Vince Gill
has left MCA Records. Appearing Wednesday (Feb. 22) as an unscheduled guest
on Universal Music Group's Country Radio Seminar show at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, Gill sang his unrecorded song "Red
Words" after announcing his 23-year relationship with MCA was over. A spokesman for Gill confirmed the departure from MCA,
a division of UMG. Prior to signing with MCA in 1989, he had spent five years recording for RCA Records. Gill released
Guitar
Slinger, his final album for MCA, last October. His first -- and possibly final -- single from that album, "Threaten Me
With Heaven," received only moderate airplay. However, Gill, wife
Amy Grant,
Dillon O'Brian and the late Will Owsley received a Grammy nomination in the best country song category for co-writing it.
The trade publication
Country Aircheck reported that Gill told the audience of radio programmers, "I'm just grateful
for where I've been, and you've been a big part of where I've been and where I'm going. To my MCA family, it was really a
sweet ride the last 23 years, and I appreciate everything you do."
