Concert Review: Vince Gill Captivates Nashville Crowd With Three-and-a-Half Hour Set at the Ryman

Vince Gill just gave a Nashville crowd something to remember. During the third night of his six-show run at Ryman Auditorium, the singer played for three-and-a-half hours, showcasing past hits, new music, and a couple covers.

One minute before the show was set to begin, Gill casually walked on stage with a wave and a guitar and began performing.

Gill opened things up with the 1992 tracks “One More Last Chance” and “Take Your Memory With You,” before singing “Tryin’ To Get Over You,” which he released in 1994.

Next, Gill took a few minutes to chat with the crowd, something he did frequently throughout his set. This time, he made a joke about the Coldplay cheating scandal, before diving into “Pocket Full Of Gold,” a song about a man having an affair.

It was back to the ’80s next, as Gill performed songs including “Cinderella” and “Never Knew Lonely.”

“We started with a collection of songs that did really well for me a million years ago. They allowed me to buy a house I can no longer afford,” Gill told the crowd with a laugh. “And then Amy Grant showed up right on time and saved my life.”

After the sweet aside to his wife of more than two decades, Gill expressed his gratitude to the audience.

“We’ve been having the time of our lives,” he said of his Ryman run. “This is by far my favorite place to play music.”

Since he’d already performed some chart toppers, Gill chuckled as he said he’d next be transitioning to some “songs that didn’t do well for me.”

There was “Old Time Fiddle,” which was accompanied by a story about his childhood in Oklahoma, and “Young Man’s Town,” which was inspired by a “bitch session” he’d had with a friend.

Vince Gill Performs the Songs That Changed His Life

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After a few more lesser known tunes, Gill circled back to the hits, specifically the ones that changed his life.

“I started making records in the early ’80s, but I couldn’t prove it because no one had them,” Gill joked, before playing the songs that changed that fact—”Look at Us” and “When I Call Your Name.”

Before performing the latter song, Gill recalled how it “busted everything wide open” for him, and even led him onto a tour with George Jones and Conway Twitty.

One night on that trek, Gill said, Jones invited him onto his bus for a pajama party, where the men watched Matlock, ate canned ravioli, and began their decades-long friendship.

Covers were next up, as Gill put his own spin on Merle Haggard’s “The Bottle Let Me Down,” and Buck Owens’ “Together Again.”

Gill then turned his attention back to Haggard, whom he recalled meeting on one of the best nights of his life. The evening started with Gill honoring his late grandfather at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre, during which Emmylou Harris surprised him by coming out and joining him onstage.

After their performance, Gill told Harris that Haggard was performing at a beer joint nearby, and the two hopped in a limo to catch the show. Following Haggard’s performance, Harris escorted Gill onto his bus, where he met the icon, who later became a friend.

After Haggard’s death in 2016, Gill penned “A World Without Haggard” in his honor, which was the next song he played for the Ryman crowd.

Vince Gill Wows the Crowd

Things moved to the current times next, as Gill turned his focus to his latest project, 50 Years From Home, a collection of EPs.

Gill’s time on stage soon hit the show’s two-hour mark, a time when many performers would be wrapping it up. Not Gill, though, who explained, “I told myself if I ever made it, I’d play as long as they let me.”

With that, he continued on, performing “If You Ever Have Forever In Mind,” which he wrote for his wife, “Benny’s Song,” an ode to his late best friend, and more.

The show continued with Gill noting that he promised himself he’d never be the best musician on stage, and by sharing his belief that the stage is meant to be shared.

It’s with that in mind that Gill allowed several of his 10 backing musicians to have moments in the spotlight, as he backed them up as a member of the band.

When Gill stepped back into focus, he began wrapping things up with performances of “I Still Believe in You,” “Go Rest High On That Mountain,” and others.

For the final song of his set, Gill turned to “Oklahoma Borderline.” Afterwards, the crowd was on their feet, cheering as Gill took a bow on stage. Showing no signs that they’d been in the pews for three hours, the crowd demanded an encore from the singer.

He obliged, coming back out and asking, “Y’all got a few more in you?” After getting that confirmation from the crowd, Gill performed three more songs: “Whenever You Come Around,” “Don’t Let Our Love Start Slippin’ Away,” and “Liza Jane.”

With everyone on their feet, Gill took a final bow, before exiting the stage and ending the unforgettable night.

Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images