In one of the most touching moments of the entire CMA Awards, Brandi Carlile sang a tender version of Vince Gill’s 1989 ballad “When I Call Your Name” to pay tribute to Gill, the recipient of this year’s Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. Carlile alone would have been a highlight, but then Patty Loveless emerged and the performance reached an even higher level.
Gill himself knew it. Cameras captured the Oklahoma singer, songwriter, and guitarist watching raptly from the audience, just on the brink of tears.
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After Carlile and Loveless’s stellar performance, surprise guest George Strait took the stage to introduce Gill, who claimed that in the history of the award he is “the only one that’s won…that’s never smoked any weed.” He also paid tribute to the man the award is named after: Willie Nelson. “What I admire most about him is his willingness to include his family. He calls his band ‘family.’ Man, that’s a great way to live,” Gill said.
Before the broadcast, Gill, 68, talked about how much receiving the award meant to him. “I’m just grateful for who it’s named after,” he said. “Willie has been a friend of mine for 50 years, and he’s a great inspiration. He’s kind of the last one standing…of all of my heroes, and he’s still creative today as he’s ever been, and that’s inspiring. Recent winners of the award have included George Strait, Alan Jackson, and Loretta Lynn.
Carlile was a fitting choice for the tribute performance for more than one reason: In addition to both being world-class vocalists, Gill and Carlile have each flourished outside of the strict confines of the genre. Trivia alert: The singers both contributed backup vocals to Holler, the 2018 solo album by Amy Ray of Indigo Girls.
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