Vince Gill made a revealing joke when he received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award on Wednesday, November 19. The country star and Eagles guitarist became only the 10th recipient of the award, which was presented to him at the Country Music Association Awards..
The 68-year-old was honored for a hit-laden career that has seen him produce 16 studio albums, win 22 Grammys from 48 nominations, and make the Country charts his second home.
But he joins an elite cast of country guests not just for his musical contributions. Between 1992 and 2003, Gill hosted the CMAs for a record-breaking 12 straight years, and the so-called “nicest guy in Nashville” is also notable for his regular charity work.
Gill follows a rich lineage of country stars, from Dolly Parton to Alan Jackson and George Strait, in winning the award. He began his acceptance speech by recognizing the prestige of those players.
“That list of people is astounding,” he said, before cutting a cheeky smile. “I'm pretty confident I'm the only one that's ever won this award that's never smoked any weed.”
Nelson has long been among the most prominent and outspoken advocates for the legalization of marijuana. In his speech, Gill called him "a long, long friend — 50 years we've known each other.
"I adore him, but [what] I admire most about him is his willingness to include his family. He calls his band family. Man, that’s a great way to live.”
Gill went on to thank his "CMA family" for asking him to host the awards on 12 occasions, saying, "It might've been the dumbest thing they ever did, trusting my ass with their show... And every year, all I tried to do was make us all look good."
The night saw a litany of the genre's most beloved musicians celebrate Gill's legacy. Brandi Carlisle and Patty Loveless scaled the high notes of “When I Call Your Name” during a duet where Carlisle regularly locked eyes with the hit-maker.
Gill thanked the pair afterward., “It’s not lost on me that they had to have girls come out here and sing for me tonight," he joked. "None of the boys can get up that high.”
Gill's honor was the second awards ceremony of the month for Carlisle, having performed with Soundgarden as the Seattle band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But that was a night best remembered by David Letterman’s touching Warren Zevon story.
The CMA’s chief executive officer, Sarah Trahern, also spoke highly of Gill’s legacy, saying, “Vince embodies the very best of what country music stands for.”
“He’s a true trailblazer,” she added, “one who gives back to the community, honors the roots of your genre, and even now, continues to share his talent with fans across the globe. We’re honored to celebrate an artist whose influence is so deeply woven into the fabric of our format.”
Since 2017, Gill has been touring with the Eagles, which he joined following the death of founding guitarist Glenn Frey. Gill plays opposite Joe Walsh, who told Guitar Player Gill's guitar chops make the thought of sharing stages with him “terrifying.”
Though Gill has spent much of his career wrangling hits out of his collection of Fender Stratocasters, Telecasters, and acoustic guitars from Gibson and Martin, he holds his 1959 Gibson Les Paul 'Burst in high regard, and it came to him in tragic circumstances.
