Vince Gill

Vince Gill Biography

Vincent Grant "Vince" Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, and as a solo artist beginning in 1983, where his talents as a vocalist and musician have placed him in high demand as a guest vocalist, and a duet partner.

Gill has recorded more than 20 studio albums, charted over 40 singles on the U.S. Billboard charts as Hot Country Songs, and has sold more than 24 million albums. He has been honored by the Country Music Association with 18 CMA Awards, including two Entertainer of the Year awards and five Male Vocalist Awards. Gill has also earned 20 Grammy Awards, more than any other male Country music artist. In 2007, Gill was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Early life

Vincent Grant "Vince" Gill was born in Norman, Oklahoma. His father, J. Stanley Gill, was a lawyer and administrative law judge who played in a country music band part-time and encouraged Gill to pursue a music career. At the encouragement of his father, Gill learned to play several instruments, including the banjo and guitar, before he started high school at Oklahoma City's Northwest Classen High School. He first played with a teenage band called Bluegrass Revues in the late 1970s. The other members were: Billy Perry on the banjo, Bobby Clark on the mandolin and Mike Perry on the bass.

While in high school, he performed with Mountain Smoke, a bluegrass band that once opened for Pure Prairie League and Kiss. After he graduated, he played in a number of bluegrass bands, including Ricky Skaggs' Boone Creek and Byron Berline and Sundance; later, he became a member of Rodney Crowell's road band, The Cherry Bombs.

Career

Gill debuted on the national scene with the country rock band Pure Prairie League in 1979, appearing on that band's album Can't Hold Back. Gill is the lead singer on their hit song "Let Me Love You Tonight".

Mark Knopfler once invited Gill to join Dire Straits, but Gill declined the offer (although he sang backup on Dire Straits' album On Every Street).

Gill provided background vocals for the song, "Tennessee Line", from Daughtry's second studio album, Leave This Town.

Gill has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1991.

In July 2011, Gill appeared as a guest on NPR's news quiz show Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me.

In February 2012, Gill announced "For the first time in 30 years, I don't have a record deal. Don't know that I want one."

In March 2012, Vince Gill performed at the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center in Bowling Green, Kentucky for its opening night.

In April 2012, it was confirmed that Gill had been working with Bonnie Tyler on her upcoming album, performing a duet with her entitled "What You Need from Me". This song was included on her 2013 album 'Rocks and Honey'.

In June 2012, Gill was touring and performing only bluegrass songs.

Gill received the 2,478th star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame on September 6, 2012.

On October 15, 2012, it was announced that Gill would be featured in a song by Kelly Clarkson titled "Don't Rush," which appears on Clarkson's first ever Greatest Hits album. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA and has sold 509,093 copies as of October 13, 2013. The two debuted the song at the 2012 CMA Awards on November 1, 2012.

In 2010, Gill officially joined the country swing group The Time Jumpers.

In 2013, Gill is expected to release a series of new albums.

Gill and Keith Urban hold an annual event We're All for the Hall.

Personal life

Gill married country singer Janis Oliver of Sweethearts of the Rodeo fame, in 1980, and they had one daughter. Gill occasionally mixed sound for his wife's band at concerts. They separated in the mid-1990s and eventually divorced in June 1998. Gill married Christian/pop singer Amy Grant in March 2000. They have one daughter. Gill, along with his wife Grant, are fans of the Nashville Predators. They have been season ticket holders since the opening season and are often shown on the jumbo screen. In the 2007 playoffs, they sang the national anthem for each game. On Sunday, September 8, 2013, Gill's concert at the Kansas City, MO Kauffman Center was picketed by the Topeka, Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church based on claims that he is an adulterer since he divorced his first wife and married Grant.

Though Gill never attended college, he's a big fan of the University of Oklahoma football team. He also attends nearly every men's basketball game at Belmont University in Nashville. Gill is also an avid golfer, with a handicap around 1 or 2.

Discography

Main article: Vince Gill discography

Albums

1984: Turn Me Loose
1985: The Things That Matter
1987: The Way Back Home
1989: When I Call Your Name
1991: Pocket Full of Gold
1992: I Still Believe in You
1993: Let There Be Peace on Earth
1994: When Love Finds You
1995: The Essential Vince Gill
1995: Souvenirs
1996: High Lonesome Sound
1998: The Key
1998: Breath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection
2000: Let's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye
2000: 'Tis The Season
2003: Next Big Thing
2006: These Days
2011: Guitar Slinger
2013: Bakersfield

Selected awards

Academy of Country Music

1984 Top New Male Vocalist
1992 Song of the Year with John Barlow Jarvis - "I Still Believe In You"
1992 Top Male Vocalist
1993 Top Male Vocalist

Country Music Association

1990 Single of the Year - "When I Call Your Name"
1991 Male Vocalist of the Year
1992 Male Vocalist of the Year
1992 Song of the Year with Max D. Barnes - "Look At Us"
1993 Album of the Year - "I Still Believe in You"
1993 Male Vocalist of the Year
1993 Song of the Year with John Barlow Jarvis - "I Still Believe in You"
1993 Entertainer of the Year
1994 Entertainer of the Year
1994 Male Vocalist of the Year
1995 Male Vocalist of the Year
1999 Vocal Event of the Year with Patty Loveless - "My Kind of Woman, My Kind of Man"

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Inducted in 2007

Grammy Awards (He won twenty awards from forty nominations.)

1990 Best Country Vocal Performance, Male - "When I Call Your Name"
1991 Best Country Vocal Collaboration with Ricky Skaggs and Steve Wariner - "Restless"
1992 Best Country Song with John Barlow Jarvis - "I Still Believe in You"
1992 Best Country Vocal Performance, Male - "I Still Believe in You"
1993 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Asleep at the Wheel, Chet Atkins, Eldon Shamblin, Johnny Gimble, Marty Stuart, and Reuben "Lucky Oceans" Gosfield - "Red Wing"
1994 Best Country Vocal Performance, Male - "When Love Finds You"
1995 Best Country Song - "Go Rest High on That Mountain"
1995 Best Male Country Vocal Performance - "Go Rest High on That Mountain"
1996 Best Male Country Vocal Performance - "Worlds Apart"
1997 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Randy Scruggs - "A Soldier's Joy"
1997 Best Male Country Vocal Performance - "Pretty Little Adriana"
1998 Best Male Country Vocal Performance - "If You Ever Have Forever In Mind"
1999 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Tommy Allsup, Asleep at the Wheel, Floyd Domino, Larry Franklin, and Steve Wariner - "Bob's Breakdowns"
2001 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Jerry Douglas, Gen Duncan, Albert Lee, Steve Martin, Leon Russell, Earl Scruggs, Gary Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Paul Shaffer and Marty Stuart - "Foggy Mountain Breakdown"
2002 Best Male Country Vocal Performance - "The Next Big Thing"
2006 Best Male Country Vocal Performance - "The Reason Why"
2007 Best Country Album - "These Days"
2008 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Brad Paisley, James Burton, John Jorgenson, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert and Steve Wariner - "Cluster Pluck"

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

Inducted in 2005

Hollywood Walk of Fame

Inducted in 2012