Country music legend Vince Gill has been named the 2025 recipient of the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, the Country Music Association announced yesterday. Gill will accept the honour during The 59th Annual CMA Awards, broadcasting live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 19 on ABC, with a next-day stream available on Hulu. BBC iPlayer will be showing the event live in the UK too.
The prestigious award recognises artists who have made an enduring impact on country music, and few fit that description better than Vince Gill. With a career spanning more than five decades, Gill has earned a reputation as one of the genre’s most versatile and beloved figures, known for his flawless musicianship, heartfelt songwriting, and signature tenor voice.
Currently performing with the Eagles at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Gill remains as prolific as ever. Following the announcement of a lifetime recording deal with MCA, he revealed plans to release a new EP each month over the next year. The first instalment, '50 Years From Home, EP1: I Gave You Everything I Had' arrived October 17, while the follow-up, ‘Secondhand Smoke,' is set for release this Friday, November 14.
Gill’s busy schedule continues this week with an appearance on the Grand Ole Opry’s Veteran’s Day special alongside James Taylor, Emmylou Harris, Gary Sinise & The Lt. Dan Band, and Jamey Johnson. On Saturday, November 15, he will join Eagles bandmate Joe Walsh at the annual VetsAid benefit concert in Wichita, Kansas, performing alongside Nathaniel Rateliff, Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks, and Ryan Bingham and The Texas Gentlemen. In December, Gill will return to Nashville for his beloved Christmas at the Ryman residency with his wife, Amy Grant.
One of the most celebrated artists in country music history, Vince Gill’s career includes 18 CMA Awards, 22 Grammy Awards, eight Academy of Country Music Awards, and induction into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. His timeless hits such as ‘When I Call Your Name,' ‘Go Rest High on That Mountain' and ‘Look at Us' have defined a generation of country storytelling.
With over 30 million albums sold, 45 charted singles, and countless collaborations spanning bluegrass, country, and rock, Vince Gill’s influence continues to shape modern music. His latest recognition from the CMA serves as a fitting tribute to an artist whose artistry, humility, and heart have made him one of country music’s true greats.
