For the past eight years, country singer-songwriter Vince Gill has toured with the popular rock band The Eagles. After group member Glenn Frey’s passing, Gill stepped in to provide guitar work and vocals to songs that required the late Eagles member’s musicianship. He calls his time spent with the hit-making group since 2017 an “amazing experience.” This summer, he’s heading in a different direction.
“I’ve spent 40 plus years creating that body of work, and I’m extremely proud of it.”
When asked about his upcoming headlining tour, he said he wanted to get his music back out on the road in part because, “I miss those songs.”
It’s been years since he’s performed his own music for live audiences, and this time around, he’s bringing along an eight-piece band to back him up, including acclaimed steel guitarist Eddy Dunlap.
A Smile Sparks a Song
Gill spent the fledgling years of his career in the 1970s and early 1980s playing in different bands. He spent time collaborating with country-rock group Pure Prairie League, who experienced great success with their surprise hit, “Amie,” before Gill’s tenure. After joining the band, he provided vocals for their subsequent hit, “Let Me Love You Tonight.”Over the years, he’s also dedicated time to playing with western swing group The Time Jumpers, who collaborated with Miranda Lambert on her 2014 album “Platinum” for the fiddle-heavy, country-western inspired track, “All That’s Left.” But he’s best known for his work as a solo country artist.
His breakout hit came in 1990 with the release of the longing ballad, “When I Call Your Name.” After it reached the second spot on Billboard country charts, more hits followed, and the singer became well-known for his distinctive tenor voice and emotionally driven songs about love and relationships.
Other popular songs that solidified Gill as one of country music’s authoritative voices include “Don’t Let Our Love Start Slippin’ Away,” “I Still Believe in You,” and the spiritual tribute, “Go Rest High on That Mountain.”
The country artist began writing “Go Rest High on That Mountain” in 1989 after the passing of Keith Whitley, one of the genre’s influential singer-songwriters. It wasn’t until 1993 that Gill finished writing the song after his older brother, Bob, passed. Though the song would go on to become one of Gill’s signature country releases, the languid, intimate ballad could equally pass as a stirring contemporary hymn. Gill bravely explored the nuances of his grief within the lyrics, and the song quickly became a comforting respite to those who had experienced similar losses.
Country music giants Patty Loveless and Ricky Skaggs contributed harmonies to the tribute’s original recording.
While Gill loves playing all his biggest hits and fan-favorite tracks, there’s one he’s most excited to perform again: his 1994 hit single, “Whenever You Come Around.”
It’s another one of his signature ballads that allows his voice to take the lead. He wrote it for his wife, fellow vocalist Amy Grant. The inspiration for it came from an endearing observation.
Regarding “Whenever You Come Around,” he shared, “That song I wrote about her smile is my favorite song to sing.”
A Half-Century Milestone
The country singer is also excited to introduce fans to some of his new material. He’s been hard at work songwriting in between touring, and he’s penned over 100 new compositions in the last few years. A few of those should make the final cut for the “An Evening with Vince Gill” set list.“I’ve written 150 songs in the last two or three years, and I don’t want to see them all sit in a desk drawer somewhere and never be heard.”
The Oklahoma native feels that even after five decades in the country music business, he’s still improving his skillset.
“My heart tells me I’m writing better songs. My ears tell me I’m singing better.”
His summer 2025 tour starts on May 8 in Rochester, New York, and concludes in August with four shows at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. Other stops include The Chicago Theatre in Illinois on May 23, The Johnny Mercer Theatre in Savannah, Georgia on June 7, and the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium in Chattanooga, Tennessee on June 14.
