Gill was born in Norman, Oklahoma, the home of the University of Oklahoma Sooners and learned to play several instruments, including banjo and guitar before he started high school at Oklahoma City's Northwest Classen High School. After he graduated, he played in a number of bluegrass bands. He debuted on the national scene with the country-rock band Pure Prairie League in 1979, appearing on that band's album Can't Hold Back. Gill is the lead singer on their hit song, "Let Me Love You Tonight" (1980), which he was still performing in concert years later - thus, he said, confusing many fans who knew him only from his subsequent solo work. Gill appeared on two subsequent albums along with his then-wife Janis Oliver.
Departing Pure Prairie League in 1981, Gill joined Rodney Crowell’s backing band The Notorious Cherry Bombs, where he met and worked with Tony Brown and Emory Gordy Jr., both of whom would later produce many of his future solo albums.
Signing as a solo artist with RCA Records in 1983, he first charted while on that label. In 1989 he switched to MCA Records where he recorded his breakthrough hit "When I Call Your Name." His 1998 album The Key received great critical acclaim. His other albums include Next Big Thing (2003) and Let's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye (2000). The Guitar Slinger Songfacts says that Gill released his twelfth studio album, Guitar Slinger, on October 25, 2011 via MCA Nashville. It was his manager, Larry Fitzgerald, who came up with the title, as he felt there was something different the way Gill was playing the guitar on the record.
Gill hosted the CMA Awards every year from 1992 to 2003. In 2004 he received a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. In 1997, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
He married country singer Janis Oliver (of Sweethearts of the Rodeo fame) in 1980. The couple have one daughter, Jennifer Jerene Gill, born 5 May 1982. Vince and Janis separated in the mid-1990s and eventually divorced in June 1998. Vince later began dating and eventually married Christian/pop singer Amy Grant in March of 2000. They have one daughter, Corrina Grant Gill born 12 March 2001.
Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler was a fan of Gill's, and had asked Gill to join the band full time. Gill turned down the invitation but did sing backup on one song ("The Bug") from Dire Straits' album On Every Street.
Gill has also sung duets with numerous artists, including Dolly Parton ("I Will Always Love You"), Reba McEntire ("Oklahoma Swing," "The Heart Won't Lie," "It Just Has to Be That Way"), Amy Grant ("House of Love"), and Barbra Streisand ("If You Ever Leave Me"); his other credits as a backup vocalist have included "Girls With Guitars" by Wynonna Judd (written by Mary-Chapin Carpenter, who, coincidentally, had a country hit with her cover of "The Bug") and "Nothing Left Behind Us" by Richard Marx.
Love's Standin'
Vince Gill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I see you without your makeup
And you still take me breath away
There ain't no grass that's any greener
I know there's nothing sweeter
Than how you make me feel this way
When I look in your eyes, any fool could realize
Love's standin' right in front of me
When the world's in such a hurry
But I don't have to worry
'Cause I found what they're lookin' for
She whispers, ?Baby, lay your head down?
Slips off that flannel nightgown
How could any man ever wish for more?
When I look in your eyes, any fool could realize
Love's standin' right in front of me
When I see your face and I know I've found my place
Love's standin' right in front of me
When I look in your eyes, any fool could realize
Love's standin' right in front of me
When I see your face and I know I've found my place
Love's standin' right in front of me
Love's standin' right in front of me, baby
And our love I see ain't goin' nowhere, baby
Love's standin' right in front of me
When I see your face and I know I've found my place
Love's standin' right in front of me
In Vince Gill's song Love's Standin', the lyricist expresses his gratitude for the love that he has in his life. He begins by noting that even when he wakes up to see his partner without makeup, she still takes his breath away. The writer notes that to him, there is nothing better than how his partner makes him feel. As he looks into her eyes, he notes the certainty that love is standing in front of him. In this fast-paced world, the writer is content and knows that he has found what others are searching for. When his partner whispers to him “Baby, lay your head down," he sees that he could not have wished for more.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, every morning when I wake up
The singer is expressing admiration and fondness for their partner, starting every day feeling grateful.
And I see you without your makeup
The singer's affection is not based on physical appearance, as they appreciate their partner even in a vulnerable state.
And you still take me breath away
The adoration for the partner remains strong, even after a long time of being together.
There ain't no grass that's any greener
The artist is content with their current relationship, and does not need to look elsewhere.
I know there's nothing sweeter
The artist recognizes the value and rarity of finding true love.
Than how you make me feel this way
The feeling of being loved and appreciated by their partner is unmatched.
When I look in your eyes, any fool could realize
The singer is emphasizing the obviousness and simplicity of being in love with their partner.
Love's standin' right in front of me
The artist fully recognizes and appreciates the love they have found.
When the world's in such a hurry
The pace and demands of modern life can be overwhelming.
But I don't have to worry
The artist's love life is a stabilizing force in the midst of chaos, providing security and peace of mind.
'Cause I found what they're lookin' for
The singer takes pride in having found true love when it seems to elude so many others.
She whispers, ?Baby, lay your head down?
The partner's affectionate words and actions add to the feeling of being cherished.
Slips off that flannel nightgown
The singer admires their partner's natural beauty and comfort around them.
How could any man ever wish for more?
The singer feels fulfilled and grateful, not wanting or needing more from their partner.
When I see your face and I know I've found my place
The singer feels at home and complete in their relationship.
Love's standin' right in front of me, baby
The artist asserts the presence and importance of love in their life.
And our love I see ain't goin' nowhere, baby
The artist expresses confidence and faith in their relationship standing the test of time and challenges.
Love's standin' right in front of me
The singer repeats the phrase to emphasize the importance and gravity of the love they have found.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Joe Henry, John Hobbs, Vincent Grant Gill
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind