Vince Gill Opens up About His Brother’s Tragic Accident and the Profound Impact It Had on Him

Vince Gill has had multiple hits throughout his five decades in country music. But perhaps none have had the impact of “Go Rest High on That Mountain.” The 1995 single was born from grief, as Gill began writing it following the 1989 death of country singer Keith Whitley. The 22-time GRAMMY winner then shelved the song for four years, until his older half-brother’s death in 1993 spurred him to finish it. While Bob Coen died of a heart attack at 48, Gill’s family had already been mourning him for years. Gill opened up about the tragedy during a 2022 interview with Dan Rather.

“He Was Pretty Cool:” Vince Gill Remembers His Older Brother

Bob Coen was Vince Gill’s first musical partner. The two shared a mutual love for playing guitar, even performing the Beach Boys’ “Long Tall Texan” on a local radio show when Gill was just 8 years old.

Sadly, everything changed drastically when a 22-year-old Coen was in a car crash that left him with serious brain damage.

“He just was out roaring and had too much to drink and was driving and acting a fool and going 120 miles per hour, and hit a semi and suffered the consequences,” Gill told Rather.

Coen remained in a coma for several months and was not expected to live. He defied the odds, but struggled with brain trauma and memory less until his death in 1993.

“He’d disappear for long periods of time and wind up at the mission,” Gill said. “He finally came home the last couple of years of his life and stayed pretty close to Mom.”

“He was pretty cool,” added the “One More Last Chance” singer.

[RELATED: The Most Quintessential Vince Gill Lyric According to Vince Gill Himself]

Bob Coen Inspired His Brother’s Charity Work

Bob Coen lives on not only in his brother’s music, but in his philanthropic work as well. In 2013, Gill performed at the Alabama Cruise Terminal in Mobile to help raise $200,000 for the Mobile Rescue Mission.

“That is where I get my passion for this,” the country star told AL.com. “It seems like when (people) come up and hit you up for a buck or this or that on the street, I kind of see my brother’s face.”

Featured image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum