Chris Stapleton delivered a moving tribute to Vince Gill during the Nashville Songwriter Awards at Ryman Auditorium, performing Gill's signature song "Go Rest High On That Mountain" as Gill received the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award. Stapleton's powerful rendition, performed alongside Sonya Isaacs, Ricky Skaggs, and Andrea Zonn, prompted an emotional standing ovation from the audience. The performance was particularly meaningful given the song's deeply personal significance to Gill, who wrote it after his brother's death.

Gill revealed that he initially hesitated to record the song due to its emotional weight, but producer Tony Brown persuaded him that it was essential to capture. Remarkably, Stapleton inadvertently spoilt the surprise tribute when he visited Gill's house the day before the awards, accidentally disclosing that he would be performing for the honouree. Despite knowing in advance, Gill expressed profound gratitude for Stapleton's involvement, noting that the song is what he hopes to be remembered for and that hearing "that voice" perform his composition was extraordinary.