4 Times Vince Gill Proved That He’s One of the Best Guitarists in Nashville

Fans know Vince Gill for his powerful vocals and expert songwriting. However, he is also one of the best musicians in Nashville today and has been since he appeared on the scene in the early ‘80s as part of Rodney Crowell’s backing band, the Cherry Bombs.

Gill is more than a flashy soloist, though. He knows when to let loose and when to hang back in the mix and let other instrumentalists shine. However, he has also proven himself to be a versatile player who can take the lead on multiple instruments in various styles. Today, we’re going to take a look at a few performances that show off his skills as a six-string slinger.

“A Soldier’s Joy”—Randy Scruggs Taps Vince Gill for Traditional Bluegrass Tune

Randy Scruggs, son of the legendary banjo player and innovator Earl Scruggs released his sole solo album Crown of Jewels in 1998. The album featured a long line of great guest artists. Vince Gill joined Scruggs for the classic bluegrass tune “A Soldier’s Joy.”

“A Soldier’s Joy” is a traditional American fiddle tune with roots in Scottish folk music and is likely more than 200 years old. As one of the most widely distributed tunes in the world, there are countless versions of the song floating around. With this version, Gill takes the classic melody to a new place, playing the lead with an electric guitar instead of acoustic, which is the norm for bluegrass. The result is a seamless blend of ‘grass and country picking.

“Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain”—Adapting to Another’s Style

Part of being a great guitarist is knowing how to play to serve the song instead of just shredding for shredding’s sake. Vince Gill shows this skill currently in his role as the Eagles’ rhythm guitarist. However, it’s not a new trait for him. He replicates Willie Nelson’s style almost perfectly in his rendition of “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.”

Usually, Gill’s style falls under honky tonk leads or bluegrass flatpicking. Here, however, he taps into the jazzy sound with Spanish influence that characterizes much of Nelson’s playing. It’s a little more subtle than some of his outings, but the ability to be a musical chameleon speaks to his massive talent.

“Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad”—Vince Gill Performs Under Pressure

It’s all well and good to be able to play at an expert level when one is relaxed and in an environment they’re used to. However, a true test of any musician’s skill is how they perform under pressure. In this clip, Vince Gill is sitting beside Chet Atkins, maybe the greatest guitar player to ever walk the earth and Gill’s musical hero. To add to that, Gill wasn’t prepared for the performance.

At first, he didn’t want to play lead in front of Atkins. The legend had to goad him into it. Years later, Gill reflected on the moment saying, “A few years ago I did show in Nashville with Ralph Emery. It was kind of a documentary on my life and stuff. And Chet came out and it was the first time I had ever gotten the opportunity to play music with my definite guitar hero of all time. I remember we started playing and he said, ‘Come on, play.’ And my hands would not go on the guitar.”

“Go Rest High on That Mountain”—Playing Through Tears for George Jones

Vince Gill and Patty Loveless came together to perform “Go Rest High on That Mountain” at George Jones’ funeral. It’s a touching performance, to say the least. As the song goes on, Gill is overcome by emotion, his voice cracking as he tries to sing.

When the time comes for Gill to play his solo, he’s in tears. As he cries, he holds down a steady rhythm under a smooth fiddle break. Then, he takes his lead and it is flawless. He doesn’t even miss a beat when he wipes a tear away.

This performance shows that when his voice is choked by emotion and he can’t bring himself to sing, he can still pick with the best of them.

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