Vince Gill Pays Tribute to Merle Haggard With a Ryman Performance of Country Music’s Greatest Drinking Song

Vince Gill is paying tribute to one of his musical heroes. During night three of his six-night Ryman residency in Nashville, Gill highlighted his 2013 album, Bakersfield.

Gill teamed up with steel guitar player Paul Franklin to make the LP, which is comprised of covers of songs by Merle Haggard and Buck Owens.

The singer proceeded to play a song by each country legend, starting with Haggard’s 1966 track “The Bottle Let Me Down,” which he called the “best drinking song I’ve ever heard in my life.”

Afterwards, Gill performed his favorite Owens tune—1964’s “Together Again”—before once again turning his focus back to Haggard.

Speaking about the fist time he met Haggard, Gill remembered it as one of the best nights of his life.

At the time, Gill was playing at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre shortly after his grandfather’s death. While performing a song in honor of his late family member, Emmylou Harris surprised him by joining him onstage.

After their performance, Gill told Harris that Haggard was performing at a beer joint nearby. The pair proceeded to hop in a limo to catch the show.

Following Haggard’s performance, Harris escorted Gill onto his bus, where he met the icon. It turned out, though, that Haggard already knew who Gill was. The younger artist had penned “Living the Way I Do,” a tune that Haggard’s wife, Leona Williams, cut.

Gill was stunned to discover that Haggard knew his name, and left the bus in awe. Back in the limo with Harris, she advised Gill to be grateful for that special moment, and to appreciate any and all time he got to spend with Haggard moving forward.

Vince Gill Reflects on “A World Without Haggard”

Gill did just that, and went on to become friends with the country music legend. In fact, before his 2016 death, Gill got to sing with Haggard on one of his last-ever recordings.

While the music never came out—prompting Gill to joke that he can’t prove it happened—the singer said he has the recordings in his possession, and is grateful for their existence.

After Haggard died, Gill penned “A World Without Haggard” in his honor. Gill went on to play the touching song for the Nashville audience.

“He was my greatest inspiration / The reason why I sing the blues / Oh, I’m lost in a world without Haggard / Oh, who’ll tell the truth to you and me? / Oh, I’m lost in a world without Haggard / It’s a world I thought I would never see,” Gill sings on the track.

“Country music is alive and well,” Gill declared as the crowd applauded for his performance.

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