A Timeline of Vince Gill’s Most Face-Melting Guitar Solos To Remind You He’s One of the Best to Ever Do It (2004-2014)

Vince Gill has been recording and releasing music as a solo artist for more than 40 years. Since then, fans have seen him play a wide range of music with otherworldly proficiency. It doesn’t matter if he is playing toe-tapping country, downhome bluegrass, or blues-infused rock and roll his solos always steal the show. That has been true since the early days of his career and hasn’t changed. If anything, he’s gotten better with time.

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While we’re pretty far removed from the days when Gill ruled the country charts and he’s currently playing rhythm guitar for the Eagles, he’s still one of the best to pick up a guitar. Most of the solos below are taken from guest appearances between 2004 and 2014. However, for a couple of minutes in each clip, he’s the star of the show.

[RELATED: Vince Gill Reveals His Favorite Guitar Solo of All Time]

“Liza Jane” (2004) from The Players: Live in Nashville

Brent Mason is one of the most-recorded guitarists on the planet. He’s also one of the best session musicians walking the earth today. In 2004, he put together a killer band, invited some guests, and put on a killer show for the DVD The Players: Live in Nashville. One of the highlights of that set was “Liza Jane” with Vince Gill.

“Liza Jane” was a top 10 hit for Gill in 1991. A little more than a decade later, he was still coming up with fresh solos for the track. He starts smoking the strings at 1:13 in the clip above.

“Tulsa Time” (2007) from The Crossroads Guitar Festival

Founded by Eric Clapton, the Crossroads Guitar Festival features some of the best pickers in the world, hand-selected by old Slowhand himself. Unsurprisingly, Vince Gill was among those selected to perform in 2007.

The clip above is packed with legends. Gill, Clapton, Albert Lee, and Jerry Douglas all turn in stellar solos. Gill’s solo brought the house down. He accepts Sheryl Crow’s invitation to take the lead at 3:30. The highlight of the video, though, comes around 3:50, as Clapton looks stunned as he watches the Nashville legend work.

“One More Last Chance” (2012) from Bluegrass Underground

This clip from the PBS series Bluegrass Underground is the only one in which Vince Gill is fully in charge. “One More Last Chance” had some stellar guitar work in it when it topped the country chart in 1993. Nearly 20 years later, Gill made the song feel fresh again with a killer solo that kicks off just after the two-minute mark.

This clip showcases more than just a killer solo. He’s playing lead throughout the verses as well. Then, when he finishes the solo, we see him take on the role of a bandleader. With a nod, he passes the break on to the first of two keyboard players, continuing a line of solos that carries them into a repetition of the chorus. They’re a well-oiled machine.

“Go Rest High on That Mountain” (2013) from George Jones’ Funeral

Get your tissues, because this solo is a whole other level of impressive. In the video, Vince Gill and Patty Loveless are doing “Go Rest High on That Mountain” for George Jones’ funeral at the Grand Ole Opry. As usual, the song is moving, and their rendition is heartfelt.

Leading up to the solo, Gill’s emotions are taking over. The tears are plain in his voice as he tries to sing. Then, he silently calls for a fiddle solo before taking his break. At around 3:30, his guitar begins to speak clearly where his voice failed. Then, roughly 30 seconds into the solo, he wipes a tear away and goes back to playing without missing a beat.

Throwing down a killer solo while having a great time on stage is one thing. Doing it when you’re trying not to break down and cry in front of some of the biggest names in country music while standing in the Circle and paying tribute to a legend like Jones is something else altogether.

“Midnight Rider” (2014) from All My Friends: Celebrating the Songs & Voice of Gregg Allman

Here we see Vince Gill paying homage to another legend. This time, though, that legend is on the stage with him.

This rendition of the Allman Brothers’ classic “Midnight Rider” is from a concert special celebrating the legacy of Gregg Allman. Gill pulled out the stops for this one, delivering some blazing blues-infused Southern rock that impressed the man of the hour.

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