Some of country music’s most impactful songs were born of tragedy. This is certainly the case with Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High on That Mountain.” Gill started writing his 1995 hit following the death of country singer Keith Whitley in 1989. The 22-time GRAMMY winner didn’t finish the song until four years later, after his older brother suffered a fatal heart attack. Nearly 30 years after its release, Gill dedicated a recent performance to a couple of fellow Oklahomans gone too soon: country legend Toby Keith, and Blake Shelton’s late brother.
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Vince Gill Wanted to “Do Something Sweet”
On Saturday (March 30,) Gill joined fellow Oklahoman country icon Blake Shelton onstage at Shelton’s All for the Hall concert in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
It was a bittersweet night for the artists involved. The concert raised nearly $800,000 for the Country Music Hall of Fame and its education programs. However, Toby Keith wasn’t far from Shelton’s mind. The “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” singer, who died in February after a long battle with stomach cancer, had planned on being a part of that night.
After thanking Shelton for inviting him to participate, Gill turned somber. “I thought I’d do something sweet tonight,” he said. The Country Music Hall of Fame member explained that he wrote “Go Rest High On That Mountain” in memory of his late brother, Bob. Gill then said he wanted to dedicate that night’s performance to Shelton’s brother, Richie, and also “my fellow Okie, Mr. Toby Keith.”
The crowd joined in as Gill sang the heart-wrenching chorus. Go rest high on that mountain / Son your work on earth is done / Go to heaven a-shoutin’ / Love for the Father and the Son.
More About Blake Shelton’s Late Brother
Blake Shelton was just 14 when his older brother, Richie Don Shelton, died in a car accident Nov. 13, 1990, in Oklahoma. Richie was 24 years old.
The “God’s Country” singer has kept his brother’s memory alive. During his time on The Voice, Shelton told a contestant that his brother “would’ve freaked out” if Richie had lived to see him become a musician.
“He was such a huge music fan,” the “Ol’ Red” singer said, according to Entertainment Tonight. “You’d hear him coming six blocks away, the stereo blaring out of his truck.”
Featured image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
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