Vince Gill reflects on career as he accepts Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at 2025 CMAs

Vince Gill accepts the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, reflecting on family, career and longtime peers

Vince Gill was honoured with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 59th Annual Country Music Association Awards on November 19.

Presented by last year’s recipient George Strait, the award recognised Gill’s decades of work as one of country music’s most established performers.

Accepting the accolade, Gill remarked: “This is amazing... And I'm pretty confident I'm the only one that's ever won this award that's never smoked any weed.”

He noted his 50-year friendship with Nelson, adding: “I adore him but [what] I admire most about him is his willingness to include his family.”

Gill also acknowledged what he described as his “CMA family,” reflecting on hosting the ceremony 12 times. “It might've been the dumbest thing they ever did, trusting my ass with their show... And every year, all I tried to do was make us all look good.”

He thanked colleagues in the Grand Ole Opry, his management team and his immediate family, naming each of his children and noting his daughter Karina’s boyfriend “plays guitar.”

He closed by paying tribute to his wife Amy Grant, calling her “the kindest soul I've ever known,” and added a message to Willie Nelson: “92 years old, you're still inspiring us to this day.”

Ahead of the presentation, Brandi Carlile and Patty Loveless performed “When I Call Your Name” in tribute. Gill’s career includes 20 albums, more than 30 million records sold and 45 charting singles.

He has performed with The Eagles, Pure Prairie League, The Cherry Bombs and The Time Jumpers, and has received 21 Grammys. He also holds the record for most CMA Song of the Year wins, earning four between 1991 and 1996.

Gill has previously been recognised with the CMA Irving Waugh Award of Excellence, the CMA Foundation Humanitarian Award and multiple CMA Triple Play Awards. He is a member of both the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame.