“You Want Blood Don’t You?” Vince Gill Recalls a Hilarious Exchange He Had With Country Legend Ray Price

Vince Gill is more than a great singer, musician, and songwriter. He’s a bridge between generations. He kicked off his career in the ‘70s in small bluegrass bands. Pure Prairie League and a stint in Rodney Crowell’s band came later. Since those early days, Gill has shared the stage with countless country greats from across the decades.

In an interview with The Country Music Hall of Fame, Gill recalled hosting a show in which the late, great Ray Price performed. The hilarious story he told during the conversation highlights how comfortable Gill was in the presence of legends like Price.

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Vince Gill Shares a Funny Conversation He Had with Ray Price

During the interview, Vince Gill recalled hosting a show in Washington D.C. He said he couldn’t remember what the show was for or why they were there. However, he recalled watching Ray Price perform and the conversation they had before his encore.

“Ray had come out there and just slayed these people. They were going nuts. He was obviously going to do an encore,” Gill recalled. “I went over to him, and I knew he was going to do an encore and I put my arm around him. I said, ‘Hey, Ray.” And he said, ‘Yeah, what, Hoss?’ I said, ‘If you do “Danny Boy” you’d kill ‘em,’” he said.

[RELATED: Vince Gill and Paul Franklin Discuss ‘Sweet Memories’ and the Music of Ray Price: “The Intention Behind This Is Reverence”]

Gill said Price looked at him and replied, “Damn, son. You want blood don’t you?” Price chose not to perform “Danny Boy.”

Price Was an Innovator

Ray Price got his start in the late ‘40s and continued performing until he passed away in 2013. His baritone voice was hailed as one of the best in the genre and propelled several country classics to the top of the charts. Songs like “Night Life,” “Crazy Arms,” “Release Me,” “Heartaches by the Number,” and many more solidified his place in country history.

More than that, though, Price changed the face of the genre. Before he came along, country artists largely recorded in 2/4 time unless they were playing a waltz. Price started recording in 4/4 which changed the rhythm of the music considerably. For instance, the use of 4/4 time allowed for the implementation of the “back beat”—a beat in which the two and four counts are accented, allowing for more danceable music.

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