History of Vince Gill in Timeline
Vince Gill is a highly accomplished American singer, songwriter, and musician. Beginning in the 1970s with bluegrass bands, he gained initial recognition as the lead singer of Pure Prairie League from 1978 to 1982, showcasing his vocal talent 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. He initially recorded with RCA Records Nashville with limited success before signing with MCA Nashville in 1989, where he has been ever since.
1955: "Let There Be Peace on Earth" Composition
In 1955, "Let There Be Peace on Earth", the gospel song covered by Vince Gill in 1993, was written by Harlene Wood and Sy Miller.
April 12, 1957: Vincent Grant Gill Born
On April 12, 1957, Vincent Grant Gill, who would become a singer, songwriter, and musician, was born.
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, resulting in the crowd booing and throwing objects on stage.
October 1978: Performs with Pure Prairie League
By October 1978, Vince Gill began performing as a guitarist and vocalist for Pure Prairie League.
1978: Joins Pure Prairie League
In 1978, Vince Gill became the lead singer of the soft rock band Pure Prairie League, marking his first significant mainstream exposure.
1979: Appears on "Can't Hold Back" album
In 1979, Vince Gill appeared on Pure Prairie League's album "Can't Hold Back" and wrote several songs for it.
April 1980: Marriage to Janis Oliver
In April 1980, Vince Gill married Janis Oliver, who would later join the country duo Sweethearts of the Rodeo.
1980: Marriage to Janis Oliver
From 1980, Vince Gill was married to Janis Oliver, one-half of the country duo Sweethearts of the Rodeo.
1982: Joins the Cherry Bombs
In 1982, Vince Gill joined Rodney Crowell's backing band, the Cherry Bombs, after leaving Pure Prairie League. This led to him briefly playing guitar for Rosanne Cash and moving to Nashville, Tennessee.
1982: Leaves Pure Prairie League
In 1982, Vince Gill left Pure Prairie League to play guitar in Rodney Crowell's backing band, the Cherry Bombs.
1983: Signs with RCA Records Nashville
In 1983, Vince Gill signed with RCA Records Nashville after being recommended by Tony Brown, who became president of artists and repertoire at the label.
1984: Begins Solo Career
In 1984, Vince Gill began his solo career in country music, signing with RCA Records Nashville.
1984: Debuts on RCA with "Turn Me Loose"
In 1984, Vince Gill debuted on RCA with a six-song extended play titled "Turn Me Loose", which produced three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts, and he won Top New Male Vocalist from the Academy of Country Music.
1985: Backing Vocals on Rosanne Cash's Album
In 1985, Vince Gill provided backing vocals on Rosanne Cash's album "Rhythm & Romance".
1985: Releases "The Things That Matter"
In 1985, Vince Gill released his first full album for RCA, "The Things That Matter", which featured his first top-ten country hit, "If It Weren't for Him" (a duet with Rosanne Cash).
1987: Collaboration on Emmylou Harris's 'Angel Band'
In 1987, Vince Gill collaborated with Emmylou Harris on her album 'Angel Band', providing mandolin and backing vocals on the gospel music compilation.
1987: Backing Vocals on Patty Loveless's Debut
In 1987, Vince Gill provided backing vocals on Patty Loveless's self-titled debut album.
1987: Releases "The Way Back Home"
In 1987, Vince Gill released his third RCA album, "The Way Back Home", which featured the single "Cinderella" and other top-20 hits. However, he ended his contract with RCA after this album due to disagreements over song choices.
1988: Tony Brown President of MCA Nashville Records
By 1988, Tony Brown became president of MCA Nashville Records.
1988: Leaves RCA Records Nashville
In 1988, Vince Gill's contract with RCA Records Nashville ended after a period of minimal success.
1989: Inspiration for "Go Rest High on That Mountain"
In 1989, Vince Gill began writing "Go Rest High on That Mountain" as a tribute to Keith Whitley following Whitley's death.
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: Signs with MCA Nashville
In 1989, Vince Gill signed a contract with MCA Nashville Records, with Tony Brown serving as his producer throughout the 1990s.
1990: Alabama Records 'Here We Are'
In 1990, Alabama recorded Vince Gill's composition "Here We Are" on their album 'Pass It On Down'.
1990: Wins Single of the Year
In 1990, the song "When I Call Your Name" won Single of the Year from the Country Music Association (CMA), marking Vince Gill's first award from that institution.
1990: "Oklahoma Swing" Charts
In early 1990, "Oklahoma Swing", a duet between Vince Gill and Reba McEntire, charted within the top 20, while "When I Call Your Name" became a hit single, leading to a music video.
October 1991: Hosts CMA Awards with Clint Black
In October 1991, Vince Gill hosted the CMA awards telecast with Clint Black, beginning his long tenure as host of the awards ceremony.
1991: Collaboration on 'Restless' with Mark O'Connor
In 1991, Vince Gill collaborated with Mark O'Connor, Steve Wariner, and Ricky Skaggs on a cover of Carl Perkins's "Restless" for O'Connor's album 'The New Nashville Cats'.
1991: Wins First Grammy Award
In 1991, the title track "When I Call Your Name" won Vince Gill his first Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal Country Performance and was nominated for Best Country Song.
September 1992: Gill's First Number-One Hit
In September 1992, Vince Gill's title track, "I Still Believe in You", from his album of the same name, reached number one on the Hot Country Songs chart, marking his first chart-topping hit.
December 1992: "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away" Peaks
In December 1992, "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away", another song from the album 'I Still Believe in You', reached number one on the Hot Country Songs chart.
1992: "Take Your Memory with You" Charts
Between 1991 and 1992, "Look at Us" and "Take Your Memory with You" also charted within the top five.
1992: Death of Larrie Londin
In 1992, Larrie Londin, the drummer for the Cherry Bombs, died of a heart attack.
1992: "I Still Believe in You" Number One Hit
In 1992, Vince Gill achieved a commercial peak with his album "When I Call Your Name" and had his first solo number one hit with the song "I Still Believe in You".
1992: Recording with Mark Chesnutt
In 1992, Vince Gill and Alison Krauss recorded backing vocals on Mark Chesnutt's "It's Not Over" for his album 'Longnecks & Short Stories', although it was not released as a single until 1997.
1992: Grammy and CMA Award for 'Restless'
In 1992, Vince Gill, along with Mark O'Connor, Steve Wariner, and Ricky Skaggs, won a Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals and CMA Vocal Event of the Year for "Restless".
January 1993: "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away" Still at Number One
In January 1993, "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away" continues to hold the number one position on the Hot Country Songs chart.
1993: Covering 'I Can't Tell You Why' and Collaboration on 'Red Wing'
In 1993, Vince Gill covered the Eagles's "I Can't Tell You Why" for the 'Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles' tribute album. He also collaborated with Asleep at the Wheel on "Red Wing" for the album 'Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys'.
1993: Number One Hit with Reba McEntire
In 1993, Vince Gill had a number-one single as a guest on Reba McEntire's "The Heart Won't Lie".
1993: Started the 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.
1993: Wins CMA Male Vocalist of the Year
Vince Gill won the CMA Male Vocalist of the Year in 1991, 1993, 1994 and 1995.
1994: Achieves Four Number One Hits
Between 1992 and 1994, Vince Gill had four solo number-one hits on the Billboard country music charts, including "I Still Believe in You", "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away", "One More Last Chance", and "Tryin' to Get Over You".
1994: Duet with Amy Grant and Kermit the Frog
In 1994, Vince Gill duetted with Amy Grant on "House of Love" from her album of the same name, which became a top-40 hit. He also collaborated with Kermit the Frog on a cover of "Daydream" for the album 'Kermit Unpigged'.
1994: Release of "When Love Finds You"
In 1994, Vince Gill released the album "When Love Finds You" on MCA, which produced six singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart between 1994 and 1995.
1994: Success of "One More Last Chance" and "Tryin' to Get Over You"
In 1994, the singles "One More Last Chance" and "Tryin' to Get Over You" from the album 'I Still Believe in You', both topped the Hot Country Songs chart. "Tryin' to Get Over You" also marked Gill's first solo entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
1994: Wins CMA Male Vocalist of the Year
Vince Gill won the CMA Male Vocalist of the Year in 1991, 1993, 1994 and 1995.
1995: Release of Compilation Albums
In 1995, Vince Gill concluded the year with the release of two compilation albums: "Souvenirs", a greatest hits album on MCA, and "The Essential Vince Gill", a collection of his songs recorded while on RCA in the 1980s.
1995: Benefit Concert for the 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 and Collaboration with Ty Herndon
In 1995, Vince Gill sang a duet with Dolly Parton on a re-recording of "I Will Always Love You" for her album 'Something Special'. He also co-wrote and provided backing vocals on Ty Herndon's "You Just Get One" from his debut album.
1995: Inspiration for "Pretty Little Adriana"
In 1995, Vince Gill was inspired to write "Pretty Little Adriana" after reading a news story about Adriana Dickerson, who was fatally shot outside a Nashville supermarket.
1995: Bryan White Compared to Gill
In 1995, upon his debut, Bryan White was compared to Vince Gill by Tom Lanham of New Country magazine, who noted Gill's influence in the vocals and songwriting of White's single "Rebecca Lynn".
1995: Chart Success of "When Love Finds You" Singles
Throughout 1995, singles from Vince Gill's album "When Love Finds You" continued to chart, including "Whenever You Come Around", "What the Cowgirls Do", the title track "When Love Finds You", "Which Bridge to Cross (Which Bridge to Burn)", and "You Better Think Twice", all reaching the top five on Billboard Hot Country Songs. "Go Rest High on That Mountain" peaked at number 14.
1995: Wins CMA Male Vocalist of the Year
Vince Gill won the CMA Male Vocalist of the Year in 1991, 1993, 1994 and 1995.
1996: Charity Single "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: Release of "High Lonesome Sound" Album
In 1996, Vince Gill released "High Lonesome Sound" on MCA, with the title track serving as the lead single. The title track peaked at number twelve on the Billboard country charts in the United States, and reached number one on the Canadian country music charts.
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, signifying two million copies shipped in the United States.
1997: Jason Sellers Consults Gill for Career Advice
In 1997, Jason Sellers, who played bass guitar in Vince Gill's road band, consulted Gill for career advice before signing with BNA Records. Jeff Davis of Country Standard Time noted that Sellers idolized Gill and imitated him.
1997: Jeff Wood and Mark Chesnutt collaborations
In 1997, Jeff Wood released a version of the song "You Just Get One", which featured Gill on both lead guitar and mandolin. Also in 1997, both Gill and Alison Krauss were credited for their backing vocals on Mark Chesnutt's "It's Not Over".
1997: Divorce from Janis Oliver
In 1997, Vince Gill and Janis Oliver divorced, citing irreconcilable differences. Janis assumed custody of their daughter, Jenny Gill.
1997: Success of "High Lonesome Sound" Singles and Touring
In 1997, Vince Gill had a successful run with singles from the album "High Lonesome Sound", including "Worlds Apart", "Pretty Little Adriana", and "A Little More Love", and the single "You and You Alone". Gill's tours were also the fourth most profitable among country artists that year. However, he later canceled some dates to take time off following his father's death.
1998: Gill Described in Encyclopedia of Country Music
In 1998, The Encyclopedia of Country Music described Vince Gill as one of today's biggest country superstars, highlighting his aching tenor, award-winning songwriting skills, and virtuoso guitar chops.
1998: Releases of 'The Key' and 'Breath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection'
In 1998, Vince Gill released two albums: 'The Key', featuring the hit song "If You Ever Have Forever in Mind", and 'Breath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection', an orchestral Christmas album. Both albums were later certified platinum.
1998: Grammy Win for 'A Soldier's Joy'
In 1998, Vince Gill won a Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance as a featured performer on Randy Scruggs's "A Soldier's Joy" from his album 'Crown of Jewels'.
1998: Gill's Motivation for Harmony Work
In 1998, it was noted that Vince Gill frequently sang harmony for other artists simply because he enjoyed doing so.
1999: Began Dating Amy Grant
In 1999, Vince Gill began dating contemporary Christian music singer Amy Grant following her divorce from Gary Chapman.
1999: Awards and Collaborations
In 1999, Vince Gill won a Grammy for "If You Ever Have Forever in Mind" and had collaborations with Patty Loveless (My Kind of Woman/My Kind of Man) which also appeared on Patty Loveless' compilation album Classics and sang backing vocals on Faith Hill's "Let Me Let Go" and Sara Evans's "No Place That Far", both of which reached number one.
March 10, 2000: Marriage to Amy Grant
On March 10, 2000, Vince Gill married Amy Grant following her divorce from Gary Chapman.
2000: Marriage to Amy Grant
In 2000, Vince Gill married contemporary Christian music singer Amy Grant.
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," which included the singles "Let's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye," "Feels Like Love," and "Shoot Straight from Your Heart." "Feels Like Love" was the most successful, reaching number six on Hot Country Songs and number 52 on the Hot 100. Amy Grant, who Gill would marry, co-wrote and sang on "When I Look into Your Heart."
2001: Instrumental Grammy Win for 'Foggy Mountain Breakdown'
In 2001, Vince Gill won a Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance for his rendition of Earl Scruggs's "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" on the album 'Earl Scruggs and Friends'.
2003: Gill Cites Merle Haggard as a Main Influence
In 2003, Vince Gill cited Merle Haggard as one of his main influences in an interview with Country Standard Time, praising Haggard's singing, phrasing, and poetic songwriting.
2003: Received Distinguished Service Award
In 2003, Vince Gill received a Distinguished Service Award from the Professional Golfers' Association of America to honor his Vinny Pro-Celebrity Golf Invitational charity.
2003: Release of 'Next Big Thing' Album
In 2003, Vince Gill released the studio album "Next Big Thing," which included the title track "Next Big Thing," as well as the singles "Someday" and "Young Man's Town." Many of the lyrics were inspired by Gill's increasing age and the rise of younger artists.
2003: Gill's Last Year Hosting CMA Awards
Vince Gill hosted the CMA awards telecast with Clint Black from October 1991 through 2003.
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. The group, now called The Notorious Cherry Bombs, released a self-titled album on Universal South Records, featuring Gill and Crowell as vocalists.
2004: "Next Big Thing" Wins Grammy Award
In 2004, Vince Gill's song "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 the track "Real Mean Bottle", which was from Vince Gill's 2003 album 'Next Big Thing', on his album Face the Promise.
2006: Backing Vocals on Brooks & Dunn's '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 and success of 'These Days'
In 2006, Vince Gill released 'These Days', a four-album box set showcasing different musical styles. The project was certified platinum and spawned two singles, "The Reason Why" and "What You Give Away".
2007: Grammy Wins for 'These Days' and 'The Reason Why'
In 2007, Vince Gill won a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for "The Reason Why" from the 'These Days' album. 'These Days' was later nominated for Album of the Year and won Best Country Album the following year.
2008: Grammy Win for 'Cluster Pluck'
In 2008, Vince Gill was featured on Brad Paisley's instrumental album 'Play: The Guitar Album' on the track "Cluster Pluck", earning him another Grammy win for Best Country Instrumental Performance.
May 2009: Grand Ole Opry Debut with Steve Martin
In May 2009, Vince Gill and Amy Grant joined Steve Martin for his debut performance at the Grand Ole Opry, promoting Martin's album 'The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo'.
2010: Joining The Time Jumpers
In 2010, Vince Gill became a member of the Time Jumpers, a Nashville-based bluegrass and Western swing ensemble.
2011: Release of 'Guitar Slinger'
In 2011, Vince Gill released his solo album 'Guitar Slinger', featuring original songs and collaborations, including a duet with Amy Grant on "True Love". The album charted one single, "Threaten Me with Heaven".
2012: Recording Album with 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: Touring with Ashley Monroe and Charlie Worsham
In 2015, Vince Gill toured with Ashley Monroe and Charlie Worsham, after co-producing Ashley's album Like a Rose in 2013.
2016: Grammy Win with The Time Jumpers
In 2016, Vince Gill and the Time Jumpers won a Grammy Award for Best American Roots Song for "Kid Sister" from their album of the same name.
2016: Number-One Singles as a Guest
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: 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. The song reached number one on the Billboard country charts under the credit "Artists of Then, Now, and Forever".
2016: Release of 'Down to My Last Bad Habit'
In 2016, Vince Gill released 'Down to My Last Bad Habit' through MCA, featuring the single "Take Me Down" with Little Big Town. The album showcased a Memphis soul influence and included guest vocals from Cam.
2016: Featured on Chris Young's 'Sober Saturday Night'
In late 2016, Vince Gill was credited for his backing vocals and lead guitar on Chris Young's single "Sober Saturday Night", which reached number one on the Billboard country charts.
2017: Guest Vocalist on Maren Morris's 'Dear Hate'
In 2017, Vince Gill charted as a guest vocalist on Maren Morris's promotional single "Dear Hate", written in response to the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, marking his 65th entry on the country charts.
2017: Joins the Eagles
In 2017, Vince Gill joined the rock band Eagles following the death of founding member Glenn Frey.
2018: Gill's Reflections on Joining the Eagles
In 2018, Vince Gill expressed gratitude for joining the Eagles after Glenn Frey's death, while also acknowledging his wish that Frey were still alive.
2018: Gill Gives Worsham Custom-Made Guitar
In 2018, Vince Gill gifted Charlie Worsham a custom-made guitar, which Worsham played on his second album Beginning of Things. Worsham has previously named Gill as an influence, and stated that "Liza Jane" was one of the first songs he learned to play on guitar.
2019: Release of 'Okie'
In 2019, Vince Gill released 'Okie', an autobiographical album produced with Justin Niebank. The lead single was "Letter to My Mama," and the album included a song about Amy Grant titled "When My Amy Prays," which won a Grammy Award.
2020: Departure from The Time Jumpers
Vince Gill continued to perform with the Time Jumpers until 2020.
2023: Corrinna Gill Releases Music Online
In 2023, Corrinna Gill, daughter of Vince Gill and Amy Grant, began releasing her own music online.
2023: Collaborative album with Paul Franklin
In 2023, Vince Gill and Paul Franklin released 'Sweet Memories: The Music of Ray Price & the Cherokee Cowboys', a collaborative album covering songs by Ray Price.
October 2025: Signing a Lifetime Contract with MCA and releasing '50 Years from Home' series
In October 2025, Vince Gill signed a "lifetime" contract with MCA and announced the '50 Years from Home' series, which includes monthly EP releases of new and existing material. The first EP, 'I Gave You Everything I Had', was released in October 2025.
November 10, 2025: Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award
On November 10, 2025, it was announced that Vince Gill would receive the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 59th Annual Country Music Association Awards.
2025: "Go Rest High on That Mountain" Certified Two-Times Platinum
In 2025, the song "Go Rest High on That Mountain" received a two-times platinum certification from the RIAA, honoring digital sales of two million in the United States.
2025: Farewell Tour with the Eagles
Vince Gill and Deacon Frey are scheduled to continue touring with the Eagles until the end of the band's farewell tour in 2025.
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