Vince Gill wrote a song for his longtime friend and guitar tech Benny Garcia, who passed away from health complications at the pandemic’s beginning. He has a song about a soldier and a new song about his wife, Amy Grant. Gill even has a new song about his favorite place to eat hamburgers.
Gill has written more than 100 songs in the last three years, and most people have never heard them. He doesn’t know when he’ll release his new music, but he plans to give fans a live preview during his Ryman Auditorium residency.
The Country Music Hall of Famer will launch his four-night residency at Ryman Auditorium on Thursday. Gill’s concerts run through Sunday, and tickets start at $65.
“It’s really easy to rest on your laurels, as they say, and play the things that are familiar to people,” Gill said. “That’s what they come to hear. And if you give them that, then it’s okay to take ’em on a little journey and show ’em what you’re up to lately. Through all these years of doing this, I think my new songs are better than my old songs.”
Vince Gill: “I Think My New Songs are Better Than my Old Songs”
Gill said he’s learned brevity, how to edit himself, and to be patient as he waits for the right thing to say.
“All those kinds of things, they factor into it,” Gill said.
The country singer-turned-Eagle stopped expecting support on country radio years ago. He said he’s “fine with it,” but that doesn’t mean his creativity also halted. Gill partnered with beloved Nashville publishing executive Jody Williams to help steward his songwriting catalog. Williams previously helmed BMI. Gill said Williams partially retired, missed songs and started a publishing company.
“I never had a publisher,” Gill said. “That probably shocks people. I never felt the need to have one. I had a vehicle for my songs with my own record deal and my own records that I was going to make. That was enough for me.”
Williams called Gill and asked if he could help manage Gill’s songwriting career. Williams told him he “might have a neat rebirth of your songwriting” with some of the genre’s up-and-coming artists.
That partnership is what sparked Gill to write at least 120 songs. He said he’s “fired up” about them and that the songs tackle tough subjects.
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Vince Gill Said New Music Is Not Him “Trying to Guilt Anybody Into Believing What I Believe”
“I felt like you could have a conversation about anything that was uncomfortable if you were not judgmental and you were kind of open to not pointing your finger towards somebody else, making ’em feel like they’re wrong or guilt them or any of that kind of stuff,” Gill said. “Some of these songs are interesting about what they entail and give people a little dose of that.”
He plans to start the second half of his show with his new material but promises he won’t be preaching to anyone.
“It’s not me trying to guilt anybody into believing what I believe,” Gill reiterates. “There’s not any of that kind of judgment in these songs, and that’s what I’m proud of most.”
Gill’s songwriting was based on observation, not judgment. His new music is the truth as he sees it. The fresh songs cover everything from history to hamburgers.
“I wrote a song about Brown’s Diner,” he said. “It’s been one of my favorite haunts for a cheeseburger for close to 50 years now, and it’s really cool. I’m trying to take people on a bit of a journey that might move them more than impress them. It’s going to be a fun night to get to hear some stuff that’s new and some stuff that’s familiar. It should be fun.”
(Photo by AFF-USA/Shutterstock)
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