After scoring four No. 1 hits in a row, country singer Russell Dickerson struggled to find his footing. In a recent interview with American Songwriter, he admitted to wondering if his career had peaked. That changed with his latest single, “Happen to Me,” which went viral on TikTok and gave him his biggest streaming debut ever. His fourth studio album, Famous Back Home, just dropped Aug. 22 and includes a collaboration with none other than legendary singer-songwriter Vince Gill. Recently, Dickerson even got to share the hallowed Opry stage with the 18-time CMA Award winner as they performed their duet, “Never Leave.” During a recent interview with Taste of Country Nights, the “Blue Tacoma” hitmaker, 38, opened up about hanging with Gill backstage ahead of the show.

How Vince Gill Calmed Russell Dickerson’s Pre-Show Nerves

Despite his well-earned reputation as the nicest guy in Nashville, Vince Gill is still among country music’s most celebrated songwriters—so it’s understandable that Russell Dickerson had some reservations about meeting him.

“A little like, ‘Oh, what do we talk about?’” Dickerson said of his mindset before entering Gill’s dressing room. Fortunately, he found the “One More Last Chance” crooner, 68, to be “super chill and super funny.”

The two rehearsed the song, and although Gill only sang the harmonies, Dickerson still found himself blown away by the country legend’s presence.

“”He was literally just singing the harmonies, and it was angelic,” the Tennessee native said of Gill. “Like, his voice is anointing.”

Clearly star-struck, Dickerson shared footage from the performance to his social media, calling it “the honor of a lifetime.”

“SOMEBODY PINCH ME!!!” he wrote.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1998, Vince Gill Released His First No. 1 Album]

On Balancing Fatherhood and Fame

Russell Dickerson’s career is currently surging thanks to the success of “Happen to Me.”

“I’m a big, crazy dreamer and I feel like for the first time in my career, what I’m seeing is matching up to my dreams,” he told Billboard.

Still, fame comes with its challenges. The father of two is still learning to navigate parenthood and touring.

Obviously, we travel all the time, and it just gets harder. Remy is almost five and [he asks] ‘How many sleeps until you’re back?’” Dickerson said. “My No. 1 priority is how can we be efficient in this whole crazy career and still have a beautiful family. When I come home, [my kids] run to me. I’m famous back home.”

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