Vince Gill is celebrating touring for 50 years in a big way. The 67-year-old announces he is embarking on a summer tour, An Evening With Vince Gill, wrapping up with four shows at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.
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"I left home 50 years ago to try and become an accomplished musician, and perform in front of whoever would show up," Gill says. "All these years later, it feels as special today as it ever did."
Gill left home right after high school, but he didn't head right to Nashville. With an initial goal of being a bluegrass musician, he first moved to Kentucky, founding the band Mountain Smoke. When that group disbanded, he became part of Pure Prairie League, a soft rock group. But when Rodney Crowell invited Gill to play guitar in his band, the Cherry Bombs, Gill accepted the role, which is what ultimately led him to Nashville.
Vince Gill's Role In The Eagles
Gill has been a mainstay in country music since launching his own solo career 40 years ago, with the release of his debut album, The Things That Matter, in 1985. But he still has ties to the rock world, thanks to his role in the Eagles. In 2017, Gill joined the iconic rock group, after founding member Glenn Frey passed away.
Eight years later, Gill is still as thrilled with the unexpected job as he was when they first invited him. But the. Country Music Hall of Fame member is clear that he is there to play the Eagles' music, and not his own.
"Don was nice enough to say, 'Hey, let's do one of your songs,' and I said, 'With all due respect, I'd rather not,'" Gill tells Cleveland.com. "I'm already stepping onto a place where a lot of people may not be that accepting of me. The last thing I want to do is give them one more reason to say, 'I didn't come here to hear his songs, too. I just came to hear Eagles songs!' So, we've kind of kept it at that, which seems to make the most sense."
An Evening With Vince Gill coincides with the end of the Eagles' scheduled dates at Sphere in Las Vegas. Gill's tour will kick off on May 8 in Rochester, New York. The tour concludes on August 16.
