Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, February 15, 1991                   TAG: 9102150138
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MARK MORRISON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SINGER'S SUCCESS IS NOT ANY HELP TO HIS GOLF GAME

He shoots around par.

"If I ever leave music, I've always got the senior [golf] tour," the 33-year-old singer said in a telephone interview this week from Nashville. "If John Brodie the football player can do it, then so can Vince Gill the singer."

To keep that edge, Gill lives on a golf course and tries to hit CONWAY TWITTY, GEORGE JONES and VINCE GILL: Saturday, 8 p.m., Salem Civic Center. $18.50. 375-3004. the links elsewhere as much as possible when on the road. He'll be appearing Saturday night at the Salem Civic Center with Conway Twitty and George Jones.

Often, Gill said he can squeeze in 18 holes between the time he rolls into a town and the first sound check. He's gotten to play some of the better courses around the country.

"It helps to have back-stage passes . . . to trade for greens fees," he said.

But he stops short of boasting to be the best golfer in the business. Glen Campbell, the Gatlin Brothers and Charlie Pride all have good golf games, he said.

And admittedly, his game has slipped a little the last six months or so. Not that he's complaining.

Since the release of "When I Call Your Name," his debut album on MCA Records, Gill has won Single of the Year from the Country Music Association and he is nominated for five awards from the Academy of Country Music, including Top Male Vocalist, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Single of the Year and Top Vocal Duet of the Year for his duet with Reba McEntire on "Oklahoma Swing."

He also is nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best Country Vocal Performance Male and Best Country Song, both for his breakthrough hit, "When I Call Your Name."

"When it rains it pours," Gill said, referring to the avalanche of award nominations. The last time he received any award recognition was six years ago.

He plans to attend the Grammy Awards show next Wednesday, but he said he isn't preparing any acceptance speeches. In country circles, he said his chances at winning are considered slim at best. Garth Brooks is the more likely choice, he said.

Still, the former lead singer for the pop/rock band Pure Prairie League is hopeful. After all, it's not only country folks who vote on the Grammys.

"This may be the only time in my career when my pop past might help me," he said.

If he does win, he plans to provide videotaped evidence of him in the recording studio to prove that it was actually him singing and playing on the song, and not some imposter.

He said he's no "Gilli Vanilli."

Of course, his list of credits as a Nashville session player proves that: Twitty, McEntire, Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris, Rosanne Cash, Patty Loveless, and many others.

"I've always been a fan of the supporting cast of those making the records. I love the challenge of singing the high harmony part above an Emmylou Harris," he said.

Gill sang on the recent Mark Knopler/Chet Atkins release and he's been working some on Knopler's current Dire Straits project. He calls the session work his bread and butter.

"It's a little extra security," he said.

As a solo artist, you can be hot one minute; cold the next. "That's the scary thing about this business, there are no guaranteed paychecks."

Knowing he can fall back on his songwriting and session work, or become a producer, or even play guitar in someone else's band helps him relax about his own career.

But while he's hot, he hopes to take full advantage of it. He'll be touring more this year than ever before.

"You don't get many chances," he said. "This could last 20 years. It could last 20 minutes. You've got to make the best of it while you have the opportunity."

An Oklahoma native, Gill began his career in music playing in bluegrass bands first in Louisville, Ky., and then Los Angeles.

He joined Pure Prairie League in 1979 and shortly afterwards the group had its only Top 10 hit, "Let Me Love You Tonight," which featured Gill on lead vocals. He went on to record three albums with Pure Prairie League before joining fellow country artist Rodney Crowell's band, the Cherry Bombs.

Meanwhile, Gill landed a solo record deal with RCA Records, releasing three albums that yielded several Top 10 country singles, including "Oklahoma Borderline," "Cinderella," "Everybody's Sweetheart" and "If It Weren't For Him," a duet with Rosanne Cash.

He moved to MCA Records two years ago and a second album for the label, titled "Pocketful of Gold," is due to be released March 5.