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 known for his contributions to both soft rock and country music. He gained initial recognition as the lead singer of Pure Prairie League from 1978 to 1982, performing lead vocals on their hit "Let Me Love You Tonight." After a stint with Rodney Crowell's band, Gill embarked on a solo country music career in 1984. While his early solo work with RCA Records Nashville yielded limited success, he achieved significant acclaim and has recorded with MCA Nashville since 1989.
March 4, 1976: Mountain Smoke opens for Kiss
On March 4, 1976, Vince Gill's bluegrass band, Mountain Smoke, opened for the hard rock band Kiss. The crowd reacted negatively, leading to an incident where Gill mooned them.
October 1978: Joins Pure Prairie League
In October 1978, Vince Gill joined the soft rock band Pure Prairie League as a guitarist and vocalist after auditioning for the role at the recommendation of a friend.
1988: Tony Brown becomes president of MCA Nashville Records
In 1988, Tony Brown became president of MCA Nashville Records after remaining in contact with Vince Gill.
1989: Gill Starts Writing "Go Rest High on That Mountain"
In 1989, Vince Gill began writing "Go Rest High on That Mountain" as a tribute to Keith Whitley after his death, finishing it four years later upon the death of his half-brother, Bob Cohen.
September 1992: "I Still Believe in You" Reaches Number One
In September 1992, Vince Gill's song "I Still Believe in You" became his first number-one hit on the Hot Country Songs chart.
December 1992: "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away" Reaches Number One
In December 1992, Vince Gill's "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away" also reached the number-one spot on Hot Country Songs.
January 1993: "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away" Stays at Number One
In January 1993, Vince Gill's "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away" continued to hold the number-one position on Hot Country Songs.
1993: 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 the state of Tennessee.
1994: Release of "When Love Finds You" Album
In 1994, Vince Gill released the album "When Love Finds You" on MCA. The album featured six singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart between 1994 and 1995.
1994: "One More Last Chance" and "Tryin' to Get Over You" Top Charts
In 1994, Vince Gill's songs "One More Last Chance" and "Tryin' to Get Over You" both topped the Hot Country Songs chart, with "Tryin' to Get Over You" marking his first solo entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
1995: Release of Compilation Albums
In 1995, Vince Gill ended the year with two compilation albums: "Souvenirs", a greatest hits album on MCA, and "The Essential Vince Gill", consisting of recordings from his time with RCA in the 1980s.
1995: Benefit concert for American Red Cross
In 1995, Vince Gill held a concert to benefit the American Red Cross following the Oklahoma City bombing.
1995: "Pretty Little Adriana" Inspiration
In 1995, Vince Gill was inspired to write "Pretty Little Adriana" after reading a news story about Adriana Dickerson, who was shot outside of a Nashville supermarket.
1995: Singles from "When Love Finds You" Chart
In 1995, multiple singles from Vince Gill's "When Love Finds You" album peaked within the top five on Billboard Hot Country Songs, including the title track, "Which Bridge to Cross (Which Bridge to Burn)", and "You Better Think Twice".
1995: Comparison to Bryan White
In 1995, upon his debut, Bryan White was compared to Vince Gill by Tom Lanham of New Country magazine, citing Gill's influence in White's vocals and songwriting for the single "Rebecca Lynn".
1996: Release of "High Lonesome Sound" Album
In 1996, MCA released Vince Gill's album "High Lonesome Sound," with the title track becoming a hit. The album included two versions of the song and featured other successful singles.
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.
1997: Jason Sellers consults Vince Gill
In 1997, Jason Sellers, who played bass guitar in Gill's road band, consulted Vince Gill for career advice before signing with BNA Records.
1997: Success and Personal Loss in 1997
In 1997, Vince Gill's tour was highly profitable, but he canceled dates later in the year to take time off following the death of his father, Stan.
1998: Recognition in The Encyclopedia of Country Music
In 1998, The Encyclopedia of Country Music recognized Vince Gill for his tenor voice, songwriting, and guitar skills, acknowledging him as a country superstar.
1998: Release of "The Key" and "Breath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection"
In 1998, Vince Gill released two albums: the studio album "The Key", featuring the hit "If You Ever Have Forever in Mind", and his second Christmas album, "Breath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection", accompanied by Patrick Williams and his orchestra.
1999: "If You Ever Have Forever in Mind" Wins Grammy
In 1999, Vince Gill's song "If You Ever Have Forever in Mind" won the Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.
2000: Release of "Let's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye" Album
In 2000, Vince Gill released the studio album "Let's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye". The album spawned three singles and featured Amy Grant, who co-wrote and sang on "When I Look into Your Heart".
2003: Gill ends his run as host of the CMA Awards
In 2003, Vince Gill ended his run as host of the Country Music Association (CMA) awards ceremony, after hosting every year since October 1991.
2003: Distinguished Service Award from the Professional Golfers' Association of America
In 2003, Vince Gill received a Distinguished Service Award from the Professional Golfers' Association of America to honor his golf charity, Vinny Pro-Celebrity Golf Invitational.
2003: Release of "Next Big Thing" Album
In 2003, Vince Gill released the studio album "Next Big Thing", with the title track becoming his last solo top-20 country chart entry. Gill produced the album himself.
2004: Re-establishment of The Cherry Bombs
In 2004, Vince Gill and Rodney Crowell re-established the band the Cherry Bombs, renaming them The Notorious Cherry Bombs. They recorded a self-titled album for Universal South Records.
2004: "Next Big Thing" Wins Grammy Award
In 2004, Vince Gill's "Next Big Thing" won the Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.
2006: Bob Seger Covers "Real Mean Bottle"
In 2006, Bob Seger covered Vince Gill's song "Real Mean Bottle" (inspired by Harold Bradley's comment) on his album "Face the Promise".
2016: Collaboration on "Forever Country"
In 2016, Vince Gill participated in the 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. This collaboration reached number one on the Billboard country charts.
2023: Corrinna Gill releases music
In 2023, Corrinna Gill, the daughter of Vince Gill and Amy Grant, began releasing her own music online.
2025: "Go Rest High on That Mountain" Receives Certification
In 2025, "Go Rest High on That Mountain" by Vince Gill received a two-times platinum certification from the RIAA, honoring digital sales of two million in the United States.
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