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Vince Gill

Class of
1997
Vince Gill

Vince Gill

“It’s all for nothing if you don’t stay the same.”
Stan Gill, father of Vince Gill

Biography

Oklahoma City’s country music superstar Vince Gill left soon after his high school graduation to pursue a career in music. Before launching a lucrative solo career, Gill performed with the country rock band Pure Prairie League and other bands such as Bluegrass Alliance, Cherry Bombs, and the Time Jumpers. Gill’s first Grammy win was in 1990 for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for “When I Call Your Name.” As of 2019, Gill has earned twenty-one Grammy wins and fourteen Country Music Association awards, including the 2017 Humanitarian Award. The songwriter and recording star has eleven U.S. platinum and two U.S. gold albums. He has been named CMA Male Vocalist of the Year five times and Entertainer of the Year twice.

In 1995 he participated in the Fourth of July show honoring the heroes who did so much in the aftermath of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City and raised over a half-million dollars for the relief effort and the Red Cross. Other honors include induction to the Hall of Great Western Performers from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, induction to the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, Oklahoma City Public School’s Wall of Fame, the Minnie Pearl Award, VH-1 Award, and Outstanding Nashvillian of the Year. Mr. Gill was also the master of ceremonies for the dedication of the Oklahoma State Capitol dome in 2002.

Gill has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1991, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012, and in 2014 received the Irving Waugh award for excellence in country music. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007. Gill has also organized and participated in many golf charity events. In 2003 the Professional Golf Association awarded him the PGA Distinguished Service Award and in 2005 he was inducted into the Tennessee Golf Hall of Fame.

Fun fact

Vince Gill gave his first public performance during the dedication of the Warr Acres City Hall at the age of 10.

Oklahoma connections

Gill was born in Norman, Oklahoma, attended Oklahoma City’s Cleveland Elementary School and graduated from Northwest Classen High School in 1975.

Hometown

Oklahoma City

Profession

Singer, Songwriter

Presenter

Born

1957

Died

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