Vince Gill Honors Don Schlitz With Emotional Opry Performance Of “Go Rest High”
Vince Gill sings "Go Rest High" at the Opry in honor of Don Schiltz. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for the Grand Ole Opry, Mike Windle / ACMA2013 / Getty Images for ACM)
Country Music Hall of Famer Don Schlitz Passed Away On Thursday, April 17
At the end of last week, the Nashville music community was heartbroken to learn that songwriter Don Schlitz had passed away. He was 73 years old.
Schlitz died at a Nashville hospital after developing a sudden illness. His exact cause of death has not been publicly released, and it remains unclear what he was initially admitted for.
Throughout his long and successful career, Schlitz became a true trailblazer in country music songwriting. He helped create some of the genre’s most iconic songs, including Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler,” The Judds’ “I Know Where I’m Going,” and Keith Whitley’s “When You Say Nothing At All.”
He also earned major honors for his work, including induction into the Grand Ole Opry, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Schlitz is survived by his wife Stacey, his daughter Cory Dixon and her husband Matt, his son Pete and his wife Christian, his four grandchildren Roman, Gia, Isla, and Lilah, his brother Brad, and his sister Kathy.
Vince Gill Remembers Don Schlitz With “Go Rest High On That Mountain” Performance
Just one day after news of Schlitz’s passing, the Grand Ole Opry announced that its Saturday night show would be dedicated to his memory.
One of the most emotional moments of the evening came when Vince Gill made an appearance to perform. He took the stage to sing “Go Rest High on That Mountain” in honor of Schlitz’s legacy.
Gill originally wrote the song in memory of two people close to his heart. He began writing it after country legend Keith Whitley’s unexpected passing in 1989, but didn’t finish it at the time. He later completed the song a few years later, after his brother Bob died of a heart attack in 1993.
Rick Skaggs and Patty Loveless joined him on backing vocals for the track. It went on to win Best Country Song and Best Male Country Vocal Performance at the 1996 Grammy Awards.
To this day, it remains a widely played song at funerals. Gill has also continued to perform it at memorial services, including last year’s Emmy Awards. He and Lainey Wilson performed “Go Rest High” during the In Memoriam segment.
An attendee in the audience captured Gill’s emotional tribute to Schlitz in a video shared to TikTok. In the clip, Gill stands center stage, strumming an acoustic guitar as he sings the lyrics. A black and white photo of Schlitz is displayed on the big screen behind him.
“Go rest high on that mountain / Son your work on earth is done / Go to heaven a-shoutin’ / Love for the Father and the Son”
You can watch Vince Gill sing “Go Rest High” in honor of Don Schlitz in the video below.
@oliviaa__w we’ll miss you, don🤍 #opry #vincegill #goresthighonthatmountain #donschlitz @Grand Ole Opry ♬ original sound – olivia
