“I Would Drag It Around Everywhere I Went”: Most Kids Had a Teddy Bear or Favorite Blanket—Vince Gill Had His Guitar

Having spent five decades in country music, Vince Gill was feeling somewhat sentimental when wanting to celebrate his career. Deciding to release a yearlong EP series called 50 Years From Home, the project included Brown’s Diner, I Gave You Everything I Had, End of the Night, A Mother’s Prayer, and his latest, Eighteen Summers. Although just a sample of his historic career in the spotlight, Gill recently shared one of his most prized possessions that featured six strings and a rope. 

With Gill taking a trip into the past, the country legend found himself reflecting on a guitar that carried far more than musical value. Featured on the cover of his ninth EP in the series, the instrument came with a story and sentimental connection that stretched back decades. 

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Holding the priceless guitar in his hand, it seemed like just another instrument. But Gill insisted, “I don’t remember how it came into my possession, but I was only about a year or two old when I first started playing it. I drug it by this cord. And I would drag it around everywhere I went.”

[RELATED: The 3 Best Songs Vince Gill Wrote for Other Artists (That He Should Have Kept for Himself)]

Vince Gill’s Favorite Place To Perform

The guitar never left Gill’s side. He admitted that even his mother had pictures of him keeping the instrument close. “My mom has a picture of me sleeping facedown on the couch with my arm around that guitar. You can see, it’s been all busted up, cracks, and all that stuff. But it makes a good sound. It’s pretty sentimental.”  

Besides highlighting the road that led him to stardom, Gill wasn’t finished adding a few more chapters to his legacy. “My heart tells me I’m writing better songs; my ears tell me I’m singing better. All this stuff is apparent to me. I’ve written 150 songs in the last two or three years, and I don’t want to see them all sit in a desk drawer somewhere and never be heard.” 

Throughout the 50 Years From Home series, Gill explored genres like gospel, country, soul and blues. But among all his accomplishments and accolades, nothing compared to the Ryman. “Hands down, the Ryman is my favorite place I’ve ever played. Everything they do down there, I just always want to be a part of it. I love being on that stage, the history of it, and all that stuff. I’ve had some pretty amazing moments in that room.”

While Gill hoped to add a few more memorable moments, he never forgot the ones that shaped his career. And after five decades, a childhood guitar still carried some of his most cherished memories. 

(Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images)