Vince Gill Leaves the Time Jumpers
After a decade with the Time Jumpers, Vince Gill has left the Western swing band.
Rolling Stone confirmed the news of Gill's departure from the group with a spokesperson for the band, which will resume their Monday night residency at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville on Oct. 5. The group paused the weekly shows during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“The Time Jumpers will miss having Vince Gill as a part of the band. We’ve really enjoyed his tenure with us, and his musicianship has added a lot to our sound," the statement explains. "However, this is a particularly unique band. We’ve been around for over 20 years and in that time, members have come and gone ... But the band lives on because it is larger than any one of us.
"Our aim has always been about making music that is meaningful ... a space for musicians to be creative and let their hair down musically," the statement adds. "That is what is at the heart of the Time Jumpers, and that will not change.”
The Time Jumpers formed in 1998, and Gill joined the group in 2010. As the band's statement explains, they've been a home for a number of musicians throughout the years, though Gill was one of the biggest names to be a part of the group.
"I work really hard at helping people to grasp I’m just one of the guitar players in this band. It’s not ‘Vince Gill and the Time Jumpers,'" Gill explained to Rolling Stone in 2014. "I bring a lot of attention to the band because I’m in it, and I can’t help that. But everybody in that band knows my heart and everybody is completely fine with it."
Currently, the Time Jumpers' lineup includes Kenny Sears, Brad Albin, “Ranger Doug” Green, Larry Franklin, Paul Franklin, Wendy Moten, Andy Reiss, Joe Spivey, Jeff Taylor and Billy Thomas.
Even during his time with the Time Jumpers, Gill maintained a solo career, and often collaborated with other artists. Currently, he is a member of the Eagles, stepping in for the late Glenn Frey along with Frey's son Deacon.