Vince Gill Laughs At "Def Leppard-Sounding" Country Songs.

VINCE GILL did a phone interview with the "Chicago Tribune" and they asked if he's in favor of the rock-oriented country music coming out of Nashville that "sounds like DEF LEPPARD." Vince, who is one of the most easygoing guys ever, actually took the bait and ran with it. He said, quote, "It makes me laugh when I hear this Def Leppard-sounding record with a guy singing to me about how country he is. "I appreciate them wanting to rock as hard as they want, but it's humorous to me that, lyrically, they're screaming about how hot your chick is in your truck."

(--The "Tribune" wrote that Vince may have been taking a swipe at LUKE BRYAN . . . even though Luke's name never came up in the interview that they published.)

(--The "truck" line actually sounds more to me like JASON ALDEAN'S song "She's Country" . . . when he sings, quote, "She's a hot little number in her pick-up truck.")

Country Stars Share Their Favorite Christmas Memories...

One of the interesting segments of last night's "CMA Country Christmas" was when the artists shared their favorite holiday memories. Here are a few of them...

VINCE GILL remembered how his sister would open gifts before Christmas Day and then re-wrap them without getting caught. He said, quote, "She was good at acting surprised at what she got." Vince's wife AMY GRANT talked about when her cat found her gift live gerbils. Quote, "We're sitting around, all fuzzy feeling, then all of a sudden, I'm going, 'What is that crunching sound under the tree?' It was my big present . . .the gerbils!"

One of KELLIE PICKLER'S favorite holiday memories was visiting the troops in Iraq. She said, quote, "There are so many things we take for granted. We don't realize it until it's not there anymore . . . until that luxury, that freedom, is not there."

KEITH URBAN is from Australia, where it's currently summer. He said, quote, "Christmas was always about going to the beach. And my fondest Christmas memory is about getting in the station wagon with my mom, dad, my brother, and me, and going to the beach for the day."

Vince Gill "Rips" A Guitar Solo On a New Alice Cooper Song

VINCE GILL and rock legend ALICE COOPER are pretty tight. They're golfing buddies and are both devout Christians. They also hang out a lot.
So Alice had no doubt in his mind that Vince could handle a metal-themed guitar solo on his new song "A Runaway Train". Alice said, quote, "I asked him to play something that's kind of (like blues guitarist) Mike Bloomfield. I said, 'Rip it.' (Vince) took out a telecaster and just blasted it. It's such a monster solo. I love it."
"A Runaway Train" will be on Alice Cooper's upcoming album "Welcome 2 My Nightmare", which drops September 13th.