Vince Gill
Vince Gill is a reluctant superstar. It’s not that he’s not innately captivating, or that he’s not easily among the greatest guitarists of our time, or that he doesn’t write songs that have moved millions of listeners, including legends such as Guy Clark, Merle Haggard, John Prine, Don Schlitz, and Rodney Crowell.
It’s not that his voice isn’t instantly recognizable and remarkably beautiful, with dusky alto tones that give way to a soaring, stream-clear high tenor.
It’s not that he hasn’t won enough Grammy Awards (21) to crater any mortal mantle, or that he hasn’t won more Country Music Association trophies than most any other artist. Or that he didn’t sing and write “When I Call Your Name” or “Go Rest High On That Mountain” or a bunch of other songs now considered classics. Or that he’s a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Grand Ole Opry, and recently joined the Eagles tour.
But superstars trade on glamour and remoteness. They are photographed and videotaped on red carpets and in limousine loading zones, and maybe via long-range lenses on exclusive beaches or hotel balconies. Vince Gill is photographed at the Pancake Pantry in Nashville, by people who ask him to smile for the shot. And he always smiles for the shot.
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