Country legend and Opry mainstay Vince Gill has kicked off a solo tour that will have him on the road for most of the summer.
But unlike most tours, he doesn’t have an opening act.
And the reason for that is pretty simple. He wants more time for his own show.
In an Instagram video, Gill explains, “A lot of the reasons I never take an opening act is cause it gives me another 45 minutes to play. I love playing. I love playing live. It doesn’t matter how long. I remember all the early days when I would open for people and I could only play for 20 minutes or 30 minutes or 40 minutes. I promised myself that when I was able to do my own shows, that I would play as long as they let me. And often times, that’s what I do.”
“I’m like the Energizer Bunny I guess, of hillbilly music,” Gill goes on. “I love seeing people feel like they get their money’s worth and maybe seeing the entirety of my life musically, you know, in a night.”
Vince Gill Says His Set List Has a Wide Range of Songs
Vince Gill says he’s spent a lot of time planning his set list for the tour.
In his Instagram post, he says, “I love playing what’s familiar to people. But I also like maybe trying to show somebody something new that they haven’t heard before. I always enjoy hearing something new that I haven’t heard before when I go see somebody. We did some shows last year at the Ryman and I think they lasted almost four hours long. And I did a dozen new songs in the middle of the show and people seemed to respond. I just want to keep people familiar with what I’m working on. What’s in my heart and in my head.”
As for how he chooses the songs, there are a number of factors. “I even thought about doing a couple of the songs from the 80’s that I probably never do much any more. We’ll see which ones turn up. But a lot of it depends on which ones me and the band can play decently. So that’s usually what winds up on the set list,” Gill laughs.
How to See Vince Gill in Concert
While Vince Gill has spent the past eight years touring the country with “The Eagles,” his solo tour celebrates his 50th anniversary performing.
In a press release, Gill says, “I left home 50 years ago to try and become an accomplished musician and perform in front of whoever would show up. All these years later, it feels as special today as it ever did.”
His tour will run through most of the summer, coming full circle to wrap up in August with four nights on the stage at the Ryman Auditorium, considered “the Mother Church of Country Music.” It’s a frequent venue for Gill, who lives in Nashville with wife, Christian artist Amy Grant.
Grant and Gill perform a yearly Christmas show at the Ryman, and will again this year from December 10 through 20.
In between, Gill will perform shows in his Las Vegas residency at The Sphere in September, October and November.
You can find tour dates and tickets for Gill’s solo tour, his Las Vegas residency and his Christmas shows with Amy Grant here.
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Vince Gill Says No to Opening Act on Tour- Here’s Why