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Vince Gill
Gill playing at the Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2007
Background information
Birth name	Vincent Grant Gill
Born	April 12, 1957 (1957-04-12) (age 50)
Origin	Norman, Oklahoma,  USA
Genre(s)	country, bluegrass
Occupation(s)	singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)	guitar, mandolin, vocals
Years active	1984-present
Label(s)	MCA Nashville Records
Associated acts	The Cherry Bombs Pure Prairie League Rodney Crowell Alison Krauss Sheryl Crow Amy Grant
Website	VinceGill.com

Vince Gill (born Vincent Grant Gill[1], April 12, 1957) is an American country music musician, songwriter, and singer.

Biography

Early life

Gill was born in Norman, Oklahoma. His father, J. Stanley Gill, was a lawyer and administrative law judge[2] who played in a country music band part time and encouraged Gill to pursue a musical career.[1] His homemaker mother, Jerene, played the harmonica.[3] Gill learned to play several instruments, including banjo and guitar, before he started high school at Oklahoma City's Northwest Classen High School. After he graduated, he played in a number of bluegrass bands; 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" (1980), which he was still performing in concert years later - thus, he said, confusing many fans who knew him only from his subsequent solo work. Gill appeared on two subsequent albums along with then-wife Janis Gill before signing as a solo with RCA Records in 1983. He first charted while on that label. In 1989 he switched to MCA Records where he recorded his breakthrough hit "When I Call Your Name." His 1998 album The Key received great critical acclaim.

Gill hosted the CMA Awards every year from 1992 to 2003. In 2004 he received a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. In 1997, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler, a fan of Gill's music, had asked Gill to join the band full time. Gill turned down the invitation, but did sing backup on one song ("The Bug") from Dire Straits' album On Every Street. Gill has also sung duets with numerous artists, including Dolly Parton ("I Will Always Love You"), Reba McEntire ("Oklahoma Swing," "The Heart Won't Lie," "It Just Has to Be That Way,""These Broken Hearts"), Amy Grant ("House of Love"), and Barbra Streisand ("If You Ever Leave Me"). More recently, Vince and Sheryl Crow sang harmony vocals on the Brooks & Dunn 2006 hit "Building Bridges".

On August 7, 2007 it was announced that Gill along with Mel Tillis and Ralph Emery will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Personal life

Gill married country singer Janis Gill of Sweethearts of the Rodeo fame, in 1980. The couple have one daughter, Jennifer Jerene Gill, born May 5 1982. Vince and Janis separated in the mid-1990s and eventually divorced in June 1998. Vince married Christian/pop singer Amy Grant in March of 2000. They have one daughter, Corrina Grant Gill, born March 12, 2001.

Gill, along with his wife Amy, are huge 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, he and Amy sang the national anthem for each game.

Discography

Singles

• AReached #1 on Radio & Records.
• B"I Still Believe In You" also peaked at #30 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.

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Studio albums

• Turn Me Loose (1983) and (1994)
• The Things That Matter (1985)
• The Way Back Home (1987)
• When I Call Your Name (1989)
• I Never Knew Lonely (1990)
• Pocket Full of Gold (1991)
• I Still Believe in You (1992)
• Let There Be Peace on Earth [1993] and (1999)
• When Love Finds You (1994)
• Souvenirs (1995)
• Super Hits (1996)
• High Lonesome Sound (1996) und (1997)
• Vintage Gill (1997)
• The Key (1998)
• If You Ever Have Forever In Mind (1998)
• Vince Gill & Friends (1998)
• Let's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye (2000)
• My Country Valentine (2000)
• The Things That Matter (re-release) (2000)
• Tis The Season with Olivia Newton-JohnHallmark Stores (2001)
• Next Big Thing (2003)
• Vintage Gill (2004)
• All American Country (2004)
• High Lonesome Sound (re-release) (2004)
• Rock of Ages...Hymns & Faith with Amy Grant (2005)
• These Days (2006)

Best of

• The Best of Vince Gill (1989)
• The Essential Vince Gill (1995) und (1996)
• Platinum & Gold Collection (2003)

Christmas collections

• Let There Be Peace On Earth - (1996) song from The Dillard's Christmas Collection 1996
• Wrangler Cowboy Christmas (Volume VI) (1998) with Reba McEntire and Trisha Yearwood
• Hallmark Presents The Spirit of Christmas (2001) with Amy Grant and London Symphony Orchestra
• Breath Of Heaven: A Christmas Collection (2002)
• Christmas Collection (2006)
• Christmas Collection (?) with Barry Manilow and Diana Ross and The Supremes
• Country Christmas (?) with Alan Jackson and Trisha Yearwood
• Classic Country Christmas Volume Three (?) with Reba McEntire and Alabama

Compilations

• Dark as a Dungeon (2002) song with The Chieftains on the album Down the Old Plank Road: The Nashville Sessions
• Once In A While - (2001) song from the Soundtrack to The Prince of Egypt (Nashville)
• Did you hear what I hear - (1995) song from The Stars Come Out At Christmas
• I Can't Tell You Why - (?) song from Common Thread: The Songs of The Eagles
• (Maverick) Ophelia - (?) song from Hollywood Soundtracks (Blockbuster Exclusive)
• House Of Love - (2001) song from Friends for Life - Men and Women United in Harmony
• Let's Heal with Altan- (2005) song from Hands Across the Water - A Benefit for the Children of the Tsunami

Awards (selection)

• 1984 - Top New Male Vocalist (Academy of Country Music)
• 1990 - Single of the Year (CMA)
• 1990 - Best Male Country Vocal Performance (Grammy)
• 1991 - Male Vocalist of the Year (CMA)
• 1991 - Song of the Year (CMA)
• 1991 - Vocal Event of the Year (CMA)
• 1991 - Best Country Vocal Collaboration (Grammy)
• 1992 - Song of the Year (Academy of Country Music)
• 1992 - Top Male Vocalist (Academy of Country Music)
• 1992 - Songwriters/Publishers of the Year (BMI)
• 1992 - Male Vocalist of the Year (CMA)
• 1992 - Song of the Year 1992 (CMA)
• 1992 - Best Country Song (Grammy)
• 1992 - Best Male Country Vocal Performance (Grammy)
• 1993 - Top Male Vocalist (Academy of Country Music)
• 1993 - Album of the Year (CMA)
• 1993 - Entertainer of the Year (CMA)
• 1993 - Male Vocalist of the Year (CMA)
• 1993 - Song of the Year (CMA)
• 1993 - Vocal Event of the Year (CMA)
• 1993 - Best Country Instrumental Performance (Grammy)
• 1994 - Entertainer of the Year (CMA)
• 1994 - Male Vocalist of the Year (CMA)
• 1994 - Best Male Country Vocal Performance (Grammy)
• 1995 - Songwriters/Publishers of the Year (BMI)
• 1995 - Male Vocalist of the Year (CMA)
• 1995 - Best Country Song (Grammy)
• 1995 - Best Male Country Vocal Performance (Grammy)
• 1996 - Vocal Event of the Year (CMA)
• 1996 - Best Country Collaboration With Vocals (Grammy)
• 1996 - Best Male Country Vocal Performance Grammy)
• 1997 - Best Male Country Vocal Performance (Grammy)
• 1998 - Best Country Instrumental Performance (Grammy)
• 1998 - Best Male Country Vocal Performance (Grammy)
• 1999 - Vocal Event of the Year (CMA)
• 1999 - Best Country Instrumental Performance (Grammy)
• 2003 - CMT's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music - ranked #17
• 2007 - Best Male Country Vocal Performance (Grammy)
• 2007 - Vocal Event of the Year (Academy of Country Music)

See also

• Best selling music artists

References

External links

• Official Vince Gill UMG Nashville Artist Page