Vince Gill Receives NSAI's Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award

Music icon Vince Gill received yet another honor Tuesday night (9/22) when he was presented with the Nashville Songwriters Association International's (NSAI) prestigious Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium.

Gill, seated in the front row, looked teary-eyed as one performer after another honored him with renditions of songs he had penned. Close friend Rodney Crowell performed Gill's 1993 No. 1 hit 'One More Last Chance,' followed by Ashley McBryde's passionate rendition of the more recent song, 'Hill People,' which she and Gill co-wrote and is included on Secondhand Smoke, the second EP in his year-long series of releases. Closing out the segment, Chris Stapleton, Ricky Skaggs, Sonya Isaacs and Andrea Zonn performed Gill's iconic 'Go Rest High On That Mountain,' bringing the Ryman audience to its feet.

The award was presented by Lisa Kristofferson, who said her late husband described Gill's voice as 'clear as a bell and with the heart of an angel.' She also referenced an occasion in 2022 when Kris made what was his final appearance at the Country Music Hall of Fame, Gill was holding his ailing friend's hand as they entered the hall.

Gill took the stage and offered Lisa Kristofferson a sincere hug, before heading to the podium. 'I met Kris a long time ago,' said Gill, 'and the fact that this honor bears his name will make it one of the greatest awards I've ever received.' Gill continued by offering special acknowledgements to longtime producer Tony Brown, and his publisher and manager Jody Williams. Brown for their long relationship making records and encouraging him to record 'Go Rest High On That Mountain,' and Williams for the encouragement to continue writing well after his radio successes had waned. Gill added, 'I'm grateful I still get to do this and what's interesting to me is that I think I'm writing my best songs now. I've got a brand-new fire in me and I've been writing songs with some great writers. I love being a part of this community of songwriters. I always have and I always will.'

Heartfelt acknowledgements were shared via video messages from Crowell, Brown, songwriters Liz Rose and Bob DiPiero, journalist and historian Robert K. Oermann, and Joe Galante, head of RCA Records when Gill was signed to the label in the 80s, who offered, 'Vince was a different color to the family portrait of country music. There was a sweetness, there was a tenderness, almost this hug that you got when he sang. He is the embodiment of what makes this format so special. Those songs and his voice and his playing have made that kind of impact, not for a moment, but for decades.'

The past year has been exceedingly full and prolific for Gill. Not only did he tour on his own, performing 35 shows over the summer including a sold-out six-night run at the Ryman, Gill has also continued to perform as part of the Eagles' The Long Goodbye Tour.

Last October, after signing a lifetime deal with MCA, Gill announced he would honor his fifty years since leaving home to launch his career by curating a series of EPs containing new material to be released over the course of a year. Thematically the series is titled 50 Years from Home and he recently released the tenth EP of the series.

In addition to this week's NSAI honor, within the past twelve months Gill has been awarded the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, the Ken Burns American Heritage Prize and 'Go Rest High On That Mountain' was selected for preservation by the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress.

And the year isn't over yet.

About Vince Gill

One of the most popular artists in modern country music, Vince Gill is famous for his top-notch songwriting, world-class guitar playing and warm, soaring tenor, all wrapped up in a quick and easy wit. Gill achieved his big breakthrough in 1990 with 'When I Call Your Name,' which won both the Country Music Association's (CMA) Single and Song of the Year awards as well as a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male. In total, Gill has won 18 CMA Awards, 22 Grammy Awards, and 8 Academy of Country Music Awards, and in 2025 was presented with the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1991, Gill was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, and in 2007 was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2012 he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A gifted songwriter, Gill's compositions earned him entry into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and the prestigious BMI Icon award in 2014. Throughout his career, he has released 21 albums, sold over 30 million albums, and charted 45 singles. In 2022, Gill was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame. Always considering himself a musician above all else, Gill has over the years been a part of some iconic bands, including Pure Prairie League, The Notorious Cherry Bombs, and The Time Jumpers. In 2017, Gill was asked to join the Eagles on the road, and he continues to be a part of that historic band's tour. 2025 marked the 50th anniversary of Gill leaving home to pursue a career in music. To honor that milestone, he signed a lifetime contract with his record label MCA, and is releasing an EP series of brand-new music every month for a year, titled 50 Years from Home.

Photo Credit: Catherine Powell