More on Vince and the Grammys
Vince Gill won his 19th Grammy in February, with his four-disc collection of original songs “These Days” taking home country album of the year.
The album also was nominated in the genre-crossing album of the year category; it was the first time Gill was nominated in one of the all-encompassing Grammy categories.
I talked to Gill about his experiences at the Grammys in a recent phone interview. He said the country album win was gratifying. He said he was disappointed that the album didn’t win the best album title at last fall’s CMA Awards, losing out to George Strait’s “It Just Comes Natural.”
“It kind of capped it off in a really pretty great way ‘cause the people who are Grammy voters … it’s a little more all encompassing than just the world of country music. It means a lot,” he said.
He said he admires the Grammys “music first and popularity second” mindset.
When I asked him where he keeps all his golden gramaphones – he has the most of any male country artist – he had a funny reply ready.
“I’ve got them nailed to the hood of my car,” he joked with a laugh. “No, (they’re) just around the house here and there. They’re all put away right now because I’m building a studio at the house and everything’s in boxes.”
Most importantly, he gave more insight into his line of the night at the Grammys. When Gill accepted the country album of the year prize from Ringo Starr, he said: “I just got an award given to me by a Beatle. Have you had that happen yet, Kanye?” The line was repeatedly with a kind of shocked relish in People magazine, on MTV’s Web site and in many other media outlets.
Gill said it was amazing to get an award from the Beatles drummer, and he used the opportunity to gently take the wind out of the sails of rapper Kanye West, who is often outspoken when he thinks he deserves an award.
“It was amazing. … I wouldn’t have said anything had I not started walking up those stairs and going, ‘That’s Ringo Starr that’s about to give me a Grammy.’ And it really, it kind of bowled me over. And it was, you know, the moment was fun for me, but funny, too, in what Kanye had just said and in a way kind of dissed the rest of us that were nominated for the big album of the year category, when he said if he didn’t win then he thought he should (or) that Amy Winehouse deserved to win it. And I said, well, now, then, hold on there young brother,” he said with a laugh. “And so you know, I wouldn’t have said anything if it hadn’t have been Ringo and then the opportunity, and I said ‘well, this might be funny, watch this.’ And it all happened just as I walked up the steps did any of that come to me. It wasn’t preplanned or I didn’t have a (plan) – I never do.”
He said the best part was that West seemed to get a kick out of the line, falling back in his seat and laughing.
“I think he understood it was a great chance to make a joke and make everybody laugh, and it did. … It was fun. It took the wind out of his sails but in a fun way, in a sweet way. And he didn’t mind I don’t think.”
Gill was in town Thursday to play a benefit concert for his elementary alma mater, Cleveland Elementary Arts and Science Specialty School, and receive Oklahoma Today magazine’s 2007 Oklahoman of the Year award.
But it was a quick trip to his hometown. He had to get back to Nashville, where he is set to play the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday.
-BAM
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