History of Vince Gill in Timeline
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.
April 12, 1957: Vincent Gill's Birth
On April 12, 1957, Vincent Grant Gill was born. He is an American singer, songwriter, and musician.
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.
April 1980: Marriage to Janis Oliver
In April 1980, Vince Gill married singer Janis Oliver, who later joined the country duo Sweethearts of the Rodeo.
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.
1990: "When I Call Your Name" wins Single of the Year from the CMA
In 1990, "When I Call Your Name" won Single of the Year from the Country Music Association (CMA), marking Gill's first award from that institution.
1990: "Oklahoma Swing" charts within the top 20
In early 1990, "Oklahoma Swing", a duet with Reba McEntire from the album 'When I Call Your Name' charted within the top 20.
October 1991: Hosts CMA Awards
In October 1991, Vince Gill co-hosted the Country Music Association (CMA) awards telecast with Clint Black.
1991: Wins from CMA
At the Country Music Association (CMA) ceremony in 1991, Vince Gill won Song of the Year for "When I Call Your Name", Male Vocalist of the Year, and Vocal Event of the Year.
1991: Wins First Grammy Award
In 1991, Vince Gill won his first Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal Country Performance for "When I Call Your Name".
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.
1992: Larrie Londin's Death
In 1992, Larrie Londin, drummer for the Cherry Bombs, died of a heart attack. This event led to Eddie Bayers taking over his role when the band was re-established in 2004.
1992: "Take Your Memory With You" charts within the top five.
In 1992, the song "Take Your Memory With You" co-written by Gill charted within the top five.
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.
1993: Wins CMA Male Vocalist of the Year
In 1993, Vince Gill won the Country Music Association (CMA) Male Vocalist of the Year award.
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: Wins CMA Male Vocalist of the Year
In 1994, Vince Gill won the Country Music Association (CMA) Male Vocalist of the Year award.
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: Wins CMA Male Vocalist of the Year
In 1995, Vince Gill won the Country Music Association (CMA) Male Vocalist of the Year award.
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: "When I Call Your Name" Certified Double Platinum
In 1996, The album "When I Call Your Name" was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
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: Divorce from Janis Oliver
In 1997, Vince Gill and Janis Oliver divorced, citing irreconcilable differences. Janis Oliver assumed custody of their daughter, Jenny.
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: Dating Amy Grant
In 1999, Vince Gill began dating contemporary Christian music singer Amy Grant following her divorce from Gary Chapman.
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.
March 10, 2000: Marriage to Amy Grant
On March 10, 2000, Vince Gill married Amy Grant, a contemporary Christian music singer, following her divorce from Gary Chapman.
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 cites Merle Haggard as a main influence
In 2003, Vince Gill cited Merle Haggard as a major influence, praising his singing, phrasing, and poetic songwriting in an interview with Country Standard Time.
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.
2018: Gill gifts Worsham a custom guitar
In 2018, Vince Gill gifted Charlie Worsham a custom-made guitar, which Worsham later played on his second album, Beginning of Things.
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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