Vince Gill Honors Late Friend Joe Bonsall, Talks Getting Better With Age, and Writing a New Verse to “Go Rest High on That Mountain”

Vince Gill started “Go Rest High On That Mountain” in honor of Keith Whitley, who passed away in 1989. He finished it when his brother Bob died in 1993. Ricky Skaggs and Patty Loveless famously sang background vocals on the record, and when Gill released it in 1995, it changed his life. The song became so treasured that after Gill released it, he moved to the top of the list when a country singer died and the family needed someone to sing at their funeral.

This week, the country music community is grieving the loss of Oak Ridge Boy Joe Bonsall, who died from ALS complications. Bonsall’s public memorial service hasn’t been held yet, but Gill honored him this week when he covered “Elvira” at the Grand Ole Opry. “Elvira” was The Oak Ridge Boys’ signature hit and the first chart-topper on which Bonsall sang lead.

“I wanted to sing a couple of songs tonight in memory of my sweet friend Joe Bonsall,” Gill told the crowd. “We were friends for 42 years. He was the high singer in the Oak Ridge Boys for all those years. My heart’s broken for him and his family. This is one of the great Oak Ridge Boys songs written by Rodney Crowell.”

Gill also performed “Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight” during his set.

While Gill hasn’t been in country music as long as The Oaks, who nabbed their first Top 5 song in 1977 with “Y’all Come Back Saloon,” he has been turning out country hits for the last 40 years. Gill released his debut solo album in 1984.

Gill, who teamed with friend and frequent collaborator Paul Franklin to release “Sweet Memories: The Music of Ray Price & The Cherokee Cowboys” last year, compared putting out music these to “the Wild West.”

Vince Gill recently wrote a third verse to “Go Rest High On That Mountain”

“It’s the most fun I could ever hope to have,” he said. “My heart and my ears don’t lie to me; I feel like the songs I write today are better than ever. I feel like I play better, write better, and sing better.”

Gill said playing, singing, and recording new music is an experience he gives to himself. And while he’s immensely proud of his 21 albums, 45 singles and 22 Grammys, the Country Music Hall of Famer said he still sees room for improvement.

He’d like to sing “I Still Believe In You” over again because he thinks he’s a better singer now. He also recently wrote a new third verse for “Go Rest High On That Mountain.”

“You get more perspective as you get older,” Gill said. “It’s why you get better.”

Gill, who was asked to join The Eagles in 2017, said a producer once told him to play “half of what I know.”

“You go from wanting to show people what you can do to moving people with what you can do,” Gill said.

Photo by Frederick Breedon IV/Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum