Vince Gill Biography
Vince Gill (Vincent Grant Gill) is an American country singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has gained fame as a frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League. He has also gained fame as a solo artist since 1983. His talents as a vocalist and musician have placed him in high demand as a guest vocalist and a duet partner. He has recorded more than 20 studio albums, charted over 40 singles and has sold more than 26 million albums. He has won numerous awards for his work.
His first appearance in the national scene was in 1979 with the country rock band Pure Prairie League. He appeared on that band’s album Can’t Hold Back. He is the lead singer on their song “Let Me Love You Tonight”. In 1981 he left Pure Prairie League and joined Cherry Bombs.
He recorded a bluegrass album, Here Today, with David Grisman and friends. He later signed a solo deal with RCA with whom he achieved some success including the singles, “Victim of Life’s Circumstance” and Country Top Ten with “If It Weren’t for Him”, “Oklahoma Borderline” and “Cinderella”. He continued to release highly successful albums all through to the 2000s. He capitalized on the virtuoso quality of his electric and acoustic guitar playing, his pure, high and soulful tenor voice, and the excellent quality of his songwriting.
He has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 10th August 1991. He officially joined the country swing group The Time Jumpers in 2010. He appeared as a guest on NPR’s news quiz show Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me in July 2011. He also appeared on the second of two bluegrass tribute albums for the British rock band The Moody Blues: Moody Bluegrass TWO… Much Love in the same year.
In March 2012, He performed at the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center in Bowling Green in 2012. On 6th September, he received the 2,478th star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He featured in a song by Kelly Clarkson titled “Don’t Rush”, which appears on Clarkson’s first Greatest Hits album. He was selected as one of 30 artists to perform on Forever Country, in 2016 which celebrates 50 years of the CMA Awards.
He joined the Eagles on tour in 2017. He has been touring with the band ever since.
Vince Gill Age
Gill was born in Norman, Oklahoma, U.S. on 12th April, 1957. He is 62 years old as of 2019.
Vince Gill Net Worth
Vince is definitely an established singer and song writer. He has accumulated a great fortune from his works. This has made him one of the most richest country musicians around the world. He has an approximated net worth of $30 million.
Vince Gill Wife | Vince Gill First Wife | Vince Gill And Amy Grant
Gill married Christian music artist Amy Grant in the year 2000. The two met in 1993 when he asked her to perform in his first televised Christmas special. They bonded easily because the two were in troubled marriages. Gill divorced his first wife in 1997 while Grant divorced her husband in 1999. A year later the two got married. They have a daughter called Corrina.
Gills first wife Janis Oliver, was a country music singer. The two met in Los Angeles when they were both starting out in music. They got married in 1980 and their marriage lasted only for 17 years. They have a daughter called Jenny, born in 1982.
Vince Gill Songs | Vince Gill Albums | Vince Gill Music | Vince Gill New Album | Vince Gill Latest Album
- Turn Me Loose (1984)
- The Things That Matter (1985)
- The Way Back Home (1987)
- When I Call Your Name (1989)
- Pocket Full of Gold (1991)
- I Still Believe in You (1992)
- Let There Be Peace on Earth (1993)
- When Love Finds You (1994)
- Souvenirs (1995)
- High Lonesome Sound (1996)
- The Key (1998)
- Breath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection (1998)
- Let’s Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye (2000)
- Tis the Season (with Olivia Newton-John) (2000)
- Next Big Thing (2003)
- These Days (2006)
- Guitar Slinger (2011)
- Bakersfield (2013)
- Down to My Last Bad Habit (2016)
Vince Gill Tour | Vince Gill Tour Dates | Vince Gill Concert Schedule | Vince Gill Schedule | Vince Gill Upcoming Events | Vince Gill Events | Vince Gill Concert Tickets
- Tuesday, 16 April 2019 (19:00) @Factory Theatre, Sydney, Australia
- Thursday, 25 July 2019 (19:30) @Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, USA
- Wednesday, 07 August 2019 (19:30) @Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum – Auditorium, Knoxville, USA
- Thursday, 08 August 2019 (19:30) @Johnny Mercer Theatre, Savannah, Georgia, USA
- Thursday, 08 August 2019 (19:30) @Savannah Civic Center (Martin Luther King Jr. Arena), Savannah, Georgia, USA
- Saturday, 10 August 2019 (19:30) @Von Braun Center Concert Hall, Huntsville, Alabama, USA
- Saturday, 10 August 2019 (19:30) @Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Alabama, USA
- Wednesday, 14 August 2019 (19:30) @Adler Theatre, Davenport, Iowa, USA
- Thursday, 15 August 2019 (19:30) @Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland (formerly The Midland By AMC), Kansas City, Missouri, USA
- Friday, 16 August 2019 (21:00) @Global Event Center at WinStar World Casino and Resort, Thackerville, Oklahoma, USA
- Thursday, 12 September 2019 (19:30) @Chicago Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Saturday, 14 September 2019 (19:30) @Riverside Theatre, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
- Sunday, 15 September 2019 (19:30) @Palace Theatre Columbus, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Friday, 11 October 2019 (20:00) @Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Wednesday, 11 December 2019 (19:30) @Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, USA
- Tuesday, 17 December 2019 (19:30) @Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, USA
- Wednesday, 18 December 2019 (19:30) @Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, USA
- Thursday, 19 December 2019 (19:30) @Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, USA
Vince Gill Greatest Hits
- “Go Rest High On That Mountain”
- “The Heart Won’t Lie”
- “When I Call Your Name”
- “Next Big Thing”
- “Tryin’ to get Over You”
- “One More Last Chance”
- “Worlds Apart”
- “I Still Believe in You”
- “Sad One Comin’ On”
- “Threaten Me With Heaven”
Vince Gill Awards
- 1990 Best Country Vocal Performance, Male – “When I Call Your Name”
- 1991 Best Country Vocal Collaboration with Ricky Skaggs and Steve Wariner – “Restless”
- 1992 Best Country Song with John Barlow Jarvis – “I Still Believe in You”
- 1992 Best Country Vocal Performance, Male – “I Still Believe in You”
- 1993 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Asleep at the Wheel, Chet Atkins, Eldon Shamblin, Johnny Gimble, Marty Stuart, and Reuben “Lucky Oceans” Gosfield – “Red Wing”
- 1994 Best Country Vocal Performance, Male – “When Love Finds You”
- 1995 Best Country Song – “Go Rest High on That Mountain”
- 1995 Best Male Country Vocal Performance – “Go Rest High on That Mountain”
- 1996 Best Male Country Vocal Performance – “Worlds Apart”
- 1996 Best Country Collaboration with Vocals with Alison Krauss and Union Station – “High Lonesome Sound”
- 1997 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Randy Scruggs – “A Soldier’s Joy”
- 1997 Best Male Country Vocal Performance – “Pretty Little Adriana”
- 1998 Best Male Country Vocal Performance – “If You Ever Have Forever in Mind”
- 1999 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Tommy Allsup, Asleep at the Wheel, Floyd Domino, Larry
- Franklin, and Steve Wariner – “Bob’s Breakdowns”
- 2001 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Jerry Douglas, Glen Duncan, Albert Lee, Steve Martin, Leon Russell, Earl Scruggs, Gary Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Paul Shaffer and Marty Stuart – “Foggy Mountain Breakdown”
- 2002 Best Male Country Vocal Performance – “The Next Big Thing”
- 2005 Best Country Gospel Album – “Rock of Ages… Hymns and Faith”
- 2006 Best Male Country Vocal Performance – “The Reason Why”
- 2007 Best Country Album – “These Days”
- 2008 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Brad Paisley, James Burton, John Jorgenson, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert and Steve Wariner – “Cluster Pluck”
- 2017 Best American Roots Song – “Kid Sister”
Vince Gill Christmas Songs | Vince Gill Christmas | Vince Gill Christmas Album
- One Bright Star
- Let There Be Peace on Earth · 1993
- Breath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection · 1998
- O Little Town of Bethlehem
Vince Gill Gospel Album
- When i call your name
- I still believe in you
Vince Gill Interview
You’ve known various members of the Eagles over the years, but how did you come to join the band?
Vince Gill: “Yeah, I have known these guys for quite a while. I think I first met them around 1980. After the band broke up, Glenn and I became friends through our mutual manager, a man named Larry Fitzgerald, and his partner, Mark Hartley. They managed Glenn in his solo years. Glenn and I crossed paths quite often. He would come to some of my early gigs and cheer me on, and then he became with obsessed with golf, like me. So we had some things in common.
Vince Gill: “There were other connections. I recorded I Can’t Tell You Why for an Eagles tribute album that they put together – Timothy sang on my version of it. And then Joe and I became friends, and we actually talked about trying to do a Traveling Wilburys kind of band. That would have been fun. I also worked with Don on his Cass Country album. After that, Don and I dueted on an Elton John project. There were so many times our lives converged. I did a couple of songs with the band when they were honoured at the Kennedy Center. So after a while, I think everybody sort of said, ‘Well, this might be possible…’
“I guess I kind of slipped in there. There were some naysayers at first, and I imagine there always will be. But I can’t worry about that – I’d go crazy if I let it get to me. It’s been okay. The way they’ve chosen to go on is by honouring Glenn, and it’s been a great experience for everybody.”
As a guitar player, what kind of impact did the Eagles have on you back in the day?
Vince Gill: “Without question I was an Eagles fan. I loved all of their albums and songs. And I was a Joe Walsh fan, too – I was so into him as a solo artist before he joined the band. Joe had a huge impact on me as a guitar player. Before I became a bluegrass kind of knucklehead, I was playing in garage bands. We did all kinds of rock ’n’ roll, and we played Rocky Mountain Way and Funk #49. I was way into it. [laughs] There’s tapes of me playing Peaceful Easy Feeling – I must have been about 16 – and I was godawful. I haven’t got the courage to play those tapes for anybody. It’s hysterical how bad I sounded.
Vince Gill: “But as I got older, I understood that the real purpose behind the guitar playing on a lot of those records was to serve the song. It wasn’t just somebody out there blowing a bunch of riffs over some changes. All the guitar parts were beautifully thought out, very well composed and unbelievably memorable. So many of those hooks are etched in your memory, and it’s unbelievable to play them on stage. You know, I’m still a fan. When Hotel California starts and the crowd just erupts, I’m smiling every time thinking, ‘This is so cool’.”
It’s interesting that you were a fan of the harder rock songs. One might assume that you were more into the Bernie Leaden era versus something like Those Shoes…
Vince Gill: “I know people might assume that. What’s funny is, as a player, I didn’t fall into the country world until later. Like I said, I played rock before. We were trying to be a tough little rock ’n’ roll band. As for the Eagles, all of their songs spoke to me. They were just a cut above everything else, and that’s what contributed to their longevity. So they have that in common with Hank Williams and Merle Haggard and some of the real giants – a body of incredible work that stands the test of time.
Obviously, an offer to join the Eagles is beyond tempting. But was it a hard decision knowing that you would have to put your solo career on hold?
Vince Gill: “Being in the Eagles is a different animal from my solo career or even doing what I do with the Time Jumpers [the Western swing band Vince joined in 2010]. To me, the real beauty of it is I get to honour my pal Glenn. And I think he’d be okay with me being in this band and doing my best to sing and play his songs. So from a spiritual place, it was a no-brainer.
“You know, I’ve had a nice solo career, but it probably pales in comparison to my career as a sideman. I once tried to count how many records I’ve appeared on, and I think it’s close to 1,000. But I just look at it as helping friends out. As long as they want to have me to play on a record, I’m thrilled be take part.”
You don’t have anything to prove to anyone, but was there any kind of audition for the Eagles – just to make sure you were a good fit?
Vince Gill: “There was no ‘audition’ per se. I don’t want to put words in anybody else’s mouth – that would be foolish – but Don did say to me once, ‘You’re really the only guy I thought of’. And that meant a lot to me. I could think of lots of people they could have called. You know, I don’t sing like Glenn, and they certainly don’t need another guitar player. But I fit in and it’s been nice.“
You guys do close to 30 songs every night – how much individual rehearsing did you have to do before you got in the room with the band?
Vince Gill: “Well, I did quite a bit, but I didn’t really know what to learn. It wasn’t predetermined what I was going to sing and play; it all kind of evolved. This music is very structured, and a lot of times I’d start playing something, and somebody would say, ‘That’s not on the record’. And I’d say, ‘I know. All the parts are taken.’” [Laughs]
Tell us a little bit about the first show you played with them at Dodger Stadium. You said it was pretty emotional…
Vince Gill: “Oh, man, I’m sure it was for everybody – for the crowd, for them. It was emotional for me, too, but it was also a terrifying experience. If anybody was going to take a little heat and suffer some slings and arrows, it was gonna be me – I’m the country guy coming into this iconic rock band. I had a tremendous amount of white noise going on in my head at that Dodger Stadium gig. You should always be a little scared before a show. If you’re not, then it doesn’t matter to you. And it mattered a lot to me. I wanted to do a great job and make them not regret the decision they made.
Vince Gill: “I’ll tell you, the funniest thing at that first show was, I’d worn one too many layers of clothes. It was LA and it was hot, and I was sweating so much, it was like I couldn’t breathe. Finally, I had to take off this cool-looking leather jacket before I died!”
There are a lot of guitar players on stage in the band – you, Joe Walsh, Steuart Smith, Deacon Frey, and sometimes Don plays guitar as well. Did that cause you to make any kind of changes to your regular guitar rig?
Vince Gill: “Yeah, it is a little bit different. I stand on the side of the stage with the Eagles, instead of being in the middle, where I usually am with my own gigs. I’m the one guy who doesn’t use in-ear monitors, too. As for guitars, I would just think, ‘Okay, what’s going to help this song? What’s gonna sound right?’ So I play a nice variety of everything. I play a lot of Telecaster for my own shows, but I only use it for one or two songs with the Eagles. There’s a lot of Les Pauls, and a lot of acoustics for songs like Peaceful Easy Feeling and Lyin’ Eyes. You find what’s appropriate. I’m using a lot of the same rig that I normally use, and I’m just trying to play the guitar that I know is going to cast the right glow on the song.”
So you’re still using your Little Walter guitar amps?
Vince Gill: “Oh, yes. They sound really good with the Eagles. Everything is crunched a little bit more, especially on songs like Those Shoes, for example. The Little Walters rock pretty hard most of the night. Those are just great, versatile amps.”
How many guitars are you bringing out with you for the Eagles?
Vince Gill: “Probably eight or nine. I’ve got an Italian Esquire, two Strats, two Les Pauls, two Martin acoustics… I convert one guitar to a five-string – I do an open tuning to get kind of a Keith Richards rhythm. It gives everything a really neat, different sound. I haven’t brought a 335 out yet. I just picked up a nice old one, so I might find a spot for it.”
Are you using a lot of pedals for this tour?
Vince Gill: “Not so much. You play these big places and you don’t need a lot of delay or reverb. I use a little bit of compression a couple of overdrive pedals – or distortion pedals. I don’t know the difference between an overdrive pedal and a distortion pedal!”
Have you been tempted to play Steuart Smith’s double-neck?
Vince Gill: “Oh, no. He plays that on Hotel California. But no, I haven’t picked it up. I wouldn’t even know where to turn it on.”
Was the lead guitarist in you hankering to play any parts of those legendary Hotel California solos?
Vince Gill: “Well, that would be fun, but it’s not necessary. It’s all kind of daunting. To watch what Joe and Steuart do is pretty magical. Steuart’s been my friend for 30 years or so. He played on a bunch of my records, and we both played with Rodney Crowell. So I’ve got a great old friend over there on the other side of the stage. And just because I showed up, it doesn’t mean he should change one note about what he’s contributed, because he’s really magical. He replicates so many parts that Bernie and Don Felder played. He’s really something.”
As a guitar player, what’s been the biggest revelation to you from this experience?
Vince Gill: “Well, the thing you have to consider with the Eagles is, this is the furthest thing from a jam band as it gets. Everything is very orchestrated and precise. These are records and songs that have meant a lot to people, and they know each part and line by heart. You want to honour that and not change anything. Some situations call for you to do an interpretation of a song, but this isn’t about that. Each note is key, and each note means something. So for me, the biggest thing is listening to what each person is doing – listening and reacting. I’m not up there to play just anything that comes into my head. If I’m not adding something of value, I don’t play it.”
SOURCE: guitar.com