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Vince Gill said he’d “be alright,” if Taylor Swift surpassed him as one of the youngest inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Gill recently caught up with Rolling Stone Senior Editor Joseph Hudak on an episode of Nashville Now, which released on Wednesday (March 18). Hudak pointed out during the conversation that Gill, 68, was only 50 years old when he officially became a member of the Hall of Fame in 2007. The only younger inductees in history are Johnny Cash and Eddy Arnold. They were both 48, and inducted in 1980 and 1966, respectively.
“I was grateful. There was a part of me that kind of thought (it was) a little early, you know,” Gill said in a clip from the podcast that was shared on Instagram. “What I wanted to do after the fact was earn it, was make people be grateful that they did it. …The real reason I got inducted so young was they changed the stipulations of the qualifications to be eligible for the Hall of Fame. They added a couple of categories. Before, you had to have started your career 20 years prior to being eligible or something like that, which I was eligible because I made my first record in ’74. So, that wasn’t really a problem.”
Hudak noted, “20 years, I keep thinking, because Taylor Swift’s debut album came out 20 years ago. So, I’m waiting to see what happens.” Swift, 36, who will make an appearance at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards next week, released her self-titled debut album in October 2006. The country album launched Swift’s career as one of the most successful artists of all time. She’s since scored many No. 1 hit singles, embarked on record-breaking tours, made significant influence in the music industry and more.
“I think they’ll put her in there, you know, why wouldn’t you?” Gill said of the possibility of inducting Swift into the Country Music Hall of Fame. “She’s also, you know, a lot of people don’t realize she’s arguably the biggest donor that’s ever been to the Country Music Hall of Fame. I’m crazy about her.”
“She would beat both Johnny Cash and you as the youngest,” Hudak said. Gill replied, “that would be alright.”
The Country Music Association annually appoints an anonymous panel to elects members into the Hall of Fame, spotlighting their significant contributions to country music. Inductees in the Modern Era Artist category must have at least 20 years of national prominence. Veterans Era Artist inductees must have at least 45 years of national prominence, and the final inductee is in a rotating category (Songwriter, Musician or Non-Performer). Each year, a class is formally inducted into the Hall of Fame during a Medallion Ceremony in October in the museum’s CMA Theater. this year’s inductees have not been announced as of publication time on Thursday (March 19). They will be announced on Friday (March 20).
Throughout the Nashville Now episode, Gill also spoke about “his new series of EPs, 50 Years From Home, his ongoing gig as a member of the Eagles, and his own solo tours. Gill also recalls the time he was heckled by Eagles fans, reflects on his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame when he was only 50, and gives a candid answer when asked about performing at a polarizing venue last year: the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.” Find the full episode on iHeartRadio here.