CMT has announced today that the network will be saluting Vince Gill’s long, rich history in country music with their CMT GIANTS: Vince Gill special. The 90-minute show will have its TV premiere on Friday, September 16, with a trove of stars from the country world and beyond set to take part in the tribute to the legendary singer, songwriter, and guitarist.
Chris Stapleton, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Luke Combs, Ricky Skaggs, Maren Morris and more will be performing some of Gill’s best-known tunes. And guests like Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, Sting, and Keith Urban will appear on the program to discuss Gill’s influence on music and their own encounters with him. The honoree himself will be a part of the presentation too, of course, sitting down for a comprehensive interview about where he’s been, where he’s at, and where he’s heading.
Add a hefty supply of archival concert footage, photos, and interview clips, and it all adds up to an hour and a half of solid Gill. CMT’s Margaret Comeaux, one of the show’s executive producers, stated, “From his timeless song catalog, numerous awards and unmatched musicianship, to the respect and camaraderie cultivated among his fellow musicians, and of course, his signature sense of humor, we can all agree Vince is a true titan in country music.”
Naturally this isn’t the first time Gill has taken part in a CMT special. Anybody who saw him with Alison Krauss in 2006’s CMT Cross Country, with Sting in 2011’s CMT Crossroads, to name just a couple, can tell you that. The CMT GIANTS series is no new kid on the block either. It was inaugurated back in 2006, and over the years the show has saluted Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, Charley Pride, and more. That said, this will be the first televised performance ever seen from the new Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Nashville’s Belmont University.