With 19 Grammy Awards, umpteen bazillion records sold and a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame, Vince Gill no longer has anything to prove.

Nevertheless, Gill and his stripped-down band of keyboards, double bass and cajon drum gave it everything they had Friday night at a sold-out Salem Civic Center in a chatty show filled with the country singer's trademark between-song patter.

"All right everybody, let's have some fun tonight, let's sing some songs and let's have a sweet evening," announced Gill at the outset of a gig that included most of his megahits and lesser-known songs as well.

Early on, Gill ran through some of his best-known heartbreakers, including "Some Things Never Get Old," "This Old Guitar and Me" and a song inspired by his wife, contemporary Christian artist Amy Grant, "Whenever You Come Around."

Referring to his four-CD project in 2006 that included 43 songs in various styles, Gill alluded to the changing economics of the recording industry in an era when iPods have replaced vinyl records and compact discs.

"At a time when everybody is buying music a song at a time for 99 cents, this old dumba-- here decides to put out a record with 43 songs," Gill joked.

One song that got a huge reaction from the Salem crowd was a track released under the name of the touring band of Gill and fellow singer Rodney Crowell, the Notorious Cherry Bombs.

"There are some guys who are actually afraid to laugh at this song," said Gill, referring to "It's Hard To Kiss the Lips at Night That Chew Your A-- Out All Day Long."

At least as big a reaction came to Gill's blistering rockabilly guitar solo in "Oklahoma Borderline."

After a screaming standing ovation for "Liza Jane," Gill encored with a song from his days as frontman for Pure Prairie League, "Amy," and sent the crowd home happy after a second standing ovation.