Watch Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood Perform At Vince Gill’s ‘CMT Giants’
The show featured friends, collaborators, and admirers, gathering in Gill’s honor at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville.
CMT have shared images and YouTube highlights from the taping of their 90-minute special CMT Giants: Vince Gill. The show premiered last Friday (16) on CMT and featured a remarkable array of friends, collaborators, and admirers, gathering in Gill’s honor at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville.
Sheryl Crow introduced the show, welcoming the invitation-only crowd by recalling that Gill had been the first person to call her when she got to Nashville. Brad Paisley opened the show by performing Gill’s 1991 hit “Liza Jane,” and Gill’s fellow Oklahoma native Carrie Underwood sang his Grammy-winning 1995 release “Go Rest High On That Mountain,” backed by a choir of Belmont students.
Chris Stapleton offered a reading of “Whenever You Come Around” and Gill’s band member and recent finalist on The Voice, Wendy Moten, received the first standing ovation of the evening with “I Still Believe In You.” Others interpreting Gill’s catalog and offering warm wishes to one of the best-loved pillars of the Nashville community included Maren Morris, with “Don’t Let Our Love Start Slippin’ Away,” and Luke Combs, who sang “Pretty Little Adriana.” He observed that a concert by the honoree had been his first as a music fan, and the full-circle moment that saw Gill induct him into the Grand Ole Opry.
Sting, who had earlier introduced Stapleton, performed “These Days,” ten years after he and Gill worked together on their acclaimed CMT Crossroads collaboration. Cody Johnson reprised the song he performed at the Grand Ole Opry recently, Gill’s career-elevating “When I Call Your Name.” Another longtime friend of the star, Ricky Skaggs, was with his band Kentucky Thunder to put a bluegrass spin on “One More Last Chance.”
Also among the presenters on the night, recalling fond memories of their friend, were Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, and Keb’ Mo’, while Keith Urban and Reba McEntire did so virtually. Gill himself was introduced by his daughter Corrina Grant Gill who gave a stirring speech, after which he closed this memorable night with the new song “I Gave You Everything I Had,” to a standing ovation.
Listen to the best of Vince Gill on Apple Music and Spotify.
