Vince Gill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vince Gill
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Gill performing live with the Eagles in February 2019
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Vincent Grant Gill |
| Born | April 12, 1957 Norman, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Origin | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, musician |
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| Years active | 1976–present |
| Labels |
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Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is a famous American singer, songwriter, and musician. He started his career playing in bluegrass bands in the 1970s. Later, he became the lead singer for the soft rock band Pure Prairie League from 1978 to 1982. He sang on their hit song "Let Me Love You Tonight".
After leaving Pure Prairie League, Vince Gill began a solo career in country music in 1984. He became very successful in the 1990s. His album When I Call Your Name was a big hit. He has had four number-one songs on the country music charts. These include "I Still Believe in You" and "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away".
Vince Gill has won 22 Grammy Awards. This is more than any other solo male country music artist. He was also a member of the Western swing group the Time Jumpers. Since 2017, he has been touring with the famous rock band Eagles. He is known for his amazing songwriting, his clear singing voice, and his fantastic guitar playing.
Contents
Vince Gill's Early Life and Musical Start
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Vincent Grant Gill was born on April 12, 1957, in Norman, Oklahoma. He was the youngest of three children. His father, Stan Gill, was a judge who also played guitar and banjo. He taught Vince how to play these instruments. His mother, Jerene, also sang and played the harmonica.
Vince started playing guitar when he was five years old. He learned to play "Old Shep". When he was eight, he and his half-brother Bob performed on a local radio show. Vince also took guitar lessons and learned to play many instruments. These included the Dobro, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, and bass guitar.
He became interested in bluegrass music through a friend. After high school, Vince started his own bluegrass band called Mountain Smoke. They even opened for the rock band Kiss in 1976! After Mountain Smoke, Vince moved to Kentucky and played in other bands. Later, he moved to Los Angeles and joined the band Sundance.
Music Career Highlights
Joining Pure Prairie League
In 1978, the soft rock band Pure Prairie League needed a new lead singer. Vince Gill joined them as a guitarist and singer. He appeared on their 1979 album Can't Hold Back. During his time with the band, they had a top-ten hit called "Let Me Love You Tonight". Vince also wrote several songs for the band. He recorded three albums with Pure Prairie League.
Starting a Solo Career
In 1982, Vince Gill joined Rodney Crowell's band, the Cherry Bombs, as a guitarist. This led him to move to Nashville, Tennessee. In 1983, he signed a contract with RCA Records Nashville to start his solo career.
His first solo release was a six-song album called Turn Me Loose in 1984. Three songs from this album made it onto the country music charts. Vince won the Top New Male Vocalist award from the Academy of Country Music in 1984. He also sang backup for other country singers like Conway Twitty.
His first full album for RCA was The Things That Matter in 1985. The song "If It Weren't for Him", a duet with Rosanne Cash, became his first top-ten country hit. Another top-ten song from this album was "Oklahoma Borderline".
Breakthrough with MCA Nashville
In 1989, Vince Gill signed with MCA Nashville Records. This was a big turning point for his career. His first album with MCA was When I Call Your Name. This album is considered his breakthrough. It featured many guest singers like Patty Loveless and Emmylou Harris. The song "Oklahoma Swing", a duet with Reba McEntire, was a top-20 hit.
The title track, "When I Call Your Name", reached number two on the charts. It also won Vince his first Grammy Award in 1991. The album sold over two million copies in the United States. Vince started hosting the Country Music Association (CMA) awards show in 1991 and continued until 2003.
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His next album, Pocket Full of Gold (1991), also did very well. The title track and "Liza Jane" both reached number seven on the charts. This album also sold over two million copies.
Number One Hits and More Awards
Vince Gill's 1992 album, I Still Believe in You, became his best-selling album. It sold five million copies! The title track was his first number-one hit in September 1992. "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away" also reached number one.
He also sang a duet with Reba McEntire on her number-one song "The Heart Won't Lie". Later, "One More Last Chance" and "Tryin' to Get Over You" also became number-one hits in 1993 and 1994. "I Still Believe in You" won two Grammy Awards in 1993. Vince Gill won five CMA Awards in 1993, including Album of the Year and Entertainer of the Year.
In 1993, Vince also released his first Christmas album, Let There Be Peace on Earth. It included classic Christmas songs and new ones. His daughter Jenny sang on the title track.
Continued Success in the 1990s
His 1994 album, When Love Finds You, had six hit songs. "Whenever You Come Around" and "What the Cowgirls Do" both reached number two. The song "Go Rest High on That Mountain" became very popular. Vince started writing it for Keith Whitley and finished it after his half-brother passed away. This song won two Grammy Awards in 1996.
In 1996, Vince released High Lonesome Sound. The title track and "Worlds Apart" were big hits. "Worlds Apart" won a Grammy Award in 1997.
His 1998 album, The Key, was also very successful. "If You Ever Have Forever in Mind" was a top-five country hit and won a Grammy. He also released a second Christmas album, Breath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection, in 1998. Both albums sold over one million copies.
New Millennium and Collaborations
In 2000, Vince released Let's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye. The song "Feels Like Love" was a top-ten hit. His wife, Amy Grant, sang on the song "When I Look into Your Heart".
His 2003 album, Next Big Thing, included more humorous songs. The title track was a top-20 country hit. This song won a Grammy Award in 2004.
In 2004, Vince reunited with Rodney Crowell and other musicians to form the Notorious Cherry Bombs. They released a self-titled album.
Vince's 2006 album, These Days, was a special box set with four albums. Each album had a different style, like country rock, soul, and bluegrass. It featured many guest singers, including Amy Grant and Sheryl Crow. This album won a Grammy for Best Country Album in 2008.
From 2010 to 2020, Vince Gill was a member of the Time Jumpers, a group that plays bluegrass and Western swing music. They recorded several albums together.
His 2011 solo album was Guitar Slinger. In 2013, he teamed up with steel guitar player Paul Franklin for the album Bakersfield. They covered songs by Merle Haggard and Buck Owens.
Joining the Eagles and Recent Work
In 2016, Vince released Down to My Last Bad Habit. The song "Take Me Down" featured Little Big Town.
After Eagles member Glenn Frey passed away in 2017, Vince Gill was asked to join the band. He accepted and has been touring with the Eagles since then. He performs alongside Glenn Frey's son, Deacon.
His 2019 album, Okie, was more personal. It included a song about his wife, Amy Grant, called "When My Amy Prays". This song won a Grammy Award. In 2023, Vince released another album with Paul Franklin called Sweet Memories: The Music of Ray Price & the Cherokee Cowboys.
Collaborations with Other Artists
Vince Gill is known for working with many other artists. He often sings harmony for them because he enjoys it.
- In 1987, he played mandolin and sang on Emmylou Harris's album Angel Band.
- He wrote "Here We Are" for the band Alabama, which became a number-two hit in 1991.
- In 1991, he sang and played guitar on Mark O'Connor's cover of "Restless". This song won a Grammy Award in 1992.
- He covered "I Can't Tell You Why" by the Eagles for a tribute album in 1993.
- He collaborated with Asleep at the Wheel on two Bob Wills songs, both of which won Grammy Awards for Best Country Instrumental Performance.
- Vince often sang backup for Patty Loveless and she sang backup for him.
- In 1994, he sang a duet with Amy Grant called "House of Love".
- He also sang with Kermit the Frog on a cover of "Daydream" for a Muppets album.
- In 1995, he sang a duet with Dolly Parton on a new version of her hit "I Will Always Love You".
- He sang backup for Brooks & Dunn on "Building Bridges" in 2006.
- He was featured on Brad Paisley's instrumental song "Cluster Pluck" in 2008, which won him another Grammy.
- He sang on Kelly Clarkson's 2012 single "Don't Rush".
- He sang backup and played guitar on Chris Young's number-one hit "Sober Saturday Night" in 2016.
- He also sang on Maren Morris's song "Dear Hate" in 2017.
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Vince Gill has also been part of big group songs:
- "Tomorrow's World" (1990) for Earth Day.
- "Hope: Country Music's Quest for a Cure" (1996) for cancer research.
- "Forever Country" (2016), a medley of country hits by 30 artists, which went to number one.
Vince Gill's Musical Style
Vince Gill's music is known for his clear tenor voice, his amazing guitar playing, and his wide range of musical influences. He is considered one of the most respected musicians in country music history. Critics say his guitar solos are both skillful and full of emotion. He plays what is "necessary" for the song.
He is influenced by artists like Merle Haggard, Patsy Cline, and Kitty Wells. He also likes Bruce Springsteen and John Fogerty. Vince says his own songwriting is "simple," like the songs of Hank Williams. He often writes many of the songs on his albums.
Vince Gill has influenced many other artists. Bryan White and Jason Sellers were compared to him early in their careers. Country and bluegrass singer Charlie Worsham also names Vince Gill as an influence.
Personal Life and Charity Work
In April 1980, Vince Gill married singer Janis Oliver. They had one daughter, Jenifer "Jenny" Gill. They divorced in 1997. Jenny has sung on her father's albums many times.
Vince Gill started dating contemporary Christian music singer Amy Grant in 1999. They married on March 10, 2000. They have a daughter named Corrinna, who started releasing her own music in 2023.
Vince Gill is known for being a very kind person and for his charity work. Many people call him the "nicest guy in Nashville." He loves to play golf. In 1993, he started a golf charity event called the Vinny Pro-Celebrity Golf Invitational. This event raises money for children's golf programs in Tennessee. He also held a concert to help the American Red Cross after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. He also supports All for the Hall, an annual concert that benefits the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Discography
Studio albums
- 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)
- High Lonesome Sound (1996)
- The Key (1998)
- Breath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection (1998)
- Let's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye (2000)
- Next Big Thing (2003)
- These Days (2006)
- Guitar Slinger (2011)
- Bakersfield (with Paul Franklin) (2013)
- Down to My Last Bad Habit (2016)
- Okie (2019)
- Sweet Memories (with Paul Franklin) (2023)
Awards and Nominations
Vince Gill has won many awards for his music. He has won eight Academy of Country Music awards and 18 Country Music Association awards. He has also won 22 Grammy Awards, which is the most for any solo male country music singer.
See also
In Spanish: Vince Gill para niños
