Vince Gill on his love for the Ryman Auditorium and the venue's modern legacy

For two decades, Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill has been able to mark two weeks of the year off his calendar for performing as a headliner at Nashville's iconic Ryman Auditorium.

Whether singing at Christmas with his wife, the pop and gospel favorite Amy Grant, or as a solo performer, the "When I Call Your Name" vocalist and current touring Eagles guitarist has become a staple in the latest chapter of the nearly 140-year-old venue's existence.

Gill adds to this modern history with five performances at the venue scheduled for Aug. 7, 8, 9, 15 and 16. Tickets are available at www.ryman.com/event/2025-vince-gill .

In a touching note owing more to her growing talent as a performer than her progeny, Gill's daughter, singer-songwriter Corrina, is slated to be his opener.

What to expect from the show?

A "musician first" performer who will succeed at playing a catalog of songs that set a consistent commercial and critical standard. The songs will also embody the fundamental harmonies and vibes familiar to bluegrass, country, folk, gospel, rock and rockabilly music.

What has allowed Vince Gill's '90s-era country hits to stand the test of time?

Gill is 68, so he's reached a point in his life and career where he's past using flowery language to describe his long-sustained success.

He refers to the 17 consecutive Top 5 country hits he achieved between 1991 and 1997 as "a good little stretch."

Ask die-hard music fans, and Gill's songs like "Go Rest High on That Mountain," "I Still Believe in You," "One More Last Chance," "Tryin' to Get Over You" and "High Lonesome Sound" represent much more than that.

Ask Gill about why people feel the way they do about this era of his catalog and he reveals a humble, thoughtful response:

"My music works best when it feels and sounds intimately and undeniably connective and emotional, like I'm having a conversation with them. People deserve to be deeply moved by music rather than just impressed by it. I crave people listening to my music with me as I'm playing it. The adrenaline that it causes is the best feeling in the world."

Gill reflects on playing shows with the Eagles

Gill's latest career chapter involves occasionally performing at the Las Vegas Sphere as a member of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band the Eagles.

"It's overwhelmingly thrilling," Gill said.

Related, he peppers his conversation not by name-dropping Eagles lead vocalist Don Henley's name every few minutes, but more so excited to share what he's gleaned as a fan and student of music from pairing with the performer.

"Don still maintains that I'm a member of the Eagles because I know how to (complement) a band. It's validating that he can so sum up why I still believe I have a career," Gill said.

"Did you know that 'Desperado' was the first song Don and Glenn Frey ever wrote together? Like, they didn't even start by writing a few crappy songs first. Sometimes, when the perfect combination of people come together creatively, it's just meant to be."

Why does Vince Gill continue to work with modern superstars, rising artists?

Gill has a bemused relationship with the work he's done with literally thousands of Music City-based artists, players and producers over the past half century. In general, there's no guarantee if or when a great collaborative moment made in a studio will ever reach release.

However, in the past three years, he has had a collaborative album honoring the career of country and standards crooner Ray Price hit the streets, plus partnered with Kaitlin Butts on her 2024-released song "Come Rest Your Head (on My Pillow)."

As well, he has confirmed recent songwriting sessions with artists like Post Malone.

Gill's broad, successful musical history has allowed him to be self-aware of achieving a timeless "musicality" that can appeal to any generation or musical genre.

"My wife says that she loves how I value seeing the whole field of music, because it lets me figure out where my skills can best exist, wherever I am, creatively. To me, that allows me never to let my ego get in the way of what could be created. The hardest job in the world is to enhance what someone else has done and make it better."

What does the Ryman Auditorium mean to Vince Gill?

Since the Ryman reopened in 1993, Gill has probably logged more hours performing on its stage than any other artist. He's quick to agree that it's one of the few venues in recent American history that has served multiple purposes, but remained grounded in the same communal, soulful purpose for over a century.

In recent years, the venue's revival has achieved higher importance as acts like Charley Crockett, Sierra Ferrell, Wyatt Flores, Charles Wesley Godwin, Billy Strings and Zach Top have all achieved greater renown from performing there and having almost magical-seeming outings.

"After being shuttered for 20 years, the Ryman's ready to mature past 30 years of being relevant again," Gill says. "Now, it's been added to the legacy of the meccas of places to play live music. 140 years ago, that place was built to save souls. Now, instead of preachers, it's music, all styles of music, doing that job."

He offers a thought regarding why, alongside so many emerging stars, he feels it's "excitingly cool" to be the one artist for whom the Ryman still dominates so much of his schedule.

"I need to do it more than I ever did. It reeks of arrogance if I give off the impression that I don't have to play shows like these because I've done so well in my career — I mean, I'm grateful that I'm still an artist with a desk filled with things I have to play and sing on right now."

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vince Gill to perform 5 times at Nashville's Ryman in August