Vince Gill Is Leaving The Time Jumpers
It was one of the coolest things in country music while it lasted. But one of the cool things about The Time Jumpers is nothing lasts forever aside from the band itself. Nashville’s Western Swing house band has been entertaining crowds with interchangeable players and keeping traditions alive since 1998. And when Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill joined them on guitar and vocals in 2010, it was an unexpected but very welcome development that brought a spotlight on the band like never before.
But now it’s time to move on. Like everyone else in music, The Time Jumpers have been on hiatus for the last few months due to COVID-19, but they’re planning to come back to reprise their long-standing Monday night residency at Nashville’s 3rd and Lindsley beginning on October 5th. However Vince Gill will no longer be with them. Full of some of Nashville’s best session players, the band is more a labor of love, like a bunch of pickers just getting together to play in a living room that the rest of us get to sit back and peer into, and it will soldier on as it always has. But others will be manning guitar duties.
“The Time Jumpers will miss having Vince Gill as a part of the band,” a statement from the band reads that Rolling Stone has curiously locked behind a paywall. “We’ve really enjoyed his tenure with us, and his musicianship has added a lot to our sound. However, this is a particularly unique band. We’ve been around for over 20 years and in that time, members have come and gone. But the band lives on because it is larger than any one of us. Our aim has always been about making music that is meaningful … a space for musicians to be creative and let their hair down musically. That is what is at the heart of the Time Jumpers, and that will not change.”
The current lineup of the Time Pumpers includes frontman Kenny Sears, Brad Albin, “Ranger Doug” Green, Larry Franklin, Paul Franklin, Wendy Moten, Andy Reiss, Joe Spivey, Jeff Taylor and Billy Thomas. Over their tenure, The Time Jumpers have seen many other members come and go, and have lost numerous members to death, including Dawn Sears, fiddle player Hoot Hester, and drummer Rick Vanaugh. Over the years The Time Jumpers collaborated with artists such as Miranda Lambert, Willie Nelson, and Asleep At The Wheel. The band won a Grammy in 2017 for their song “Kid Sister.”
One of the most enjoyable Nashville experiences you could have for a decade was showing up at 3rd and Lindsley on Mondays to see a guy with 21 Grammy Awards and dozens of Top 20 hits playing in a relaxed and intimate environment with close friends for a nominal cover charge. And it will remain one of the coolest things Vince Gill has ever done.
But it’s now time for a new era, even though those who’ve followed The Time Jumpers know any number of famous stars are liable to stop by and sit in at a moments notice, with Reba McEntire, Bonnie Raitt, Mo Pitney, Robert Plant, Norah Jones, Joe Walsh, and many many more all joining The Time Jumpers on stage in the past.
And don’t be surprised if Vince Gill still makes an occasional stop in too, just for old time’s sake.
September 30, 2020 @ 8:14 am
I’ve never heard of Time Jumpers, but it sounds cool.
September 30, 2020 @ 8:18 am
I hoped that my trip to Nashville coincided with a TJ performance, sadly it wasnt the case. Paul Franklin is a hero of mine.
September 30, 2020 @ 8:25 am
The Time Jumpers are superb and although Gill will be missed, they will still be a wonderful group playing great music. The group has always been more important than the individuals within. Vince Gill brought them much deserved attention and I would not be surprised if he joins as a guest from time to time. Any liking Western swing should give this group a listen.
September 30, 2020 @ 9:18 am
I caught them live last year. (See Trigs story on Mo Pitney with the Time Jumpers) It was a fantastic night. Interestingly, before the show Vince was on the stage sitting quietly on his stool with a Les Paul and his rack of effects pedals, playing , tuning and rehearsing some licks. Anybody could go up and say hey and Vince chatted with them. He was quite laid back and content to play sideman. It was great to watch him take leads on demand as well as playing rhythm and sing the occasional song when asked. A lot of humility for a true superstar.
I ispoke to Kenny Sears the bandleader, that night and he told me how excited Vince had been to join the band. He recalled asking if Vince was really sure he wanted to be a Time Jumper and Vince told him he’d put on a dress and sing soprano if necessary to get in! The rest was history. Tremendous band with or without him, either way.
September 30, 2020 @ 10:52 am
I think that for ANY musician , being a Time Jumper would be akin to going to music school . When I listen to their musicianship ( on all fronts ) I’m always blown away and reminded of just how good these folks are …not only as a band but in their own respective rights. As great a talent as Vince is , I might argue that he learned the most by ‘throwing himself into the fire ‘ and playing with these people on a regular basis . You never learn more or faster than you do when you play or write ‘ up ‘ and I always felt that was the case with Vince . Vocally the man is otherworldly , of course …..he can sing anything and everything …and he has . I’m sure he looked at his Time Jumper tenure as a learning experience , a challenge musically and a way to just be a part of the band again …not the focus . Not dissimilar in that way to his Eagles commitment .
In any case , the TJ’s are a timeless treasure musically . In the same way that the Steeldrivers were able to replkace the ”irreplaceable” talents oif a chris stapleton I think we can safely say that the TJ’s will find a terrific replacement for Vince .
September 30, 2020 @ 5:59 pm
Gill was a world-class musician long before he joined the Time Jumpers. I was at one of the early performances after Gill joined (I was also at the live taping for their album recorded at the Station Inn). Vince was never, in anyway ‘playing up’. The guy was a session player before he ever had any success as a solo artist. He was even asked to join Dire Straits in the ’80s.
The Time Jumpers will live on, but it won’t be the same without Vince.
October 1, 2020 @ 11:16 am
Gill is a world class country guitar player. He is not a world class jazz player which is what alot of the Time Jumpers stuff requires. I love Dire Straits but Knopflers not out there playing Leon Rhodes licks. Even Vince would likely agree with the “playing up” sentiment.
September 30, 2020 @ 10:00 am
Trigger, do you ever think you’d review one of Robert Plant or Mark Knopfler’s Americana albums.
September 30, 2020 @ 11:13 am
I would if it piqued my interest. Really dig Knopfler’s solo stuff and his stuff with Emmylou, and I think Dire Straits is under-appreciated. I think Robert Plant’s best roots stuff came before I launched the site (as did Knopfler’s), so I haven’t had a chance to remark on it much. But I appreciate both men for what they’ve done past their rock and roll prime.
September 30, 2020 @ 12:05 pm
Knopfler’s album with Chet Atkins from the early 90s is a gem featuring a bunch of Hall of Fame musicians. Neck and Neck was the name. They even did a video for Poor Boy Blues. I remember seeing Johnny Cash out on LI in 1995 and he included the Knopfler-penned The Next Time I’m in Town in his encore.
Around that time Dire Straits did On Every Street that had a few country ties. Mary-Chapin Carpenter and John Anderson had hits covering The Bug and When it Comes to You, respectively. How Long, which closes the album, is country tinged.
His solo stuff is outstanding. Sailing to Philadelphia is probably my favorite.
September 30, 2020 @ 1:50 pm
MichaelA, I’m backing you up here. The “Neck and Neck” CD is quite good, and I still listen to it in its entirety. Also, Knopfler played on the Ronnie Milsap single “All is Fair in Love and War”.
When I first heard the Dire Straits first CD, a few years after it had come out, I heard their album cut “Water of Love” and said to myself that that sounds like it should be a Judds song. Sure enough, the Judds recorded it eventually, although sadly it was never a single.
September 30, 2020 @ 2:30 pm
Great call. I didn’t realize the Judds covered that song, but I can definitely see the match.
As for Poor Boy Blues it’s a shame it barely charted in country. Fortunately the video was released before CBS/Viacom purchased CMT so the video was on fairly heavy rotation and it served as an entry point for many rock fans into country music at that time. I lived with a bunch of them in college.
October 4, 2020 @ 2:36 pm
I have a single of it. It’s the B-side of “Let Me Tell You About Love”.
October 1, 2020 @ 5:55 am
Love the Neck and Neck album. The mutual respect and affection between Knopfler and Atkins and the humor they share is wonderful.
October 1, 2020 @ 3:30 am
I agree but the latest MK “americana albums” tend to be pretty boring, on the other hand DS were one of the most american sounding bands to ever come out of the UK.
September 30, 2020 @ 10:09 am
Have seen them twice in NYC and got to meet Vince, what great band! Wonder if they will replace him with anyone, there is a great video of Robben Ford sitting in with them, maybe he will sub a little since he is now living in Nashville.
September 30, 2020 @ 6:05 pm
Neck and Neck is great! For me his most recent releases have been fantastic as well, Tracker is a great album! Paul Franklin plays with Knopfler on all his albums (including On Every Street), The Notting Hillbillies is a great project he did as well. To me MK is one of the best at writing excellent songs with groundbreaking musicianship. I think Anders Osborne is in that small group as well.
September 30, 2020 @ 11:23 am
I personally communicate at times with Paul Franklin. A class act. Now, if he leaves I will be worried!
Time Jumpers is a great idea. Vince added notoriety; however the TJ will continue. A great concept.
September 30, 2020 @ 2:50 pm
Paul is one of the most recorded steel players ever. Funny, all these folks on here talking Dire Straits (Mark Knopfler) and turns out Paul toured with them as their steel player and played on their biggest album. Small world in music!
Any opportunity to see him play is a good time. Add in 3 amazing fiddlers a couple killer guitarists and its pretty epic.
September 30, 2020 @ 7:53 pm
The YouTube videos of Paul playing with Dire Straits are phenomenal. He kills “Walk of Life” and you can tell the band really enjoyed him.
October 1, 2020 @ 6:06 am
This is a bit of a digression, but I can’t pass up an opportunity to mention a longtime member of Mark Knopfler’s post-Dire Straits touring band, the great guitarist Richard Bennett, whose credits as a producer or co-producer include albums by Steve Earle (including Guitar Town and I Feel Alright), Emmylou Harris and the great Phil Lee (The Mighty King of Love).
September 30, 2020 @ 1:18 pm
I feel very fortunate that I was able to see the Time Jumpers w/ Vince twice. Both shows were just incredible … such an amazing group of musicians. And Vince of course seemed pleased as punch to just sit in and be a part of it all.
September 30, 2020 @ 3:31 pm
So blessed to have seen the Time Jumpers last August (2019) with Vince the night Wendy Moten was named a member. Vince did the same thing an earlier comment said, sitting on stage by himself just tuning up his guitar. Was able to meet and talk to John Hughey’s wife ( he was a great steel guitar player who also played with the Time Jumpers and had passed away a few years ago) and she was still helping working the door.
So many great musicians, so much talent, I often replay the video clips I have. Reading a book now about the Riders In The Sky, and learning about the huge career of Time Jumper Ranger Doug. They will continue on making incredible music! Only wish they put out another cd and maybe a second live album sometime!
September 30, 2020 @ 6:11 pm
I saw them twice at the Station Inn with John Hughey on steel and twice at the new location With Paul Franklin. Was always the best !!!
October 1, 2020 @ 7:30 am
so glad we were able to see the Time Jumpers with Vince Gill a few years back at Chautauqua Institute, NY. it was before Dawn Sears passed, but she was ill at the time and did not appear.
October 1, 2020 @ 10:42 pm
Vince Gill does an excellent job with the Eagles too. The bottom line is that wherever he ends up, he fits in and does a great job.
October 3, 2020 @ 3:21 pm
I had the pleasure of seeing the TimeJumpers at the Station Inn. I thought that my husband was taking me to see John Hughy in the band he was playing with. John was a good friend of my husband’s. Before the show we had dinner with he and his wife. A wonderful surprise was awaiting me at the club. We sat at a table that was nearly touched the stage. My heart stopped when Dawn Sears came out and took her place directly in front of me. She was a gracious woman, a beautiful soul. Moreover, talented How wonderful the evening was for me. I watched the entire band that evening. However, not the way I enjoyed watching Dawn perform with her band mates. R I P dear lady. You are missed. ❤️
post script
I LOVE VINCE GILL.
ALWAYS HAVE.
ALWAYS WILL. ❤️
October 3, 2020 @ 6:34 pm
I’m my own time jumper lol. I SANG to the horizon tonight. Gorgeous sight and I sounded wonderful. Till I had to run down a dream. Take chances.
October 3, 2020 @ 6:36 pm
Oh and headed to sing Vince now.
November 7, 2020 @ 6:45 am
Finding out that Vince Gill is leaving The Time Jumpers made me very sad. Vince’s silky smooth voice, warmth and humour and phenomenal guitar skills was like completing part of a long lost family member in the band. I so much wished I could have seen this band live while Vince was still part of it. Western Swing music is a forgotten musical gift to so many.
The remaining musical members of the band are also tremendously God gifted musicians and singers and I’m sure will continue on as the superb musical group that they have been known to be.
God bless you Vince for the years you’ve contributed your gift to this wonderful band. I hope it’s part of musical fate that one day you’ll return.
June 24, 2021 @ 1:23 pm
the best band for ever……………!!!