Vince Gill is nearing the end of his long-standing contract with MCA Records, and while he readies his final project for the label, the 55-year-old country legend is juggling more projects for whichever new label is lucky enough to snatch him up.

"There's a little bit of everything going on," he explains to Billboard magazine. "Next month, I'm starting a new record on me. I've also just recorded a duet album with Paul Franklin that is a real traditional country record. We did five Buck Owens songs and five Merle Haggard songs that really feature the steel guitar, my telecaster playing, and me singing, so it's turning out so good. I'm having so much fun re-discovering these old songs. I'll probably also do a bluegrass record this year, as well. I've just got the bug to be creative in a bunch of different places."

The Grand Ole Opry member is also enjoying being part of the Grammy-nominated group, the Time Jumpers, a Western swing band he spent years admiring before he was invited to join.

"I used to go down and see them on Monday nights when they were at the Station Inn," he recalls. "I'm an Okie, and if anyone is playing western swing, I want to go hear it. That music is a huge part of my background and upbringing. Occasionally, they would call me in to sub, and I would go down and play guitar all night. For me, it was beyond fun. I didn't have to go down and talk between songs, I just got to go down there and be a guitar player. Lo and behold, some of the folks quit, and they asked me if I would ever be in a band again. I said 'Well, I would this one."

The country music hitmaker is thrilled to be part of a such a talented group of musicians. "What's so refreshing about a band like this is that we've seen and done most of everything that we're going to do to some degree, playing with other people, and making our own records," he continues. "Joe Spivey travels with John Anderson, and Ranger Doug has Riders in the Sky, Dawn Sears and Billy Thomas play with me on the road, and Paul Franklin plays three sessions a day anytime he wants, so it's a gifted bunch that is doing music for the pure love of doing it. It doesn't get any better than that. Everyone gets along. It's not like we're trying to be the Beatles. It's a great stretch of life."

Vince will have to juggle time in the studio with plenty of concert dates, both by himself and with the Time Jumpers. See all of his upcoming shows here.

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