NASHVILLE – January 15, 2026 — American Prairie is proud to announce that Grammy Award® winner and Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill, one of the most celebrated musicians and songwriters in American history, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Ken Burns American Heritage Prize. Gill will be formally honored May 6, 2026.
Named in honor of America’s most revered visual historian and filmmaker, the Ken Burns American Heritage Prize was created by American Prairie to recognize individuals whose achievements have advanced our collective understanding of America’s heritage and the indomitable American spirit of our people. Nominees for the annual Prize consist of visionary artists, authors, educators, filmmakers, historians, and scientists. The candidates are chosen by a National Jury of distinguished leaders who represent communities across the country and share a common appreciation of America’s heritage. Past Prize recipients include David McCullough, Maya Lin, N. Scott Momaday, Wynton Marsalis, Jimmy Chin, Kristine McDivitt Tompkins, and Sylvia Earle.
Gill’s career spans more than four decades and reflects a rare combination of musical excellence, humility, and authenticity. His songs—marked by emotional honesty, masterful musicianship, and deep respect for tradition—have become part of the fabric of American life.
“Vince Gill is most deserving of this prize, and he represents the enduring power of American music to tell us who we are,” said Ken Burns, award-winning filmmaker and namesake of the Prize. “Like the prairie itself, his songs are shaped by patience, humility, and a deep respect for the people. I know what it is to be formed by the spirit of a place—how it asks you to listen closely, to honor what came before, and to submit, in the best sense of the word, to something larger than yourself. Vince has done this throughout his life and work, and in doing so, he has given us a truer understanding of our shared American heritage.”
Gill’s lifelong reverence for American roots music, combined with his generosity as a collaborator and mentor, has made him a unifying figure across genres and generations. From bluegrass and country to gospel and rock, his influence reaches far beyond charts and awards, embodying the enduring power of music as a shared national language. One of the most popular artists in modern country music, Gill achieved his big breakthrough in 1990 with “When I Call Your Name,” which won both the Country Music Association’s (CMA) Single and Song of the Year awards as well as a Grammy Award® for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male. In total, Gill has won 18 CMA Awards, 22 Grammy Awards®, and 8 Academy of Country Music Awards. In 2025, he was presented with the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, which is awarded to an iconic artist who has historically contributed to the growth of the Country Music genre. Prior to that in 2009, he was given the President’s Merit Award from the Recording Academy recognizing Gill’s significant contributions to music and shaping of the culture.
American Heritage Prize is an incredible honor and what inspiring company to be in,” said Vince Gill upon learning about his selection. “The work American Prairie is doing to preserve America’s Great Plains is invaluable, and I’m grateful to be able to contribute to their efforts in any way I can. Over the years I have had the opportunity to collaborate and become good friends with Ken, and that in itself has been a great experience. This new relationship is one I’m very much looking forward to.”
An exceptionally talented songwriter, Gill’s compositions earned him entry into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and in 2014 the prestigious BMI Icon for his indelible influence on generations of music makers. Throughout his career, he has released 21 albums, sold over 30 million albums, and charted 45 singles. In 2022, Gill was inducted into the Musicians’ Hall of Fame. In 2017, Gill was asked to join the Eagles on tour and continues to be a part of that historic band.
2025 marked the 50th anniversary of Gill leaving home to pursue a music career. To honor that milestone, he signed a lifetime contract with his record label, MCA, and is releasing an EP series of brand-new music every month for a year, titled 50 Years From Home. In 2026, American Prairie celebrates 25 years as a 100% donor-funded organization working to connect, conserve, and share Montana’s Northern Great Plains – one of the last remaining temperate grasslands in the world. Grasslands are a vital yet vanishing biome and they play a huge role in our planet’s health. American Prairie’s strategy is simple: we purchase private land to strategically connect fragmented public lands, creating a collaboratively managed network of protected prairie. Each new land acquisition creates critical wildlife corridors and ensures the longevity and biodiversity of a vital biome.