Vince Gill and John Mayer help keep two iconic bands alive

Vince Gill knows a thing about being in a decently successful group. He became the lead singer and guitarist for Pure Prairie League in the late 1970s. After that, he was massively successful as a solo artist who worked in the country music idiom but sounded a bit folk-poppy as well.

John Mayer found success as a solo artist first. His debut album, Room for Squares, sold more than five million units upon initial release. He created unbridled pop tunes with a big touch of tenderness, but he was also a sneaky great guitarist.

That is the secret to both Mayer and Gill. Most people might know them from their huge hits, but what goes sadly unnoticed is the musicianship by both that makes them better than the average boy band. They might produce fluffy pop (or in the case of Gill, fluffy pop-country), but there is a menacing substance to it all.

Vince Gill and John Mayer, respectively, breathe life into two iconic bands

Fellow musicians have certainly taken notice and both Mayer and Gill have been humble enough to join existing iconic bands where they would need to put their egos aside and simply be part of the band. There are a lot of musicians - heck, there are a lot of people in general - who would not be able to not feel like they needed to be the alphas and stand more in the shadows.

Mayer started playing with Dead and Company in 2015. The group needed someone who could play the parts of Jerry Garcia and sing a few songs. Mayer's excellence with his instrument never stood out more than after he started playing Grateful Dead tunes. He's been a natural fit for the band.

The same can be said about Gill filling in with the Eagles after the passing of Glenn Frey. Gill's voice is angelic and he can sing in a way Frey never could, but he picks the guitar extremely well and is perfect with his harmonies.

The truth is that while music fans might not care individually for the songs of Vince Gill and John Mayer, they can at least be appreciative that Gill and Mayer have allowed us to keep enjoying the Grateful Dead and the Eagles. And OK...Maybe a sneaky appreciation of "Your Body is a Wonderland" and "I Still Believe in You."

More music news and analysis: