Saturday night was a very special Saturday night for Vince Gill, his family, friends, and fans, as one of Nashville's music treasures celebrated 25 years as an Opry member with a special edition of the Grand Ole Opry.
Vince Gill was welcomed into the Opry family on August 10, 1991, after writing and performing some of Country's biggest hits.
In the past 25 years, he's continued to produce chart-topping music, and he's collaborated with almost everyone in Nashville - whether it be through songwriting, recording, or performing.
Gill has become such a big name, that a 6 Degrees of Vince Gill website was launched, showing just how many artists he is connected to.
On Saturday, Gill was joined by some familiar names and faces - including his wife Amy Grant, one of his daughters, Jenny Gill, and a band he has joined and played with frequently in the past decade, The Time Jumpers.
The Opry had two special Saturday shows for Gill, and the audiences for each show filled the pews of the Opry House.
The Grand Ole Opry is normally a very scheduled show, with segments lasting about a half-hour each, but on Saturday, Gill and his friends and family on stage took their time, having fun and performing their best for the crowd.
Each show ended up being about an hour longer than scheduled.
Throughout the night Gill showcased his impressive guitar playing, switching between Telecasters, Les Pauls, and acoustic guitars.
One of the highlights for those in the crowd was when Gill played his acoustic guitar while his daughter sang a song that Gill wrote for her, along with Guy Clark, when she was just three-years-old. A song named "Jenny Dreamed of Trains."
Jenny Gill also shared a story of how her father was approached to make his Opry debut.
According to Jenny, her father was called by the Opry to make his debut, but he declined, after sharing the news that he was already booked for that evening. He was booked to accompany Jenny on guitar for her school's talent show, where she planned to sing "You Are My Sunshine."
Luckily, the Opry called him back, and the rest is history.
The collaborations also showcased not only Vince Gill's range in songwriting abilities, but also his smooth vocals, which lead or compliment any song.
Throughout the show, guest performers shared stories about how they met Gill and how he influenced their careers and life.
Performers included Gill's wife Amy Grant, his daughter Jenny Gill, Gill's longtime friend Patty Loveless, Rodney Crowell, Ashley Monroe, Opry legend Bill Anderson, The Time Jumpers, Charlie Worsham, Andrea Zonn, Paul Franklin, and the legendary Opry Square Dancers.
Opry Vice President and General Manager Pete Fisher also presented Gill with a commemorative Hatch Show print to mark the celebration.
Vince Gill is an Oklahoma native who now calls Nashville home and he is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
His most recent album, "Down To My Last Bad Habit", was released on September 9, 2015.
