Famous country vocalist Vince Gill is also a guitarist and composer.
It’s easy to say that many people enjoy hearing his voice when he performs on stage, regardless of his singing song. His career includes songs like When I Call Your Name, Whenever You Come Around and Don’t Let Our Love Start Slipping Away.
But because Gill, a devoted Christian, was singing about Jesus, he almost didn’t get to perform the song he wanted on the Grand Ole Opry stage with the band Little Big Town.
The good news is that he persisted and refused to follow the instructions he was given, which led to a magnificent and moving performance.
In 1957, Gill was born in Oklahoma. His musical career began with the rock group Pure Prairie League, and in the 1980s, he eventually transitioned to working alone.
His faith and passion led him to transition to creating and performing gospel songs within the country genre in recent years.
Although a judge and lawyer, Gill’s father was also a member of a local country band, which may have contributed to Gill’s love of music.
Gill learnt to play various musical instruments from his father, who also gave him the support he needed to pursue a career in music.
He’s not your typical vocalist, though. With a whopping 18 Country Music Association Awards and Grammy Awards, Gill deserves great pride.
He was elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame with other well-known, genre-defining hitmakers like Dolly Parton, something that many singers in his industry can only hope for.
So how could anyone deny this gifted, wise musician the chance to perform the song he wanted?
He was instructed not to perform religious songs, namely songs about Jesus when he was asked to perform on the Grand Ole Opry stage for Little Big Town’s induction.
But Gill had recently gained more popularity for his Christian music, so why shouldn’t he
Disregarding these guidelines, Gill gave a fantastic rendition of the Johnny Cash song Why Me Lord from 1968.
The crowd heard Gill’s voice clearly, authentically, and with booming beauty as it was filled with emotion.
The audience gave him a standing ovation when he finished because it was that beautiful and incredible!
Everyone else didn’t appear to give a damn that he had performed a Christian song or a song about Jesus.
They were delighted to hear his voice and experience his passion and musicality.
Even if different award ceremonies have different regulations, it’s safe to conclude that the show’s managers didn’t completely work out all the kinks.
It takes real bravery to resist orders this way, and Gill’s decision to sing a song faithful to his beliefs and artistic preferences is admirable.
In the Country Music Hall of Fame, though, you occasionally get to set your own rules.