“Catch That Son of a B—-”: Vince Gill Recalls Father Leading Him on High Speed Chase Through Downtown OKC

Before he became one of the most well-known and beloved names in the country music industry, Vince Gill was growing up under the loving but authoritative care of his father, Stan Gill. The singer-songwriter has no small shortage of stories about his father that he often shares on stage before performing songs inspired by him, like “The Key to Life” or “Like My Daddy Did.”

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Some of the anecdotes are fairly tame, like when Vince’s dad would have him “mess up” a few pizzas at work so he could bring them home when he clocked out. Other ones were more nerve-wracking, like when the elder Gill led his son on a high-speed chase through downtown Oklahoma City.

Vince Gill On Learning How To Drive

Learning how to drive is a pivotal moment in any teenager’s life, but Vince Gill’s experience was more memorable than most. Gill often describes his father as strict and physically imposing, boasting a no-nonsense attitude and a six-foot-three, 300-pound frame. “He was like having [General] Patton, Clint Eastwood, and John Wayne all rolled up into one guy,” Gill recalled in a later performance. With such an intimidating demeanor, it’s no wonder Gill worried about whether his mom or dad would be the one to teach him how to drive after he got his learner’s permit.

Much to a young Gill’s chagrin, his dad was the first to volunteer. “Sure enough, one Sunday afternoon, my dad was in his overalls, no shirt, his ball cap, he had a dip of chew going, you know, the droll going down on the chin, cigarette going. He’d been working in the yard all afternoon, about 140 degrees in Oklahoma. He looks at me and says, ‘Come on, boy, I’m gonna teach you how to drive.’” Gill recalled trying to make an excuse about having too much homework, but his dad brushed it off and got in the truck anyway.

Gill followed his father’s instructions to turn onto one of the busiest streets in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, cutting off a speeding car in the process. The car squealed its brakes, zipped around Gill and his father, and flipped the pair off as it sped away. Gill said his father took a drag off his cigarette before telling him, “Catch that son of a b****.” And off they went.

His Father Knew Some Lessons Come Pre-Learned

Suddenly, Vince Gill’s first driving lesson became a high-speed car chase. Gill began weaving through Oklahoma City traffic with his father steadily smoking a cigarette in the passenger seat, reaching speeds no learner’s permit-holder should ever hit on their speedometer, until they finally caught up to the speeding car they were after. Staying true to his Patton-slash-Wayne-slash-Eastwood persona, Gill’s father rushed out of his truck, opened the driver’s side door of the speeding car they were chasing, and pulled the driver out onto the road. The driver had a “tire tool” in his hand.

Gill said his father asked the man, “Hey, fella. You’re gonna use that tire tool in this fight?” To which the stranger responded, “Yes, sir, yes, sir, I am.” The songwriter continued, “My dad goes, ‘Son, this fight’s finished,’ came back, and got in the truck.”

Gill’s hilarious story shows that being a good parent isn’t only about knowing when to teach your kid a valuable lesson. Sometimes, being a good parent means knowing when some lessons are best left pre-learned—like having the common sense not to get in a fist fight with someone wielding a tire iron.

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