Vince Gill & Pure Prairie League- "Still Right Here In My Heart" (Merv Griffin Show 1981)

From The Merv Griffin Show in May of 1981, here's a flowing-maned Vince Gill in his early days with the pop-country group Pure Prairie League, lip-syncing to one of their minor hits. Merv Griffin had over 5000 guests appear on his show from 1963-1986. Footage from the Merv Griffin Show is available for licensing to all forms of media through Reelin' In The Years Productions. www.reelinintheyears.com.

[@cneterer]

Vince appeared at our Elkhart County 4-H fair some years ago. We're the second largest in Indiana, so we can draw in some decent talent in rock, country, and Christian. I stood in line an hour before the box office opened to get my mother front row seats for her birthday. He's absolutely her favorite country singer of all time, and she said the show was wonderful. He was funny, charming, sincere, and played guitar like he was walking on air.

[@peterjones4621]

Vince was a star from the beginning, his voice sticks out among all the others, amazing talent.

[@vinnygirl1029]

How little did we know what was to come from Mr. Gill...such beautiful music from 1981 to 2013! Thank you, Vince!

[@aaronz9410]

2022 and he is a tenured Eagle now. His vocals, guitar playing, and song writing make him a triple threat and he is among the GOATs for sure.

[@gaildavidson8389]

Love Vince Gill!! Beautiful voice!!!❤

[@richardmassei9488]

The voice of an angel, Vince Gill guitar player, singer extraordinaire

[@snakebitmgee]

What a trip. I never saw Vince Gill this young. Look at that hair. He is one of the all time greats.

[@EmmieTuesday]

The 70s!

[@Cerph]

What a voice- and he's still got it.

[@bixster2260]

A variation of “Let me love you tonight” but I could listen to Vince all day.

[@richieboy6825]

That’s a nice way to put it…Different enough that they didn’t have to sue themselves !

[@bixster2260]

@@richieboy6825 when you get a big hit you ride it for all it’s worth.

[@Sandra-cm1du]

I love the Merv Griffin Show! Great interviews! Merv...was always so entertaining.

[@lorettagallegos2558]

THIS WAS A GREAT BAND. LOVED THEM. AWESOME SAX PLAYER.

[@BethyKable]

I remember him back then…same great voice and dreamy eyes!

[@sandrahusby1365]

Beautiful song, Love this Band.

[@bobvocal]

The hair may be shorter these days, but to me, Vince is one of the best vocal/ guitarist around. another being the great Glen Campbell who sadly is not the man he was through the disease Alzheimer, but in his day he was , like Vince a brilliant ex session guitarist, with a voice to match

[@donquixote1955]

I never knew Vince was in the pure prairie league...he turned into a great guitar player.

[@zacharysmithandguitars355]

Oh yeah he sure did turn into a great guitar player

[@jimmycollette9209]

Didn't know this. Wow. Really like Vince. A good ambassador for country music.

[@chrisoakley5830]

He wasn't an original member he joined them towards the end of their run. Vince wrote this song and one other hit single from the same album. Those songs back then were on the Top 40 pop charts and were not considered country at all back then.

[@cindynewcomb7139]

Me either!

[@personal5305]

Vince was a child prodigy!look up bio,impressive!

[@draghitatismanaru837]

Beautiful song

[@jojoheartspaypay]

What a beautiful lineup. Top shelf band, always!!!

[@NickRatnieks]

I bought this album-Something In the Night in 1982- I had the first two PPL albums bought back in 1975. I remember thinking after listening to it that Vince Gill was a really major talent and after a number of years his talent got him into the big time- and he did it his way! An example of somebody really good getting his just rewards which is not often the case.

[@ninanewman5926]

Wow, I graduated High school in 1982. How amazing - so many memories ❤️

[@cochinero547]

Oh, dear lord, that hair. Those suits. We were so young, then. Keep going, guys!

[@birdsfan57]

Miss those days...

[@PK-bh1ww]

And Vince Gill is still picken and singing. Saw him in 2017 and he played and sang for 2 hours straight. One of my most memorable experiences is seeing him in concert.

[@bassman1519]

in a short 8 years he would be at the top of the country charts. When I call Your Name

[@pavanatanaya]

This band got the Grammy for most hairspray

[@MissDonnah]

This is fantastic-don't see much of Vince with PPL. I had read somewhere that most of Merv's shows were lost or taped over. Love it!! Watched his show all the time.

[@user-iq4cd1od1t]

I saw Vince with the Eagles twice,love him!

[@danielr4640]

I remember Merv Griffin Show. I liked that show

[@donnamclean1109]

There’s not a better entertainer or nicer person than Vince Gill.

[@charliemalloy1023]

They had such great harmony! I had no idea Vince Gill sang that song.

[@tcwilson60]

remember Vince back when he was with them...one of my favorite bands.

[@alanroberts7916]

I bought every one of their albums that I could, which wasn't all of the albums that they made, unfortunately. And I still have the ones I bought and wouldn't give them away for anything. These guys were my favorite band for several years.

[@mav51063]

LOVE Vince with long hair! And those sexy eyes!!!

[@jstnxprsn]

Yep, that was Jeff and Vince back when I knew them. Been so long.

[@zacharysmithandguitars355]

Oh yeah

[@svs1481]

lip syncing lol

[@jstnxprsn]

@@svs1481 Yeah, that's how they did things back then on TV. Takes nothing away from the band. I heard them play many times from a few feet away, and they are all superb players and singers.

[@joannb104]

I can't believe that hair...I love it..!!

[@kkwok9]

Those were the days!

[@Musicman55]

Hey enjoyed this old footage of Vince and PPL together live awesome Thankyou

[@paulaising4u226]

Awesome! Love Vince Gill

[@susanbezio1529]

Been with this band since 1975.

[@ninanewman5926]

I had no idea the band was this old.

[@jeffreyjacobs390]

Lip Syncing was prevalent back in the days of TV shows and bands with amplified sounds, few could ever measure up to the studio worked out tracks over time. Vince has that pearly smooth tenor voice .... pop or country .... just wonderful vocal gift.

[@danroberts9050]

This was lip synced.

[@PhyllisVanhoose-rp2fm]

Wow so amazing

[@vinnygirl1029]

Looking forward to ALL of his incredible music in the future too!

[@asthemillertoldhistale1361]

I remember working the board for them at Appalachian Sound Workshop near Waverly, Ohio.

[@peterburak4692]

I saw them live at Kean College in NJ during this timeframe :) That is how I remember Vince and the guys looking that day.

[@JClaus1221]

Pure Prairie League, musical group and basketball team all in one.

[@deemail100]

seeing him here, you can really see how much is daughters look like him...

[@randywaynedallas2319]

I talked with him at a recording studio in January 1981. He was working alot as a sessions musician back then as well.

[@wm.a.billfisher1410]

Glad he got a haircut. I imagine Amy is too.

[@MsBonnieBlue]

Always loved this song 🎵 and never knew it was Vince Gill ‘ and saw them in concert at the state theater’

[@npc77107]

Great song!

[@crlguitar1]

Vince, what a wonderful voice and guitar talent....Sure looked funny with that hair back then!

[@huber0105]

Wow. Who set up Vinces mic stand? Did they not realize how tall he is? Great talent both then and even more so now.

[@keithmurrow5448]

On "lip synch" performances such as this, TV producers used to position the singers' microphones low sometimes so their face would show better. More 'visually pleasing' to the TV audience and certainly not an audio issue since the mic wasn't even turned up.

[@0987161]

Vince Gill so young and handsome

[@rzxkp7none275]

Thank you, I looked up Vince gill.

[@misslantana52]

Pretty song, great band! ♥⁀˚⋆.‿♥✿•*

[@eltopo61]

Oh my Memories of youth,,,,,

[@whatiwasgoingtosay]

I never knew they were from Northern Kentucky! That’s my neck of the woods!

[@sandyjuntunen4088]

Vince is from Oklahoma.

[@chrisoakley5830]

I have the old 45 record of this song and also the other single from the same album... Let Me Love You Tonight.

[@MrTrashcan1]

IMO, these were the best years of PPL. Fantastic footage. Thanks for posting!

[@aeolusryder7896]

I had no idea Vince Gill was part of this group. I never really followed closely however, their hit Amiee was big when I was a senior in HS.

[@chrisoakley5830]

He wasn't in the group when Amy was a hit. He joined a few years later.

[@marke6569]

Craig Fuller is The Original Lead on Amie

[@stevegrimes5105]

Vince, such a shock!

[@Cherokee6194159]

Yes Vince is from Okla. Okla.City 24st. two blocks down from me ,same schools ect.Think he was about ten years behind me, love his playing and singing.

[@TG-uj6yu]

I was a shade under 5 months old when this was recorded

[@mrtuttle76]

classic!!!period

[@Stringman1950]

What a voice ... early on. I remember his voice on the radio it he 70s but didn’t know who he was. Some talent is meant to be.

[@ninanewman5926]

He probably didn't know who he was...

[@leikilimaile2565]

Whaaat? Wow didn’t know he was apart of pure prairie league

[@michaelhalas4287]

Crazy that he married "Amy"

[@MusicDude86]

Good call

[@pamelacarter7438]

HAAA,,HAA

[@timsanderson5572]

Interesting, although he did not write that previous Pure Prairie League song. It was from the Craig Fuller era of the band.

[@keithyoung9934]

Tim Sanderson Christine

[@perpetualchangeband]

well, u know, they did that song together when both still married to other ppl...😘😘

[@snootzie78]

Yes I do remember the song. I was only 2 at the time.

[@WJ_RedSG]

I saw this lineup at DePauw U in the early 80s at their small auditorium.

[@debraarnold3703]

2022 saw him with Lyle, it was a 2 man show. He's never disappointed over the last 25 years of getting those seats to see the man. The only show that was maybe not the best was in 2012, when he brought Amy out and she played by herself with her band for over a half hour. Sorry Vince, I didn't pay $250 for my seat to see Amy. One year maybe 2003, he was late to Wolf Trap, so Del Mccoury's band opened for him instead of closing for him. That was actually fun! They did the encores together. Great show.

[@JesusFreakJene]

What a babe Vince Gill.

[@lanes58]

Not even one of these guys are original members of Pure Prairie League. The band was formed by George Ed Powell and Craig Fuller.

[@BigRedPlays3]

the bass player is an original member

[@lanes58]

The bass player here is Michael Reilly. He came on board as bass player in 1972, three years after the band was formed. The original bass player was Jim Lanham, followed by Phil Stokes, and then Reilly.

[@robertvillarreal4525]

Saw the B & W of the original PPL. Sad. BTW was the original band from Boulder,Colorado? Had their 1975 LP. Two Lane Highway. Man.

[@brendamilloy2557]

Yeah Vince!

[@wingsmike]

PPL played up in Mt.Adams in Cincy. back in the 60's

[@evdallas123]

I didn't know he was that old

[@joblues52]

God, Vince Gill is so handsome!

[@wm.a.billfisher1410]

Bunch of mutual friends, including Amy... But in looks, he never has done anything for me. Fortunately.

[@wayawolf1967]

Theres enough hair on that stage to build a sasquatch. LOL

[@tomcoryell]

I met this version of the band when they rented my Rhodes on a fly date. Had no idea at the time who Vince Gill was. They were a nice bunch of blokes though!

[@cleanqueen75]

Love that hair!

[@brianpeters7847]

I miss my mullet.. and the 70s and 80s

[@rowdyhoo]

Interesting! Talented.

[@djangoshmango]

I saw PPL around '77. I remember JD Call on steel. Fuller not there. I believe I saw Fuller In Kentucky a year or two later. Yes Gill is an Okie but was in LA playing bluegrass with fellow Okie Byron Berline in group named California? Fun to see this post. thanks

[@Girl-fk1wf]

❤❤❤

[@Telelikeitis]

So Vince was the only one to go on, way ta go Vince!

[@carolbiggs722]

love vince gill

[@francinecorry633]

Wow! Who knew!

[@rebeccav4478]

great post. too bad they weren't performing live.

[@DontCallMeLenny]

They sound so much like Restless Heart. Very similar style.

[@philipearlmcg3964]

was thinking the same thing. obviously influenced RH, Little Texas, and others of the late 80's early 90s. side note. . .Restless Heart played CavernFest in Carlsbad year before last. . .they can still do it. . amazing harmonies. lots of memories

[@zacharysmithandguitars355]

I Agee

[@jstnxprsn]

I can't believe anybody remembers Restless Heart. LOL

[@marke6569]

Along with Restless Heart, Poco, The Eagles, Exile, Little Texas Lonestar my favorite Bands. Larry Stewart ( Restless Heart ) Tim Rushlow ( Little Texas) & Richie McDonald ( Lonestar) are performing togerher as The Frontmen Aka The Frontmen of Country. 3 of the Greatest lead Vocalists and players

[@zacharysmithandguitars355]

Vince Gill was young man in this video

[@Dennis23457]

his first wife ,Janis Oliver of sweet hearts of the Rodeo whom he met at 19 played in a blue grass band together also

[@marke6569]

To Jamie who stated Shame we lost PPL. They are still performing snd are touring with 4 Original Members

[@makenasnana]

OMG...Vince was such a baby!!!

[@thomasrose38]

He's only joking about them from Los Angeles inside joke with the band Vince got a kick out of it

[@melvinlee5684]

I don’t think that this was ever classified as Rock, but today it would be considered as Country.

[@Mooseboy08]

An amazing talent! Right up there with Joe Walsh… or right next to him, if you're seeing Eagles. ;)

[@CrossJeniel]

I like it

[@JeffMcCalib]

"You guys have been together ten years... and nobody quit". Merv didn't know much about PPL.

[@personal5305]

the original singer who wrote Amie quit.....Craig?come on now.look it up.

[@thomastarwater2989]

Craig Fuller fronted Pure Prairie League Hernando the band got cranking around 1965, and their first two albums were issued in 1972. Their music was great, but their lineup kept changing during the 1970s. By the time their third album “Two Lane Highway” was released in 1975, Craig Fuller was long gone and singing with another band named American Flyer. He was a draft dodger in the early 1970s, you see. His determination to be a conscientious objector busted up the band, which is why there were no Pure Prairie League albums in 1973 and 1974.

[@wm.a.billfisher1410]

Since when did Oklahoma become part of Los Angeles? Granted, a bunch of Los Angelenos original families got there FROM Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl, but as Will Rogers said, "When the OKIES moved to California, it doubled the IQ of BOTH States. Sill happens.

[@patriciajrs46]

Interesting. Nice song.

[@markwilliams5606]

Tow of them are back together playing with the Eagles

[@jamey48]

Love Vince Gill, but it's a shame we lost pure Prarie league.

[@marke6569]

They are still performing and touring with 4 Original Members

[@fredculbertson8547]

Mike Riley from Ft. Tomas, Kentucky is the Bass player

[@candyc.3163]

Never knew Vince Gill was part of PPL.

[@lynndenault4212]

Oh, the hair!

[@barbhansen4430]

Way back in the 70’s my ex husband, his sister, and boyfriend saw them at Dana College in Blair, NE. They performed in the high school gym, and were Booed by the audience!!! We thought they were great! We drove from Lincoln, NE., at least an hour each way.

[@randallleib2674]

Those old wooden gyms were notoriously horrible places to sound good or to be able to hear yourself if you are part of the band.

[@___HH___]

@@randallleib2674 You're sure right. Sound bounced around those hard floors like an overfilled basketball.