Vince Gill on What Sets Him Apart From Other Musicians: “Therein Lies a Pretty Big Difference”

From being dubbed the “nicest guy in Nashville” to becoming the first white man featured on the cover of Jet magazine, Vince Gill has certainly found his fair share of ways to set himself apart from other musicians. But according to Gill, the most significant difference between him and other players can be boiled down to one thing: his intention while performing.

Gill shared what he believed set him apart from his colleagues and contemporaries during a 2016 interview with Southern Living. And for as simple as his explanation is, it makes perfect sense. Gill might be an agile guitarist and soulful singer, but either talent would fall flat without this one key ingredient.

Vince Gill On What Sets Him Apart From Other Musicians

Music consumption exists in somewhat of a paradox. On the one hand, musicians want people to hear their music. That’s the entire essence of what a professional musician does. But on the other hand, knowing that your music and performance will be consumed by the public can put pressure on an artist to write, play, or act a certain way to get more attention or praise.

Despite the ample attention and praise Vince Gill has rightfully received over the years, he told Southern Living that he approaches making music as the listener, not the artist. “I’ve always wanted to be moved by music,” he explained. “By a song, by a musician. At the end of the day, that’s all I’m trying to do. I’m not trying to impress anybody. I’m trying to move somebody. Therein lies a pretty big difference.”

“I love the emotion of music. I’m not impressed by the amount of notes you can play. I mean, I am, but at the end of the day, did it move me? That’s all I really want.”

An Authentically (Old) Nashville Way to Play and Write

Vince Gill’s approach to playing music is an interesting diversion from how he cut his teeth as a young guitarist in the mid-1970s. During this time, Gill primarily performed bluegrass, a genre that has its fair share of emotionally moving moments but, by and large, prioritizes technical proficiency and flair. While this isn’t to say bluegrass isn’t sentimental, the genre certainly favors “amount of notes” quite a bit. Instead, Gill takes a musical approach similar to the songwriters of the 1960s Nashville scene.

Kris Kristofferson once described this musical community as a “respected clique of underground guys” who “didn’t want to hear any good musicianship or vocalizing. They didn’t care if you sounded like George Jones or Ray Charles. They wanted to hear the song and what it meant.” Back then, Kristofferson said, “They really weren’t into being dazzled by your footwork at all. They didn’t care if you could play the guitar real good or sing good. They wanted to hear what the song was about.”

We’d say Vince Gill hit the nail on the head when he described what sets him apart from other musicians. The prolific singer-songwriter’s emphasis on emotion over technical skill has maintained a sense of timelessness to his music, from his earliest days as a solo artist to his role as Glenn Frey’s replacement in the Eagles. No matter what musical capacity Gill finds himself in, he looks for an opportunity to move you, not show off to you.

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