Vincent Grant Gill, also known by his stage name of Vince Gill, is one of America’s renowned singers and songwriters in the country music genre. The Oklahoma-born superstar who was born 64 years ago on the 12th of April, is known for his chart-topping songs ever since he began his career as a solo artist in 1983.
His successful musical career started with his 1989 studio album “When I Call Your Name”, which launched him into the spotlight as it sold over a million copies. He followed it up with his 1991 album, “Pocket Full of Gold”, and his 1992 effort, “I Still Believe in You”.
Since then he has released over 17 other successful albums, earning him the status as one of the best-selling artists in America, with over 26 million copies of his albums sold to date.
Vince Gill is known to be very deft at playing several musical instruments, which along with his vocals and lyrical talents has won him 22 Grammy Awards. This makes him the male artist with the highest number of Grammys. He is also the artist with the highest number of awards at the Country Music Awards, as he had won 18 CMAs.
In 2014, precisely at the 48th edition of the CMA Awards on the 5th of November, he was bestowed with the Irving Waugh award for his monumental strides in country music. This placed Vince Gill in the same company as the country music icon, Johnny Cash, who was also a recipient of the award.
He is currently a member of the band, The Eagles, with who he first joined as a supporting act on tours in 2017.
Vince Gill Childhood Years
Vince Gill grew up with his stepbrother, Bob Coen, his brother Bob, and his sister, Gina, in the city of Norman, Oklahoma, under their parents, J. Stanley Gill and Jerene Gill.
Bob Coen is the son of Jerene from her previous marriage. Vince Gill adored and respected his elder stepbrother a lot that he sang a song for him when he passed away in 1993.
But what led to the demise of Bob, who Vince didn’t see as a stepbrother but as a blood brother?
Vince Gill’s Brother & Fatal Car Accident Of 1968
Bob Coen was involved in a fatal car wreck in 1968 when he was 22 years old. At the time, Vince Gill was just 11 years of age. The wreck caused Bob to go into a coma for 3 months.
When he woke up from the coma his brain was damaged beyond medical repair. The damage to his brain led to him exiling himself from friends and family till his eventual death in 1993.
Vince Gill was devastated by the death of his elder stepbrother, and wrote the song, “It Won’t Be The Same This Year”, in his memory. He went on to dedicate his Christmas album of 1993, “Let There Be Peace on Earth” and his first special Christmas performance on Live TV to the memory of his late stepbrother, Bob Coen.
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