Vince Gill

Arguably one of the most successful country music artists of the late 20th century and beyond, singer-songwriter Vince Gill reaped 19 Grammys in the course of a career that led him from bluegrass to the top of the Nashville scene. A rare artist who could garner mainstream appeal while retaining critical acclaim as both a songwriter and a guitar player, Gill broke into the business in the late 1970s as the singer of the country-rock act Pure Prairie League, but soon established himself as a promising solo act. By the late 1980s, he was dominating the charts with warm, well-crafted singles like "When I Call Your Name" and "I Still Believe in You," and would continue to remain one of country's most acclaimed performers for the next decade. Though he could have coasted on his body of hits for the remainder of his career, Gill continually challenged his image with bluegrass albums and the impressive four-album set These Days (2005), which devoted a full side to each of his inspirations. As both a top-selling artist and a restless talent with a desire to produce the best music for his audience, Vince Gill was among the industry's most accomplished figures.