Vince Gill began writing the song “Go Rest High on That Mountain” in 1989 when Keith Whitley passed away. The song remained unfinished until Vince Gill lost his brother, Bob Gill, in 1993. In 1994, it was released on Gill’s When Love Finds You album. Ricky Skaggs and Patty Loveless sang the backup vocals for the album cut.
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The song won the Best Country Song and Male Country Vocal Performance with dual Grammy Awards in 1995. In 1996, it won CMA’s Song of the Year. In 1997, it won the BMI Most-Performed Song award. Over the years, the singer has dedicated the song to the memory of many people, including George Jones in 2024.
As beautiful as the song is, and as many times as Gill performed it, he told reporters that he always felt it was incomplete. He added another verse to the powerful song and debuted it in 2019 at the Ryman Auditorium during a Christmas show. “Go Rest High on That Mountain” carries Vince Gill’s deep religious beliefs with it. Writing the song gave him a way to process his grief over the loss of Keith Whitley and, later, his brother.
It tells of an afterlife in heaven and the meeting of friends and family after death. Vince Gill uses his talent and incredible vocal range to add depth to the lyrics. The song transcends time and genre. The song provides closure and comfort to those who need it, and the lyrics portray hope. The death of a loved one is never easy, but Vince Gill’s lyrics help people to cope. The duet with Patty Loveless, when Gill dedicated the song to his brother, brings heartfelt tears to all who hear it.
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