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.
“Being selected as the recipient of the Ken Burns 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. Across the globe, less than 2% of temperate grasslands have been permanently conserved, making them the least protected biome on Earth.
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.
About American Prairie
American Prairie’s vision is to create a vast and collaboratively managed prairie destination that serves as a fully functioning ecosystem for wildlife, and offers visitors permanent access to the landscape that shaped our nation’s character. American Prairie offers visitors an opportunity to learn about and connect with nature on a truly grand scale. Learn more at americanprairie.org.
About Ken Burns
Ken Burns has been making documentary films for almost 50 years. Since the Academy® Award-nominated Brooklyn Bridge in 1981, Ken has gone on to direct and produce some of the most acclaimed historical documentaries ever made, including The Civil War, Baseball, Jazz, The War, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, Prohibition, The Roosevelts: An Intimate History, The Vietnam War, Country Music, The U.S. and the Holocaust, The American Buffalo, Leonardo da Vinci; and most recently, The American Revolution.
Future film projects include Emancipation to Exodus, and LBJ & the Great Society, among others.
Ken’s films have been honored with dozens of major awards, including 17 Emmy® Awards, two GRAMMY Awards, and two Oscar nominations. In September of 2008, at the News & Documentary Emmy® Awards, Ken was honored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with a Lifetime Achievement Award. In November of 2022, Ken was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
About Vince Gill
One of the most popular artists in modern country music, Vince Gill is famous for his top-notch songwriting, world-class guitar playing, and warm, soaring tenor, all wrapped up in a quick and easy wit. 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®, 8 Academy of Country Music Awards, and in 2025, he was presented with the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1991, Gill was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, and in 2007, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2012, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
A gifted songwriter, Gill’s compositions earned him entry into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and the prestigious BMI Icon award in 2014. 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. Always considering himself a musician above all else, Gill has been a part of some iconic bands, including Pure Prairie League, The Notorious Cherry Bombs, and The Time Jumpers. In 2017, Gill was asked to join the Eagles on the road, and he continues to be a part of that historic band’s tour. 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.