Vince Gill has been a treasured new member of the iconic rock band The Eagles since 2017. And while he calls it “a really amazing experience to see the set list go by every night” and marvel at the titles, the Country Music Hall of Famer misses his own songs.
“I’ve spent 40 plus years creating that body of work, and I’m extremely proud of it,” Gill told American Songwriter. “I don’t get to do it because of the role I play now with the Eagles. It is selfish in a way, but I just miss it. I miss those songs.”
Gill is about to get reacquainted with them. He recently revealed plans for a 2025 summer tour he’s calling An Evening with Vince Gill. His 30-plus city run will launch May 8 in Rochester, New York, and wrap in August with a four-night run at Ryman Auditorium. The tour will wind the 22-time Grammy winner through several cities he hasn’t played in years.
Vince Gill Will Launch Summer Tour in May
Gill has spent much of the last eight years singing Eagles’ timeless hits, including “New Kid in Town,” “Desperado,” “Hotel California,” and “Best of My Love,” and knows the superiority of those songs made The Eagles one of the most iconic bands in music history.
But Gill is pretty proud of his songs, too. He misses singing “Whenever You Come Around,” which he wrote for his wife, Amy Grant, the most.
“That song I wrote about her smile is my favorite song to sing,” Gill said.
The couple has been married for 25 years. Grant laughed, saying that she thinks part of the reason they still like each other so much is because their careers routinely separate them.
“We’re never 100 percent always in the same place,” she said. “We’re always glad to see each other. ‘There you are! Hi!’”
Vince Gill Says Amy Grant Won’t Join Him on Tour
The couple agree that fans should not expect to see Grant with Gill on tour. Gill said Grant will come to the Nashville shows, but that’s all.
“I don’t think there’s room on the bus,” she said. “He’s taking a lot of fantastic players, and we’re too old to sleep in the same bunk.”
Gill is also anticipating a new album in 2025. About three weeks before his 68th birthday, the singer said he’s writing with a bravery he didn’t have in his 20s.
He’s penned songs about race, abuse, and forgiveness. He’s writing from a place of life experience. Gill has a song called “Made Me,” which is about playing music his entire life. “Benny’s Song” is another deeply personal track that Gill wrote for his best friend. He said the song is “a little bit selfish” and “rips his guts out.”
“My heart tells me I’m writing better songs; my ears tell me I’m singing better,” Gill says. “All this stuff is apparent to me. I’ve written 150 songs in the last two or three years, and I don’t want to see them all sit in a desk drawer somewhere and never be heard.”
A quote from Tom T. Hall is one of Gill’s favorites.
He quotes: “‘I wrote songs more from a place of observance than a place of judgment,’” Gill said. “It made a lot of sense to me.”
