Music
Vince Gill
Vince Gill
Born: Vincent Grant Gill
April 12, 1957
The band, Nickel Creek, who sometimes opens for this multi-talent said, “I bet you guys are wishing that you could just skip the first part of the show and get on with Vince? We do too, ‘cuz Vince is just awesome, only since we are the first part, we can’t skip it.”
Although, Vince Gill is sometimes referred to as Amy Grant’s husband, his illustrious career started years before he met his lovely wife.
When Gill was young, his father encouraged him to learn to play the guitar and banjo. Gill also picked up the bass, mandolin, dobro, and fiddle. In high school he joined a local bluegrass band. In 1979 he became lead singer for Pure Prairie League and recorded three albums with them.
In 1983, Gill moved with his first-wife, Janis and daughter Jenny, to Nashville to pursue his dream of being a country music artist. His debut mini-album Turn Me Loose was released in 1984 followed by his first full album The Things That Matterreleased later that year.
In 1987 he achieved his first top five single, Cinderella, from the album The Way Back Home.
Gill has joked he prefers sad, moody, cheatin’ songs; songs with a story. And, that some of his songs are about his life, while others are just big fat lies.
1989 saw the release, When I Call Your Name, which earned Gill his first CMA Award (Single of the Year) and his first Grammy Award (Best Male Country Vocal Performance) in 1990. The album went Platinum by selling more than one million copies.
Next was Pocket Full of Gold in 1991, which also became Platinum. That year he also earned his first CMA Vocal Event of the Year Award for his performance with Mark O’Connor and the New Nashville Cats (featuring Gill, Ricky Skaggs and Steve Wariner).
Gill has a great sense of humor, he said of When I Call Your Name, the song that he won the award for, “This song bought me a home I can no longer afford to live in.”
In 1992, Gill co-hosted the Country Music Awards, which started a reign of 12 consecutive years. He earned a great reputation for the respect he gave to his peers and the audience. He also displayed his quick ad-libs and gentle humor.
Gill then recorded and released his first Christmas album Let There Be Peace on Earth in 1993 and in 1994 When Love Finds You, which sold over four million copies. In 1994 Gill sang with Grant on House of Love and with Dolly Parton on a duet version of her signature I Will Always Love You. It earned the duo the CMA Vocal Event of the Year Award in 1996.
Wow, These Days
Each individual album in the These Daysset explores a different musical mood; traditional country, ballads, contemporary/up-tempo, and acoustic/bluegrass music.
The set features a variety of guest performers including John Anderson, Guy Clark, Sheryl Crow, Phil Everly, daughter Jenny Gill, Amy Grant, Emmylou Harris, Diana Krall, Michael McDonald, Bonnie Raitt, Leann Rimes, Gretchen Wilson, Lee Ann Womack, Trisha Yearwood, and more.
Discussion of Gill’s career inevitably include references to his equally talented wife and her career. Starting in 1994, they made beautiful music together, both before they were a romantic item and after their wedding in 2000. Shortly after their marriage they released Let’s Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye.
In 2001 their daughter Corrine Grant Gill was born.
In 2002, Gill wrote the following accolade for Grant in the liner notes of herLegacy: Hymns and Faith album, where they performed the duet, Nothing But the Blood.
“To be asked to contribute to this record was a humbling spiritual gift. I received so much more than I gave. To my old musical friends, thanks for always inspiring me. To my precious bride, Amy, thank you for your faith. I saw God in every note you sang, every smile you smiled and in every tear you shed making this record. You are rare and your faith in me gives me peace. I love you so. ~ Vince”
For the 2005 sequel album Rock of Ages: Hymns and Faith, the couple performed a duet for the title song, shortened to Rock of Ages. This album went back to the Christian roots they share.
Other duets performed by Gill and Grant over the years include: The Christmas Waltz from 2001’s special compilation Hallmark Presents The Spirit Of Christmas and Beautiful from Grant’s 2003 Simple Things. On his 1998 Breath Of Heaven: A Christmas Collection, Gill even performed a cover of Grant’s Breath Of Heaven(Mary’s Song) from her 1992 album Home For Christmas. Grant’s and Gill’s versions of this beautiful song are both sublime, matched only by a cover from Melanie Taylor (formerly of Bette Midler’s Staggering Harlette’s troupe) on her 2003 This Christmas.
If It Weren’t for Him with Rosanne Cash, Oklahoma Swing and The Heart Won’t Liewith Reba McEntire, If You Ever Leave Me with Barbra Streisand, I Will Always Love You with Dolly Parton, Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing with Gladys Knight,No Place that Far with Sara Evans, High Lonesome Sound with Alison Krauss, My Kind of Woman/My Kind Of Man with Patty Loveless, Not Me with Emmylou Harris, and What You Give Away with Sheryl Crow. Gill even performed Daydream with none other than Kermit the Frog. Yes, you read that correctly.
In her book Mosaic: Pieces of My Life So Far, Grant shared a story showing Gill’s tender side.
Grant picked up a note with a name and phone number sent to them by a fan.
It said “It’s my mother’s 89th birthday, would you please call her?”
At a recent fundraiser Gill delighted fans by performing his classic It’s Hard to Kiss the Lips at Night that Chew Your Ass Out All Day Long.
Tagged Amy Grant, Vince Gill