Vince Gill returns to the Ryman for four-night residency: 'I can't think of a better venue'

The first time Vince Gill stepped on stage at the Ryman Auditorium, he felt something described decades later as "beautiful."

Gill — a sound-shifting Nashville musician known best for his hitmaking Country Music Hall of Fame career and in the last half-decade as an adopted member of classic rock institution The Eagles — can't recall which television or radio program invited him to step on the venerated stage, but the emotion he felt remains unforgettable.

"I got to play there with just me and a guitar in the room," Gill told The Tennessean last week. "As I started playing, I got this spiritual kind-of rush that flushed my entire body.

"I'm married to Amy Grant but I wouldn't say I'm the most religious guy in the world," Gill added, with a laugh. "[But] it was an amazing experience that I can only chalk up to a spiritual experience. The very first time I stepped foot in there, that's what it did to me."

Now, every time Gill returns to Nashville's beloved tabernacle — to play bluegrass, sing Christmas songs, surprise audiences or catch a show in the aged pews — he feels something special.

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And this August, Gill returns to the so-called Mother Church of Country Music for a four-night residency.

He performs Aug. 4-7; tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. via ryman.com. Gill taps "The Voice" alum Wendy Moten to play opening support.

It marks the first multi-night solo run for Gill at the Ryman since 2007, when he performed a pair of genre-hopping marathon shows for his Grammy Award-winning "These Days" project.

"Whenever you see an opportunity pop up to play there, I'm generally first in line," Gill said.

The show announcement comes days before the Ryman celebrates 130 years since doors opened in 1892. The venue held its first concert — kicking off another four-night residency, this time with the Theodore Thomas Orchestra — on May 4, 1892. Newspapers raved about the quality of art, but the show ultimately lost money — $336.70, per the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

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Still, coming up a few hundred dollars short of profit wouldn't stop the Ryman from becoming a stronghold for Tennessee entertainment that remains as vibrant today as it was when the Grand Ole Opry began airing from the venue in 1942.

Often considered a rite of passage for flourishing artists in Americana and country music, the modern Ryman residency returned in earnest with Little Big Town in 2017. The Ryman has since billed artists from Jason Isbell to Brandi Carlile, Sturgill Simpson, Ashley McBryde, Tyler Childers, Dwight Yoakam and more for residency performances.

Ryman residencies continue this weekend with a three-night run from bluegrass phenom Billy Strings; organizers expect to announce more multi-night shows in the coming weeks as a promise to ticket-buyers that the 130th anniversary year aims to feature more residencies than any before it.

And, yes, while Gill and Grant celebrate each holiday season with a run of sought-after Christmas shows, he's excited to play his material for those making a pilgrimage to downtown Nashville's storied hall.

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"Part of me thought about playing one night of bluegrass, playing one night of just you as a singer-songwriter, play all new songs" Gill said. "But what if that would have a tendency to make people feel left out if they didn't get to see [one] night? I figured I better do the same thing each night. That's the plan at this point.

He added, "Maybe a guest or two will show up, who knows?"

Regardless of setlist or surprise guests, showgoers may experience what Gill first experienced when he stepped on the Ryman stage — something spiritual.

"I can't think of a better venue for a performer," Gill said. "The way the balcony works, the way [the audience is] is brought in closer to you is unlike anywhere I've ever played. A lot of it has to do with the whole point of that building ever being built was to save souls. It wasn't to have music. It was to save souls."

Find more information on Vince Gill at the Ryman and the venue's 130th anniversary at ryman.com.

Ryman Auditorium 130th anniversary residencies (so far)

• Jan. 19-21: Dwight Yoakam

• Feb. 22-23 & Feb. 25-26: Tedeschi Trucks Band

• May 6-8: Billy Strings

• Aug. 4-7: Vince Gill

• Dec. 12-15, 17-18 & 20-21: Christmas at the Ryman with Amy Grant and Vince Gill

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vince Gill returns to the Ryman for a four-night residency: Interview