Exclusive: Why Vince Gill Doesn’t Want the Eagles to Play His Songs

Vince Gill made friends with Eagles singer Don Henley in 2015 when he performed with Henley on his country album Cass County. Henley chose Gill to join The Eagles following Glenn Frey’s death in 2016. Henley even told Gill he’s the only one with whom he’d want to continue the Eagles.

Gill didn’t hesitate to jump in. However, he said, there are still a few things he won’t do—even for Henley. The Grammy winner remembers that, soon after he started playing with the Eagles, Henley heard him singing his song “Whenever You Come Around”—just Gill and his guitar. It was during soundcheck, and no one else was around. Gill recalled he was trying to hone in his monitors and figure out what everything sounded like. Henley approached him and asked him what he was singing.

“I said, ‘Well, it’s just a song of mine that I’ve had out 20 years ago or whatever,” Gill recalled. “He said, ‘That’s incredible.’ He said, ‘Let’s work it up. Let’s work it up and do it.’”

Gill said no—politely.

“I said, ‘Well, with all due respect, I’d rather not,’” Gill said. “Don looked at me, puzzled. He said, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘Look, what I’m getting ready to do, this is going to be pretty uncomfortable for a lot of people, me included.’ I said, ‘I don’t want to give them one more reason not to be happy that I’m out there.’ I don’t want them to sit in those seats saying, ‘I didn’t come here to hear Vince Gill songs. I came here to hear Eagle songs.’”

Henley understood and told Gill he “kind of” respected that.

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Vince Gill Never Wanted to Push His Songs on Eagles Fans

“So, we didn’t do it,” Gill said. “I never wanted to push my world into theirs and vice versa. It’s been a pretty good plan.”

That said, Gill does miss singing his own songs. He played solo on multiple dates at Ryman Auditorium in 2024. He will play The Grand Ole Opry several times in February before appearing on NBC’s “Opry 100: A Live Celebration” on Wednesday, March 19 at 8-11 p.m. ET and simulcast on Peacock. Blake Shelton will host the event. Other performers include Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, and more.

“The Opry is deeper than the songs,” Gill said. “It’s deeper than the hits. It’s deeper than the career. It’s all those people that you got to meet. The fact that I knew and was friends with all the people that my parents liked. Little Jimmy Dickens was my dad’s favorite. When I sang ‘Bird of Paradise’ one night on The Opry with Jimmy, my dad called and said, ‘Well, you finally made it.’”

In addition to The Opry, Gill will also play the Las Vegas Sphere with the Eagles in February and March. For tickets to the Opry, visit www.opry.com. To Gill with the Eagles at The Sphere, visit www.thesphere.com.

(Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images)