Grammy Award® winner and Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill accepted the 2026 Ken Burns American Heritage Prize at an event held on May 6 at the American Museum of Natural History.
Named in honor of America’s most revered visual historian and documentary filmmaker, the Ken Burns American Heritage Prize recognizes an individual whose body of work has advanced our collective understanding of the indomitable American spirit.
Award-winning filmmaker Sarah Botstein, who has worked alongside Ken Burns for nearly 30 years, introduced her mentor and dear friend by saying, “It’s so fitting that we’re here tonight, celebrating the incredible work of American Prairie over this last quarter century. It’s an organization that Ken loves deeply and that connects us all so intimately to the American landscape, that land has been such an important part of his filmmaking.” She added, “Our history is often a reflection of great triumphs and hard truths. These are the stories that make us who we are. We’re so fortunate this evening to have Ken together with the great musician and songwriter Vince Gill. They share the belief that the power of storytelling, whether in film or music, has the potential to bring us together as a people.”
Mr. Burns took the stage and welcomed Vince Gill by saying, “I couldn’t be more pleased to help honor one of the truly great musicians and human beings, Vince Gill, someone who is affectionately known as the ‘nicest guy in Nashville.’ I got to know Vince when he graciously helped us in making our 2019 documentary series Country Music, and it wouldn’t have been what it was without him.”
Mr. Burns went on to say, “Tonight, we are celebrating two vital American traditions—the arts and conservation, both of which act as a kind of conscience to our nation. This is why I’m particularly delighted to present this prize to Vince Gill tonight. I can spot the kinship of a storyteller a prairie mile away.”
“In Country Music, we explored the idea that this quintessentially American art form is simply ‘three chords and the truth.’ But every once in a while, an artist comes along who elevates that truth into something transcendent. He is a master of his craft, a keeper of the flame, and quite simply, one of the finest souls I’ve had the privilege to work with, document, and learn from. It is my distinct honor to present this year’s American Heritage Prize to a man whose heart is as big as the Montana sky.”
Mr. Gill’s versatility has made him one of the most respected and sought-after collaborators in music. Throughout the evening, well-wishes poured in via video from Sting, Rosanne Cash, Marty Stewart, Keith Urban, and Mr. Gill’s wife, Amy Grant.
After receiving the bison bronze, Mr. Gill thanked Mr. Burns and American Prairie saying, “With a grateful heart, thank you for this amazing honor. I think the world of Ken Burns and I think the world of what you’re doing – and you’re trying to make this place better, trying to make it matter, trying to make us have some reverence for what’s been around for a long, long time.”
L to R: Bill Hilf, Chair, American Prairie Board of Directors, Vince Gill, Ken Burns
(photo by Light of Blue Photography)
Mr. Gill then took to the stage to perform two of his hit singles “One More Last Chance” and “Whenever You Come Around.”2025 marked the 50th anniversary of Mr. 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. He ended the performance with a new song titled, “The Whole World,” calling it the one song that encapsulates his heart.
Mr. Gill received the honor from Mr. Burns and American Prairie’s National Board of Directors Chair, Bill Hilf. The evening was also a celebration of the 10-year partnership between Ken Burns and American Prairie, the Montana-based non-profit working to conserve the shortgrass prairie, the least protected biome on the planet.
About Ken Burns
Ken Burns has been making documentary films for 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.
For American Prairie: Beth Saboe, American Prairie / [email protected] / 406-585-4600
For Vince Gill: Erin Morris Huttlinger, Morris Public Relations / [email protected] / 615-419-9988 Alison Auerbach, AAPR / [email protected] / 615-957-4670