Vince Gill to be celebrated with new CMT Giants special

The first-ever televised performance from Belmont University’s new Fisher Center for the Performing Arts will be a “CMT Giants: Vince Gill” event premiering Friday, September 16th at 9 p.m. EST / 8 p.m. CST.

Last night, during the first of Vince Gill's four nights headlining at the Ryman Auditorium, his opener -- noted vocalist and 2021 "The Voice" finalist -- Wendy Moten announced the achievement to the capacity crowd.

Luke Combs, Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris, Cody Johnson, Reba McEntire, Maren Morris, Brad Paisley, Ricky Skaggs, Chris Stapleton, Sting, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban are the first-announced guest performers. They will, as noted via a press release, "share personal stories, reflect on their time working with Gill and speak to his forever impact on country music."

Margaret Comeaux, CMT’s Senior Vice President of Production, Music & Events, adds, “From his timeless song catalog, numerous awards and unmatched musicianship, to the respect and camaraderie cultivated among his fellow musicians, and of course, his signature sense of humor, we can all agree Vince is a true titan in country music. He is a true ‘artist’s artist' who has touched fans worldwide with his music and songwriting, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to bestow him with our most esteemed ‘CMT Giants’ distinction.”

Also featured in the special will be a sit-down interview with Gill, where he will reflect on his career, songwriting, musical influences, and future plans. These will be mixed with rare photos, performance footage, and classic interviews.

Gill's CMT history includes a Sting collaboration for a 2011 episode of "CMT Crossroads," a pairing with Alison Krauss for the "CMT Cross Country" series in 2006, and a 2019 "CMT Artists of the Year" appearance to present Reba McEntire with the "Artist of a Lifetime" award.

In recent years, the CMT Giants program has feted McEntire (2006), Hank Williams, Jr. (2007), Alan Jackson (2008), Kenny Rogers (2020), and Charley Pride (2021).

For more information visit CMT.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vince Gill to be celebrated with new CMT Giants special