Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Vince Gill
Discover the career path of Vince Gill, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Vince Gill is an acclaimed American singer, songwriter, and musician. He started in bluegrass bands before gaining mainstream recognition as the lead singer of Pure Prairie League from 1978-1982, singing lead on their hit "Let Me Love You Tonight." Gill transitioned to a solo career in country music in 1984, initially with RCA Records Nashville. In 1989, he signed with MCA Nashville, where he has remained since.
1976: Joined Sundance
In 1976, Vince Gill moved to Los Angeles, California, where he briefly joined fiddle player Byron Berline's backing band, Sundance.
October 1978: Began Performing with Pure Prairie League
In October 1978, Vince Gill started performing as a guitarist and vocalist for Pure Prairie League.
1978: Joined Pure Prairie League
In 1978, Vince Gill became the lead singer of the soft rock band Pure Prairie League, marking his first mainstream attention.
1979: Appeared on "Can't Hold Back"
In 1979, Vince Gill appeared on Pure Prairie League's album "Can't Hold Back", writing several songs for it.
1982: Left Pure Prairie League
In 1982, Vince Gill departed from Pure Prairie League. Following this, he briefly joined Rodney Crowell's backing band, The Cherry Bombs, before venturing into a solo career.
1982: Joined the Cherry Bombs
In 1982, Vince Gill joined Rodney Crowell's backing band, the Cherry Bombs, after leaving Pure Prairie League. He then moved to Nashville a year later.
1983: Signed with RCA Records Nashville
In 1983, Vince Gill signed with RCA Records Nashville after being recommended by Tony Brown, who became the president of artists and repertoire at the label. He also appeared as a guest vocalist on David Grisman's "Here Today", and sang backing vocals on Steve Wariner's "Midnight Fire".
1984: Debut on RCA with "Turn Me Loose"
In 1984, Vince Gill debuted on RCA with a six-song extended play titled "Turn Me Loose". He also won Top New Male Vocalist from the Academy of Country Music in 1984.
1984: Solo Career Begins
In 1984, Vince Gill started his solo career in country music, signing with RCA Records Nashville.
1985: Backing Vocals on Rosanne Cash's Album
In 1985, Vince Gill provided backing vocals on Rosanne Cash's album "Rhythm & Romance".
1985: Release of "The Things That Matter"
In 1985, Vince Gill released his first full album for RCA, "The Things That Matter". The single "If It Weren't for Him", a duet with Cash, became his first top-ten country hit. He also toured as an opening act for Ricky Skaggs.
1987: Collaboration on "Angel Band"
In 1987, Emmylou Harris chose Vince Gill to appear on her album "Angel Band", a compilation of gospel music standards. Gill played mandolin and sang backing vocals on the project.
1987: Backing Vocals on Patty Loveless's Debut
In 1987, Vince Gill provided backing vocals on Patty Loveless's self-titled debut album.
1987: Release of "The Way Back Home"
In 1987, Vince Gill released his third RCA album, "The Way Back Home". The single "Cinderella" peaked at number five on the country charts. After this album, Gill ended his contract with RCA.
1988: Tony Brown Becomes President of MCA Nashville Records
In 1988, Tony Brown became the president of MCA Nashville Records, setting the stage for Vince Gill's future signing with the label.
1988: End of RCA Records Nashville Contract
In 1988, Vince Gill's contract with RCA Records Nashville concluded after having recorded with the label since 1984. A year later, he signed with MCA Nashville.
1989: Backing Vocals on "Timber, I'm Falling in Love"
In 1989, Vince Gill sang backing vocals on Patty Loveless's hit song "Timber, I'm Falling in Love".
1989: Signed with MCA Nashville Records
In 1989, Vince Gill signed a contract with MCA Nashville Records, marking a new chapter in his career. His first single release for MCA was "Never Alone".
1990: Alabama Records "Here We Are"
In 1990, Alabama recorded Vince Gill's composition "Here We Are" on their album "Pass It On Down". Their version reached number two on the country music charts in 1991.
1990: "Oklahoma Swing" charted within top 20
In early 1990, "Oklahoma Swing", a duet with Reba McEntire, charted within the top 20. The title track and "Never Knew Lonely" also charted highly by the end of the year.
October 1991: Hosted the CMA Awards
In October 1991, Vince Gill co-hosted the CMA awards telecast with Clint Black, marking the beginning of his long-term hosting role for the ceremony.
1991: Recording of "Restless" with Mark O'Connor
In 1991, Mark O'Connor recorded a cover of Carl Perkins's "Restless" for his album "The New Nashville Cats". Gill, along with Steve Wariner and Ricky Skaggs, alternated on lead vocals and guitar on this version.
September 1992: I Still Believe in You Title Track Reaches Number One
In September 1992, the title track of Vince Gill's album "I Still Believe in You" reached number one on the Hot Country Songs chart, marking his first number-one hit.
December 1992: "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away" Peaks on Charts
In December 1992, Vince Gill's "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away" peaked on the Hot Country Songs chart.
1992: "Take Your Memory with You" charted within top five
By 1992, the song "Take Your Memory with You" also charted within the top five.
1992: "I Still Believe in You" success
In 1992, Vince Gill had a successful year with his album "I Still Believe in You" achieving quintuple-platinum status. He also had a number one hit with the single "I Still Believe in You".
1992: Recording "It's Not Over" with Mark Chesnutt and Alison Krauss
In 1992, Vince Gill, Mark Chesnutt and Alison Krauss recorded "It's Not Over" for Chesnutt's album "Longnecks & Short Stories".
January 1993: "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away" Continues Chart Peak
In January 1993, "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away" remained at its peak position on the Hot Country Songs chart, continuing its run from December 1992.
1993: Covering "I Can't Tell You Why"
In 1993, Vince Gill covered the Eagles's "I Can't Tell You Why" for the tribute album "Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles", featuring Timothy B. Schmit and Jim Horn. This cover reached number 42 on Hot Country Songs due to airplay.
1993: Guest Appearance on Reba McEntire's "The Heart Won't Lie"
In 1993, Vince Gill had a number-one single as a guest on Reba McEntire's "The Heart Won't Lie".
1993: Gill starts Vinny Pro-Celebrity Golf Invitational
In 1993, Vince Gill started a golf charity known as the Vinny Pro-Celebrity Golf Invitational, which raises money for children's golf in Tennessee.
1994: Duet with Amy Grant on "House of Love"
In 1994, Vince Gill collaborated with Amy Grant on "House of Love", from her album of the same name. The song was a top-40 hit on the Hot 100.
1994: Number One Hit
In 1994, Vince Gill had another number one hit with the single "Tryin' to Get Over You".
1994: "One More Last Chance" and "Tryin' to Get Over You" Top Charts
In 1994, Vince Gill had two songs, "One More Last Chance" and "Tryin' to Get Over You," both reach the top of the Hot Country Songs chart. "Tryin' to Get Over You" also marked Gill's first solo entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
1995: Gill holds concert for American Red Cross
In 1995, Vince Gill held a concert to benefit the American Red Cross following the Oklahoma City bombing.
1995: Duet with Dolly Parton on "I Will Always Love You"
In 1995, Vince Gill sang a duet with Dolly Parton on a re-recording of her hit "I Will Always Love You" on her album "Something Special".
1995: Chart Success of "When Love Finds You" Singles
In 1995, singles from Vince Gill's album "When Love Finds You", including the title track, "Which Bridge to Cross (Which Bridge to Burn)", and "You Better Think Twice", peaked within the top five. "Go Rest High on That Mountain" reached number 14.
1996: Participation in "Hope: Country Music's Quest for a Cure"
In 1996, Vince Gill participated in "Hope: Country Music's Quest for a Cure", a charity single by the T.J. Martell Foundation to honor cancer and leukemia research.
1996: "When I Call Your Name" certified double platinum
In 1996, the album "When I Call Your Name" was certified double platinum by the RIAA.
1997: Jason Sellers signs with BNA Records, consults Gill
In 1997, Jason Sellers, who had previously played bass guitar in Vince Gill's band, signed with BNA Records. Prior to this, Sellers consulted Gill for career advice.
1997: Backing Vocals on Mark Chesnutt's "It's Not Over"
In 1997, Vince Gill and Alison Krauss were credited for backing vocals on Mark Chesnutt's "It's Not Over".
1997: Chart Success and Touring
In 1997, Vince Gill experienced chart success with "You and You Alone" becoming a top-ten country hit. His tours that year were highly profitable, but he later canceled some dates following the death of his father, Stan.
1999: Continued Chart Success and Collaborations
In 1999, Vince Gill won a Grammy for "If You Ever Have Forever in Mind". He also sang backing vocals on Faith Hill's "Let Me Let Go" and Sara Evans's "No Place That Far", which were number-one country songs.
2003: Gill receives Distinguished Service Award
In 2003, Vince Gill received a Distinguished Service Award from the Professional Golfers' Association of America to honor his golf charity.
2003: Gill cites Merle Haggard as a main influence
In 2003, Vince Gill stated that Merle Haggard was the greatest singer, phraser, and songwriter, further mentioning Patsy Cline, Kitty Wells, Bruce Springsteen, and John Fogerty as other musical influences.
2003: End of CMA Awards Hosting
Vince Gill continued to host the CMA awards ceremony every year since 1991 through 2003, marking a long period of hosting the event.
2004: Re-establishment of The Cherry Bombs and Album Release
In 2004, Vince Gill and Rodney Crowell re-established Crowell's former backing band, the Cherry Bombs, as the Notorious Cherry Bombs. The group released a self-titled album on Universal South Records, with Gill and Crowell as alternating vocalists.
2006: Backing Vocals on "Building Bridges"
In 2006, Vince Gill and Sheryl Crow provided backing vocals on Brooks & Dunn's "Building Bridges", which became a top-five country hit.
2006: Release of "These Days"
In 2006, Vince Gill released "These Days", a four-album box set with each album in a different style: country rock, soul, neotraditional country, and bluegrass. The album featured guest vocalists like Grant, McDonald, Loveless, and Crowell. "These Days" was certified platinum at the end of 2006.
2010: Joined The Time Jumpers
In 2010, Vince Gill became a member of the Western swing group, the Time Jumpers.
2011: Release of "Guitar Slinger"
In 2011, Vince Gill released his solo album, "Guitar Slinger," featuring songs written or co-written by him. It included vocal contributions from Bekka Bramlett, Chris Stapleton, Billy Thomas, and his daughter Jenny. The album charted one single, "Threaten Me with Heaven".
2012: Recording with the Time Jumpers
In 2012, Vince Gill and the Time Jumpers recorded their self-titled second studio album at Gill's home studio.
2012: Featured on Kelly Clarkson's "Don't Rush"
In 2012, Vince Gill was featured on Kelly Clarkson's single "Don't Rush".
2015: Tour with Ashley Monroe and Charlie Worsham
In 2015, Vince Gill toured with Ashley Monroe and Charlie Worsham.
2016: Backing Vocals and Lead Guitar on "Sober Saturday Night"
Between late 2016 and early 2017, Vince Gill was credited for his backing vocals and lead guitar on Chris Young's "Sober Saturday Night", which reached number one on the country charts.
2016: Number One Singles
In 2016, Vince Gill had number-one singles as a guest on Chris Young's "Sober Saturday Night" and the multi-artist collaboration "Forever Country".
2016: Participation in "Forever Country"
In 2016, Vince Gill participated in "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.
2016: Release of "Down to My Last Bad Habit"
In 2016, Vince Gill released "Down to My Last Bad Habit" through MCA. The lead single was "Take Me Down," featuring Little Big Town. Cam also contributed vocals to the track "I'll Be Waiting for You".
2017: Joining the Eagles
In 2017, Vince Gill joined the Eagles to replace the late Glenn Frey. He debuted with the band at a concert in Dodger Stadium and continued to tour with them.
2017: Guest Vocalist on "Dear Hate"
In 2017, Vince Gill was featured as a guest vocalist on Maren Morris's promotional single "Dear Hate", written in response to the 2017 Las Vegas shooting. This song marked Gill's 65th entry on the country charts.
2018: Gill gifts Worsham custom guitar
In 2018, Vince Gill gave Charlie Worsham a custom-made guitar, which Worsham then played on his second album, Beginning of Things.
2019: Release of "Okie"
In 2019, Vince Gill released "Okie", which he produced with Justin Niebank. The album was more autobiographical than his previous works, with "Letter to My Mama" promoted as the first single. The album also included a song about Amy Grant titled "When My Amy Prays", which later earned Gill a Grammy Award.
2020: Left The Time Jumpers
In 2020, Vince Gill left the Western swing group, the Time Jumpers.
2023: Corrinna Gill releases music online
In 2023, Corrinna Gill, daughter of Vince Gill, began releasing her own music online.
2023: Release of "Sweet Memories: The Music of Ray Price & the Cherokee Cowboys"
In 2023, Vince Gill and Paul Franklin released "Sweet Memories: The Music of Ray Price & the Cherokee Cowboys", their second collaborative album. It features covers of Ray Price's songs, chosen because both Gill and Franklin had worked with Price on his later albums.
2025: End of the Eagles Farewell Tour
The Eagles farewell tour, featuring Vince Gill and Deacon Frey as members, is planned to end in 2025.
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