In Pictures: Vince Gill Celebrates 25th Anniversary As Opry Member

Vince Gill celebrates 25th Anniversary with night of memorable collaborations with family and close friends during two three hour shows on Saturday’s Grand Ole Opry.

Photos: Chris Hollo

MCA Records Nashville’s Vince Gill celebrated his milestone 25th Anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry with two memorable shows ?Saturday night (Aug. 13) at the Grand Ole Opry House. Gill was inducted as an Opry member on August 10, 1991.

Gill was joined onstage by all of his friends and family for the final performance of the night, “Liza Jane.”

Vince Gill celebrates 25th Anniversary as member of Grand Ole Opry Saturday night.

Gill shared the stage, collaborating with family and close friends including Amy Grant, Rodney Crowell, Patty Loveless, The Time Jumpers, Ashley Monroe, Andrea Zonn, Bill Anderson, Jenny Gill, Paul Franklin, and Charlie Worsham. Grant and Crowell even joined the Opry Square Dancers.

Rodney Crowell joins the Opry Square Dancers for their traditional Saturday night performance.

Ashley Monroe joins Gill onstage to perform “Trying To Get Over You” and “You Ain’t Dolly (And You Ain’t Porter).”

After opening the night with his classic hit “One More Last Chance,” an emotional Gill welcomed everyone saying, “This evening is filled with people I hold more than dear. They have made my entire life.” ??The first show ran almost an hour over its two-hour allotted time. “Sorry we made you late,” Gill said to a packed audience at the top of the night’s second show. “We were having a blast in here.”

Daughter Jenny Gill reminisced of the time she was in first grade and her dad finally got the call he had been waiting for– the Grand Ole Opry inviting him to make his debut. However, he had to decline the long-awaited opportunity, saying he was already booked. He had promised Jenny he would accompany her on guitar on “You Are My Sunshine” for her school’s talent show. She remarked, “It’s a great thing they called him back, don’t you think?”

Jenny Gill joins her dad to perform “When Love Finds You” and “Jenny Dreamed of Trains.”

“It’s always been an honor to sing with Vince Gill,” said longtime friend Patty Loveless said before the two performed Gill’s iconic classics: “When I Call Your Name” and “Go Rest High On That Mountain.”

Patty Loveless performs “When I Call Your Name” and “Go Rest High On That Mountain” with Vince Gill.

Rodney Crowell joins his friend Vince Gill onstage to perform “Oklahoma Borderline,” “‘Til I Gain Control Again” and “Let It Roll, Let It Ride.”

Charlie Worsham joins his musical hero Vince Gill to perform “The Key To Life.”

Friend and collaborator Paul Franklin joins Vince Gill onstage for “The Bottle Let Me Down.”

“Vince has truly become family to all of us at the Opry,” said Pete Fisher, VP/GM, Opry. “Like Mr. Acuff before him, his dressing room door is always open, and he’s often ready to pick one backstage and catch up with friends in the wings as well as to collaborate with them musically on the Opry stage.

“It is obvious in watching clips from Vince’s Opry induction 25 years ago that Opry patriarch Roy Acuff was a big Vince Gill fan and that he was hoping Vince would help carry on the magic of the Opry for future generations,” Fisher continued. “Though Roy died the next year, there is no doubt he would be proud tonight of all that Vince has accomplished and everything he has meant to Mr. Roy’s beloved show.”

Vince Gill’s 25th Anniversary cake celebration backstage with Grand Ole Opry’s VP/GM Pete Fisher and President Opry Entertainment Group Steve Buchanan.

Opry VP/GM Pete Fisher presents Vince Gill with a commemorative Hatch Show print for his 25th Anniversary celebration.

The Time Jumpers join their bandmate Vince Gill onstage to perform their theme song “Corrina, Corrina” and “Faint of Heart” with Wendy Morten.

In addition to collaborations, Gill performed the title track of his current album, Down To My Last Habit. Gill is also a member of The Time Jumpers, which will release their third album, Kid Sister, on Sept. 9. The ensemble joined him on performances of “Corinne, Corinna” and “Faint of Heart,” featuring a singer in Gill’s touring band, Wendy Moten.

Opry legend and friend Bill Anderson performs a song they co-wrote, “Which Bridge To Cross (Which Bridge To Burn),” with Gill on Saturday night’s Opry.

Vince Gill celebrates and pays mutual respect to friend and touring musician Andrea Zonn, who joined him onstage for one of his classic hits “Look At Us.”

Amy Grant joined Gill for “House of Love” and “Whenever You Come Around.”

Amy Grant congratulates her husband Vince Gill on his milestone 25th Anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.