awards in 1993,[55] including Album of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Song of the Year, the last of which went to "I Still Believe in You".[50]
During promotion forI Still Believe in You in 1993, Gill also released his first Christmas albumLet There Be Peace on Earth.[3] The album included a number of traditional Christmas songs as well as a cover of "Let There Be Peace on Earth", a 1955 gospel song written byHarlene Wood and Sy Miller. Gill's rendition featured vocals from his daughter Jenny. Other vocalists on the album includedGene Merlino,Sally Stevens, andChris Rodriguez.[59] Gill also included the original songs "One Bright Star", "'Til the Season Comes Around Again", and "It Won't Be the Same This Year".[60]
His next release on MCA was 1994'sWhen Love Finds You, which would chart a total of six singles onBillboard Hot Country Songs between then and 1995. First among these were "Whenever You Come Around" and "What the Cowgirls Do", both of which peaked at number two.[2] Next were thetitle track, "Which Bridge to Cross (Which Bridge to Burn)", and "You Better Think Twice". All peaked within the top five throughout 1995.[2] The sixth and final single was "Go Rest High on That Mountain" at number 14.[2] Jurek thought thatWhen Love Finds You was more reliant on ballads than the preceding albums, but praised the lyrical qualities of each, as well as thecountry rock influence of "You Better Think Twice".[61]Bill Anderson co-wrote "Which Bridge to Cross", and attributed renewed interest in his music in the late 1990s to the success of this song.[62] Gill had begun writing "Go Rest High on That Mountain" in 1989 as a tribute toKeith Whitley following his death that same year, but did not finish it until four years later when the death of Gill's half-brother Bob Cohen inspired him.[15] Patty Loveless and Ricky Skaggs provided backing vocals on the track.[63] Despite its lower chart showing, "Go Rest High on That Mountain" remained popular among fans and critics.Dayton Duncan'sCountry Music: An Illustrated History (adapted from theKen Burns documentaryCountry Music) described it as a popular song for fans to commemorate the deaths of family members and friends.[64]Rolling Stone ranked it number 17 in a list of the 40 Saddest Country Songs.[65] In addition, the song received a two-times platinum certification from the RIAA in 2025, honoring digital sales of two million in the United States.[48] At the37th Annual Grammy Awards, "When Love Finds You" won Best Male Country Vocal Performance and was nominated for Best Country Song; a year later, "Go Rest High on That Mountain" would receive both awards.When Love Finds You was nominated forBest Country Album during the former ceremony as well.[49]
Gill ended 1995 with a pair of compilation albums. First wasSouvenirs, agreatest hits album featuring most of his MCA singles to that point as well as selected collaborations. In a review forThe Orange County Register reprinted inThe Orlando Sentinel, Gene Harbrecht thought the compilation showed Gill's artistic growth in the intervening years, while also noting its mix of ballads and up-tempo material.[66] At the same time, RCA releasedThe Essential Vince Gill, consisting of 20 singles and other songs he had recorded while on that label in the 1980s.[67]
In 1996, MCA released Gill's next studio albumHigh Lonesome Sound,[2] with itstitle track also serving as the lead single. This song peaked at number twelve on theBillboard country charts in the United States,[2] and went to number one on the Canadian country music charts then published byRPM.[68] The album featured two versions of the song: one accompanied by studio musicians, and one accompanied byAlison Krauss & Union Station.[69] Next on theBillboard country charts was the top five hit "Worlds Apart", followed by "Pretty Little Adriana" and "A Little More Love", which both peaked at number two. Last was "You and You Alone", a top-ten country hit for him in 1997.[2] Gill was inspired to write "Pretty Little Adriana" after reading a news story about a girl named Adriana Dickerson, who was shot to death outside a Nashville supermarket in 1995.[70] Michael McCall of AllMusic thought individual tracks offHigh Lonesome Sound showed influence of bluegrass,Chicago blues, andCajun music; he also considered the ballads such as "Pretty Little Adriana" overall the strongest, calling them "more progressively atmospheric" than his previous ballads.[71] Writing forCountry Standard Time, Brian Wahlert praised Gill's vocals and guitar work, but thought that some songs including "Pretty Little Adriana" and the title track were "trite" and "cliché".[69] The version of "High Lonesome Sound" featuring Alison Krauss & Union Station won Best Country Collaboration with Vocals, and "Worlds Apart" won Best Male Country Vocal Performance, at the39th Annual Grammy Awards in 1997; one year later, "Pretty Little Adriana" won the latter award as well.[49] Gill continued to tour in 1997, with his tours that year being the fourth most profitable among country artists.[72] Despite this, he canceled a number of dates later in the year to take some time off following the death of his father, Stan.[73]
Gill released two albums in 1998. First was the studio releaseThe Key. It was led off by the song "If You Ever Have Forever in Mind", a top-five country hit.[2] The song won the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.[48] Also released as singles were "Kindly Keep It Country", "Don't Come Cryin' to Me", and "My Kind of Woman/My Kind of Man".[2] The last of these, a duet with Patty Loveless, also appeared on her 1999 compilationClassics.[74] In addition to Loveless, other featured vocalists includedDawn Sears on "Don't Come Cryin' to Me" andLee Ann Womack on "Kindly Keep It Country", as well asAlison Krauss,Shelby Lynne,Sonya Isaacs,Faith Hill, andSara Evans.[75][76] In turn, Gill sang backing vocals on Hill's "Let Me Let Go" and Evans's "No Place That Far", both of which were number-one country songs between late 1998 and early 1999.[77][78] AllMusic writer Jana Pendragon summarized her review of the album by writing, "For emotional depth, honesty, and the kind of musical depth and artistry listeners have come to expect from Gill,The Key stands among his very finest recordings."[76]No Depression writer Grant Alden also reviewed the album with favor, noting that Gill wrote most of the songs by himself; he also described the album's sound and lyrics as containing "emotion and elegance".[79] Later in the year was Gill's second Christmas project,Breath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection, on which he was accompanied byPatrick Williams and his orchestra. AllMusic reviewer Jana Pendragon praised the album for its orchestral accompaniment, as well as its inclusion of both secular and Christian material.[80] BothThe Key andBreath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection were certified platinum in the United States.[48]
In 2000, Gill released the studio albumLet's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye. The album accounted for three singles in itstitle track, "Feels Like Love", and "Shoot Straight from Your Heart". Of these, "Feels Like Love" was the most successful with a peak of number six on Hot Country Songs. It also accounted for his highest solo Hot 100 peak of number 52.[2]Amy Grant, to whom Gill would become married during the recording of the album, co-wrote and provided duet vocals on the track "When I Look into Your Heart". Many critics considered the album's themes to have been influenced by the then-recent marriage. Jurek noted that the project was dominated by songs about falling in love, but praised Gill's lyrics and vocals, as well as Brown's production.[81] Nash criticized the sound of the album as "goop" and "tepid" outside the title track.[82] Similarly, in a review forKnight Ridder republished in theVentura County Star, Howard Cohen panned the project for "stock sentiments and imagery" of love and "overly slick balladry".[83]Let's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye was certified gold after release.[48]
Gill did not issue another studio album until 2003'sNext Big Thing. He wrote its lead single and title track "Next Big Thing" with John Hobbs and formerNRBQ memberAl Anderson; the song would become Gill's last solo top-20 country chart entry upon release.[2] Also released from the album were the less successful singles "Someday" and "Young Man's Town".[2] In a 2003 telephone interview withCountry Standard Time, Gill said that many of the lyrics onNext Big Thing were inspired by his increasing age and the rise of younger artists who had surpassed him commercially in the intervening years. He also wanted the album to include more humorous material than his previous works. As Brown had stopped working for MCA at the time, this left him unavailable as a producer, so Gill produced the project by himself.[7] Jurek praised the album for including more songs than normal for a country album and having strong production. His review highlighted the singles in particular, additionally noting the contributions of Grant andMichael McDonald.[84] The track "Real Mean Bottle" (inspired by a comment session guitaristHarold Bradley made aboutMerle Haggard's "The Bottle Let Me Down"[7]) was later covered byBob Seger on his 2006 albumFace the Promise.[85] "Next Big Thing" won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.[49]
In 2004, Gill and Rodney Crowell decided to re-establish Crowell's former backing band the Cherry Bombs after most of the members had reunited at an awards banquet for theAmerican Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). This lineup included all the former members except for bassist Emory Gordy Jr., who declined to participate, and drummerLarrie Londin, who died of a heart attack in 1992. Their respective roles were taken over by session musiciansMichael Rhodes andEddie Bayers. Crediting themselves asthe Notorious Cherry Bombs, this group of musicians recorded oneself-titled album for Universal South Records (nowShow Dog-Universal Music) in 2004, which featured Gill and Crowell alternating as vocalists.[86] The project charted one single on Hot Country Songs with "It's Hard to Kiss the Lips at Night That Chew Your Ass Out All Day Long".[87]
Gill's next project for MCA was 2006'sThese Days, abox set comprising four albums each recorded in a different style. These wereWorkin' on a Big Chill forcountry rock,The Reason Why forsoul music,Some Things Never Get Old forneotraditional country, andLittle Brother forbluegrass music. Among the guest vocalists on the album were Grant, McDonald, Loveless, Crowell,Del McCoury,LeAnn Rimes,Sheryl Crow,Diana Krall, andTrisha Yearwood. Gill co-produced with Justin Niebank and John Hobbs, and wrote most of the songs by himself. Jurek reviewed the project favorably on AllMusic, highlighting the stylistic and lyrical diversity; he concluded his review by stating that the project was "an exhaustive, profound, fun and fulfilling set that not only gives fans something to delight in, but goes wide and if given half a chance could and would attract many new ones."[88] Scott Jordan of theAustin Chronicle panned the songs onThe Reason Why but compared the tracks onWorkin' on a Big Chill favorably toDelbert McClinton and praised the introspective lyrics in some of the tracks onLittle Brother.[89] The project charted two singles: "The Reason Why" (featuringAlison Krauss) and "What You Give Away" (featuring Sheryl Crow).[2] At the end of 2006,These Days was certified platinum.[48] "The Reason Why" won Gill a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance at the49th Annual Grammy Awards in 2007; one year later,These Days won Best Country Album and was nominated forAlbum of the Year.[49]
Despite recording fewer albums throughout the first two decades of the 21st century, Gill remained active as a touring artist. He and Amy Grant accompanied actor, comedian, and musicianSteve Martin in May 2009 for his debut on theGrand Ole Opry, which also served as promotion for Martin's albumThe Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo.[90] In 2010, Gill joinedthe Time Jumpers, an informal collection of musicians who play bluegrass andWestern swing concerts at various venues around Nashville. The ensemble recorded their self-titled second studio album at Gill's home studio in 2012.[91] During his tenure in the band, Gill and the Time Jumpers wonGrammy Award for Best American Roots Song for the track "Kid Sister" from their 2016 album of the same name.[49] Gill would continue to perform with the Time Jumpers until 2020.[92]
His next solo release was 2011'sGuitar Slinger.[3] The album once again featured songs written or co-written by Gill, along with vocal contributions fromBekka Bramlett,Chris Stapleton, then-formerMcBride & the Ride member Billy Thomas, and Gill's daughter Jenny. Hobbs and Niebank also co-produced with Gill. Grant also provided a duet vocal on the track "True Love".[93] The project charted one single in "Threaten Me with Heaven".[2] Jurek thought this track and others on the album had themes of "mortality", which he considered unusual for Gill's work. Additionally, Jurek found influences ofrhythm and blues andgospel music among individual tracks.[93] Two years later, Gill collaborated with session steel guitar playerPaul Franklin on thecover song projectBakersfield. This featured their renditions of songs byMerle Haggard andBuck Owens, two of the main artists known for theBakersfield sound.[3] Gill andJ.T. Corenflos alternated as lead guitarists on the sessions, with other musical contributors including bassistWillie Weeks, drummerGreg Morrow, and backing vocalist Dawn Sears. Both Franklin and Sears had also recorded with Gill in the Time Jumpers.[94] Among the tracks covered were Owens's "Together Again" and Haggard's "The Fightin' Side of Me".[95] Jurek thought that the album's song choices highlighted the "edgier" nature of the Bakersfield sound, while also speaking favorably of Gill's vocals and Franklin's playing.[95] Roughstock writer Matt Bjorke also praised the musicianship and song selection, stating that "Mainstream channels may not care much for this kind of music anymore but it's still as vibrant and fantastic as it has always been and in the loving hands of Vince Gill and Paul Franklin it shines once again."[94]
Gill releasedDown to My Last Bad Habit through MCA in 2016. The lead single to the project was "Take Me Down", featuring guest vocals fromLittle Big Town. This song charted at number 60 on theBillboard country singles charts.[2] He wrote the song withRichard Marx andJillian Jacqueline.Cam also contributed vocals to the track "I'll Be Waiting for You".[96]Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that Gill "maintains an elegant, soulful air throughout the record", while highlighting the number of guest artists and considering the sound to be influenced byMemphis soul.[97]
Following the death ofEagles memberGlenn Frey in 2017, Gill was asked by the remaining band members to replace him. He accepted the offer, as he considered himself a fan of not only the Eagles, but also of Frey's solo material. Gill debuted as a member of the band at a concert held inDodger Stadium in 2017.[98] Both Gill and Frey's son Deacon have continued to tour as members of the band throughout the 2010s and 2020s, and plan to continue doing so until the end of the band's farewell tour in 2025.[99] Of his membership with the Eagles, Gill stated in an interview withTaste of Country in 2018 that he had a sense of "gratitude" for the other band members choosing him as Frey's replacement, but also added, "in my heart of hearts I wish I wasn't doing it. That would mean Glenn would still be around, but life is what it is and you just go do what you can do because of what happens. Those songs deserve to live on as long as they can."[100]
His next release on MCA was 2019'sOkie. Once again, Gill produced with Niebank, in addition to playing guitar alongsideJedd Hughes andTom Bukovac.[101] According toTaste of Country, Gill conceived the album as more autobiographical than his previous works. The track "Letter to My Mama" was promoted as the first single.[102] The track features Gill playingDobro.[103] Jurek considered the album "a laid-back collection of original songs that are more poignant and more nakedly autobiographical and topical than anything he's previously issued."[101] The album included a song about Amy Grant titled "When My Amy Prays",[104] which won Gill aGrammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance.[49]
A second collaborative album with Paul Franklin followed in 2023. TitledSweet Memories: The Music of Ray Price & the Cherokee Cowboys, it features the two covering songs byRay Price. In an interview withVariety, both musicians stated that they wanted to do a second album followingBakersfield, and chose Ray Price because both had contributed to some of his later albums.[105] This was followed in October 2025 by an announcement that he had signed a "lifetime" contract with MCA. Coinciding with this contract, he also announced plans to release a new extended play each month for the next year, as part of a series titled50 Years from Home. The EPs will include a mix of new and existing material; the first in the series,I Gave You Everything I Had, was released in October 2025.[106]
On November 10, 2025, it was announced that Gill would receive theWillie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the59th Annual Country Music Association Awards.[107]
Gill is known for a large number of collaborative works as a duet partner, session musician, songwriter, and backing vocalist. Of his prolificacy as a collaborative artist, Brown stated in 1998 that Gill often sang harmony for other artists because he enjoyed doing so.[108] One of his first collaborations came in 1987 whenEmmylou Harris chose Gill to appear on her albumAngel Band, a compilation ofgospel music standards. Gill played mandolin and sang backing vocals on the project, which also included Emory Gordy Jr. and bluegrass musicianCarl Jackson.[109]Alabama recorded one of Gill's compositions, "Here We Are", on their 1990 albumPass It On Down.[110] Their version went to number two on the country music charts in 1991.[111] Also in 1991,Mark O'Connor recorded a cover version ofCarl Perkins's "Restless" for his albumThe New Nashville Cats. This rendition featured O'Connor onfiddle, with Gill,Steve Wariner, andRicky Skaggs alternating on lead vocals and guitar. Credited to Mark O'Connor & the New Nashville Cats, this rendition went to number 25 on the country charts.[112] All four artists wonGrammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals in 1992 for this song,[49] as well as CMA Vocal Event of the Year.[50] Gill covered the Eagles's "I Can't Tell You Why" for the late-1993 tribute albumCommon Thread: The Songs of the Eagles,[113] with then-former Eagles memberTimothy B. Schmit on backing vocals andJim Horn onsoprano saxophone.[114] While not officially promoted as a single, this cover reached number 42 on Hot Country Songs due to unsolicited airplay.[2] On two occasions, Gill collaborated withAsleep at the Wheel on a cover of aBob Wills song. The first was "Red Wing" on the 1993 albumTribute to the Music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys;[115] the second was "Bob's Breakdowns" fromRide with Bob: A Tribute to Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys six years later. Both collaborations wonGrammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance in their respective years of release.[49] Gill's third instrumental Grammy Award win came in 2001 on a rendition ofEarl Scruggs's "Foggy Mountain Breakdown", done for the collaboration albumEarl Scruggs and Friends.[49][116]
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Gill was a frequent collaborator ofPatty Loveless. He sang backing vocals on her 1987self-titled debut album,[32] and also on her 1989 hit "Timber, I'm Falling in Love".[117] Additionally, she did likewise on several of his singles, including "When I Call Your Name",[7] "Pocket Full of Gold",[53] and "Go Rest High on That Mountain".[118] In 1994, Gill contributed to two collaborations. First was "House of Love", a duet withAmy Grant from her albumof the same name. The song was a top-40 hit on the Hot 100 after its release.[119] Gill's other collaboration in 1994 was onKermit Unpigged, an album featuringthe Muppets performing alongside a number of musical guests. On this album, Gill andKermit the Frog (then voiced bySteve Whitmire) recorded a cover ofthe Lovin' Spoonful's "Daydream";[120] this cover reached number 65 on the CanadianRPM country charts.[121] A year later, Gill sang a duet withDolly Parton on a re-recording of her hit "I Will Always Love You" on her albumSomething Special.[122] Gill had originally wanted to wait until after "Go Rest High on That Mountain" to release the duet version of "I Will Always Love You". However, demand from radio caused the duet to chart prematurely and ascend the charts simultaneously with "Go Rest High on That Mountain", and Gill chose not to intervene.[123] Gill co-wrote and provided backing vocals on the track "You Just Get One", recorded in 1995 byTy Herndon on his debut albumWhat Mattered Most.[124]Jeff Wood later released a version of the song in 1997,[125] which featured Gill on both lead guitar and mandolin.[126] Also in 1997, both Gill andAlison Krauss were credited for their backing vocals onMark Chesnutt's "It's Not Over"; the three had originally recorded it in 1992 for Chesnutt's albumLongnecks & Short Stories, but Chesnutt chose to include it on his 1997 albumThank God for Believers and release it as a single as he thought the song still had potential.[127] In 1998, Gill won another Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance, as a featured performer onRandy Scruggs's "A Soldier's Joy" from his albumCrown of Jewels.[49] A year later, he sang duet vocals onBarbra Streisand's "If You Ever Leave Me".[2]
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Gill andSheryl Crow were both credited for their backing vocals onBrooks & Dunn's "Building Bridges", a top-five country hit in 2006.[128]Brad Paisley's 2008 instrumental albumPlay: The Guitar Album featured Gill as one of several instrumentalists on the track "Cluster Pluck",[129] which accounted for Gill's fourth Grammy win in the category of Best Country Instrumental Performance.[49] Gill was featured onKelly Clarkson's 2012 single "Don't Rush" as well.[130] A year later he co-producedAshley Monroe's albumLike a Rose and co-wrote two songs on it.[131] The two toured withCharlie Worsham in 2015.[132] Gill was credited for his backing vocals and lead guitar onChris Young's late-2016 single "Sober Saturday Night",[133] which also went to number one on theBillboard country charts.[134] Gill also charted in 2017 as a guest vocalist onMaren Morris's promotional single "Dear Hate", written in response to the2017 Las Vegas shooting. The song was Gill's 65th entry on the country charts.[2][135]
Three notable multi-artist collaborations have featured Gill as a performer. First was "Tomorrow's World", a charity single written byKix Brooks andPam Tillis featuring over 20 country music singers, and released byWarner Records to honor the 20th anniversary ofEarth Day.[136] In 1996, he participated in "Hope: Country Music's Quest for a Cure", a charity single by theT.J. Martell Foundation to honor cancer andleukemia research.[137] He also participated in the 2016 collaboration "Forever Country", a medley of "I Will Always Love You", "On the Road Again", and "Country Roads, Take Me Home" recorded by 30 country artists to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Country Music Association.[138] This collaboration went to number one on theBillboard country charts under the credit "Artists of Then, Now, and Forever".[139]
Gill's music is defined by histenor voice, guitar playing, and breadth of influences. The editors ofThe Encyclopedia of Country Music wrote of Gill in 1998, "With an aching tenor, award-winning songwriting skills, and virtuoso guitar chops that rival those of any ace Nashville session player, Vince Gill is one of today's biggest country superstars."[15] His vocal style has also been noted for itsbluegrass music phrasing.[108] Steve Huey of AllMusic describes Gill as "one of the most respected musicians in the history of country music".[3] He characterizes Gill's early work as influential in theneotraditional country movements of the late 1980s to early 1990s, but thought his membership in both Pure Prairie League and the Eagles showed an interest in his music outside of country music as well.[3] Sarah Rodman ofEntertainment Weekly referred to Gill as "the Oklahoma native with the tenor kissed by angels and the guitar prowess of a man who made a deal with the devil" and stated that he "rose to become one of the most respected names in country music, often serving as a link between the classic artists that preceded him and the generation of stars that have followed in his footsteps."[140]
Jeffrey B. Remz, writing forCountry Standard Time, stated that Gill "was a fine singer with his sturdy tenor, and his guitar playing has always been considered top notch. A heavy touring schedule resulted from his success with concerts, sometimes going on for three hours. He was not a paint-by-the-numbers kind of country performer."[7] Joe Bosso ofGuitar World describes Gill as having "virtuosic and sweetly expressive solos" in bothflatpicking andfingerstyle guitar; in the same article, Gill himself stated that he "play[s] what's necessary".[103] Of his guitar playing, Jo Sgammato stated that his playing lead guitar while also being a vocalist was uncommon among country music artists; she also noted that critics had compared his style toEric Clapton andChet Atkins.[141]
Gill citesMerle Haggard as one of his main influences. In 2003, he stated in an interview withCountry Standard Time, "he's the greatest singer, the greatest phraser, and then on top of that, his songs are really poetic."[7] He has also named female artists he grew up on, such asPatsy Cline andKitty Wells, as influences.[132] Outside of country music, Gill has also namedBruce Springsteen andJohn Fogerty as influences, as he considered their works to have "honesty".[142] Gill said that he characterized his own songwriting by "simplicity", a characteristic he also thought was present in the works ofHank Williams.[143] Jo Sgammato also noted inThe Vince Gill Story that Gill's albums had a higher number of songs written by him than his contemporaries did.[144] She also thought the track "Nothing Like a Woman" fromI Still Believe in You had aMotown influence due to Gill's "high, wailing chorus", while comparing both "Say Hello" from the same album and "Don't Come Cryin' to Me" fromThe Key to theBakersfield sound.[145] Additionally, Sgammato observed that Gill tended to have hits with ballads more frequently than with up-tempo material, although she cited "Liza Jane" and "One More Last Chance" as successful examples of the latter.[146]
Gill has also been a point of comparison and influence for other artists. When he debuted in 1995,Bryan White was compared to Gill by Tom Lanham ofNew Country magazine, who found influence of Gill in both the vocals and songwriting of White's single "Rebecca Lynn".[147]Jason Sellers played bass guitar in Gill's road band in the late 1990s,[148] and consulted Gill a number of times for career advice prior to singing withBNA Records in 1997. In a review of his debut album, Jeff Davis ofCountry Standard Time thought that Sellers idolized Gill and was "imitative" of him.[149] In turn, Sellers filled in for Gill on a number of live performances of "Don't Rush" where Gill was unavailable.[150][151][152] Country and bluegrass singer Charlie Worsham has named Gill as an influence, and claimed that "Liza Jane" was one of the first songs he learned to play on guitar. In 2018, Gill gave Worsham a custom-made guitar, which Worsham played on his second albumBeginning of Things.[153]
In April 1980, Gill married singer Janis Oliver,[15] who would join her sister Kristine in the country duoSweethearts of the Rodeo later in the decade. According to Sgammato, Gill wrote both "Everybody's Sweetheart" and "The Radio" about his relationship with her.[154] They divorced in 1997, citing irreconcilable differences. The couple had one daughter, Jenifer "Jenny" Gill, of whom Janis assumed custody following their divorce.[155][15] Jenny has contributed to her father's albums on a number of occasions, includingLet There Be Peace on Earth.[59] Steve Huey, writing for AllMusic, noted that many critics thought songs fromThe Key were influenced by the divorce from Oliver.[3] Gill began datingcontemporary Christian music singerAmy Grant in 1999 following her divorce from singerGary Chapman. The two married on March 10, 2000.[156] AllMusic writer Thom Jurek thought that certain tracks onLet's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye were inspired by his marriage to Grant, which occurred during the recording of that album.[81] One year after their marriage, the couple had a daughter, named Corrinna. In 2023, Corrinna Gill began releasing her own music online.[157]
Gill is known for his pleasant demeanor and frequent involvements in charity works,[15] leading many publications to refer to him as the "nicest guy in Nashville".[143][108] In an article forThe Washington Post republished inThe Palm Beach Post, journalist Richard Harrington described Gill as "perpetually affable, easily approachable, [and] ego-deficient."[108] Gill enjoysgolf and in 1993 started a golf charity known as the Vinny Pro-Celebrity Golf Invitational,[6] which raises money for children's golf in the state of Tennessee. Gill received a 2003 Distinguished Service Award from theProfessional Golfers' Association of America to honor this charity.[158] In 1995, Gill held a concert to benefit theAmerican Red Cross following theOklahoma City bombing.[4] One charity to which Gill contributes is All for the Hall, an annual benefit concert for theCountry Music Hall of Fame.[6]
Gill has won eight Academy of Country Music awards and 18 Country Music Association awards, out of 37 nominations from the former and 54 from the latter.[29][50] He has won 22Grammy Awards (out of 48 nominations),[49] accounting for the most wins among solo male country music singers.[159]
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