Vince Gill is a country musician with an amazing history, having earned the most Grammy Awards of any male country music vocalist and releasing over 20 albums. Gill, who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007, first gained prominence as a member of the country rock band Pure Prairie League in 1979. Four decades later, he is a well-known and in-demand performer who was invited to perform on the iconic Grand Ole Opry stage alongside the band Little Big Town.

However, his managers instructed him that he could perform only if he did not sing about Jesus. So, how could anyone deny this amazing, bright artist the ability to sing the song he wanted during a performance? His statement provoked the audience to leap to their feet. Gill, who was born in Oklahoma in 1957, launched his solo career in the 1980s. In recent years, the devout Christian has included more gospel music in his performances.

Recently, he was invited to sing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, a weekly country music stage show that has been running since 1925. However, his bosses told he may perform as long as he avoided religious songs, specifically those about Jesus. Gill may have followed this instruction, rejecting his desire to sing about his beliefs. Instead, he did something else.

He defied the norms and performed “Why Me Lord,” a dramatic song composed and sung by American country music musician and gospel vocalist Kris Kristofferson in 1972. The song has since been sung by legendary musicians such as Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. Gill’s performance elicited a standing ovation, demonstrating that no one else cared about the song’s content, only how affecting it was.

The video below has a snippet of him performing. Gill’s decision to perform a song that reflects his beliefs and musical style is genuinely remarkable; not everyone would have had the fortitude to reject regulations in this manner. Then again, when you’re in the Country Music Hall of Fame, you can occasionally set your own rules!