Set featured image

Vince Gill performing with his daughter, Jenny, and granddaughter, Everly (Photo Credit: Jenny Gill / Instagram)

Vince Gill Brought Out Two Very Special Guests During His Grand Ole Opry Performance On May 3

Vince Gill was on the Opry lineup card for Saturday, May 3rd, alongside Mandy Barnett, Christian Lopez, Connie Smith, Don Schlitz, Amanda Shires, the Opry Square Dancers, and Old Crow Medicine Show.

Grand Ole Opry Lineup May 1, May 2, and May 3. (Courtesy of Jen Pernicano)
To help Vince close out his four-song set, he brought out two special ladies in his life: his eldest daughter, Jenny Gill, and Jenny’s seven-year-old daughter, Everly.

Following the show, Jenny shared a few photos on Instagram, saying, “A certain 7 year old just made her Grand Ole Opry Debut. We didn’t plan for it but it happened and she nailed every single note. It was so incredibly special. I’m so proud of my little Everly. Don’t worry, I’m gonna get my hands on that video as soon as I can.”

They Performed “Jenny Dreamed Of Trains”

Vince and Guy Clark wrote “Jenny Dreamed Of Trains” for his young daughter about the ” innocence and whimsy of a child’s imagination.”

Jenny’s first public performance was at age five in 1987 at Nashville’s “Summer Lights” festival. She joined him on stage to sing “Jenny Dreamed Of Trains.” This became the first of many times that Jenny would sing this special song with her dad.

Even though it was performed live in the 1980s and Vince wrote the song, he wasn’t the first, or even the second, person to record and release it.

Mary Chapin Carpenter was the first to record it in 1992, followed by Jenny’s mother, Janis Oliver, who is a member of the duo Sweethearts of the Rodeo. Vince later recorded his own version in 1996.

Several others recorded it, but one of the most well-known versions was by John Denver. “Jenny Dreamed Of Trains” was the first track on the final studio album of his lifetime, All Aboard!

The album consisted of 15 songs all about trains. He even re-wrote the song to include his own daughter’s name, Jessie, for the last track of the album. The album won his a posthumous Grammy for Best Musical Album for Children.

Jenny’s Daughter Made Her Grand Ole Opry Debut

On the night of May 3rd, Vince told the Opry crowd, “Make welcome my oldest daughter, Jenny, and my granddaughter, Everly!”

Everly walked on the stage with so much confidence that couldn’t even tell she is only seven years old! She sang the chorus while holding her mom’s hand and her famous grandpa just two steps away accompanying her on guitar.
 
Everly Van Valkenburg, Jenny Gill, and Vince Gill performing at the Grand Ole Opry (Photo Credit: Jenny Gill / Instagram)

You can tell just how proud and emotional Jenny was, seeing as how meaningful the song is to her and her father. She was raised as part of country music history, so she also knows how significant making an Opry debut is! As we all know, her dad turned down his first invitation to play at the Opry to perform with her in her 1st grade talent show.

Watch Everly’s incredible performance of “Jenny Dreamed Of Trains” below.