Billy Strings

One Liner:  Pretty kickass bluegrass with a made-up name to match

Wikipedia Genre: Bluegrass, Americana, Rock and Roll
Home: Michigan

Poster Position: 22

Weekend One Only

Thoughts: Oh this stuff is lighting me on fire today.  Holy speed fingers rocking a banjo.  His most popular track is an almost 10 minute long barn burner of a bluegrass party called "Meet Me at the Creek," with 559k streams.  Live version, but check the kid out.

It's like if Nickel Creek grew up on a steady diet of rock and roll.  Although I'm a little disappointed that he's just playing the guitar on that track and not handling the banjo shreddage.  Also reminds me of that dude who plays with Allison Krauss - Dan Tyminksi, who did the "Man of Constant Sorrow" vocals.  Either way, give me a tune with a slammin' mandolin player and a banjo in the front of the mix, and I'm probably in for a pound.

Dude's real name is William Apostol, so I get the Billy part, and then I guess he did the Strings part because he plays instruments with strings?  Kinda like a mob guy going by Joey Bats or Freddy Piano Wire.  The name apparently came from an Aunt who noticed his skills on stringed instruments.  So its the aunt who has no originality.  His step-father was apparently a bluegrass picker of note, and introduced the kid to studs like Doc Watson and Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley.  Rolling Stone called him a country artist to know and mentioned his prodigious speed in 2017.  So, if you dig some fast-fingered pickin' music, then this stuff is right up your alley.

His most streamed tune, and probably also his best, combines both humor and speed-picking badassery.  Country artists have lamented getting arrested and drugs for years from the outlaw country world, and this one slots right into there, but along with some ridiculous solo freakouts.  "Dust in a Baggie," with 645k streams.

"I used my only phone call to contact my daddy, got 20 long years for some dust in a baggie."  And holy damn hell, watch him at 2:25 or so when his guitar solo kicks in - his fingers do things that are illegal in 49 states and the District of Columbia.

One real album - 2017's Turmoil & Tinfoil - and one joint album with someone called Don Julin (that is either live music or just recordings done in a room with bad acoustics and some people who cheer every once in a while).  The real album is much better than the early thing - that one has a bunch of meandering instrumentals on it, I prefer the more polished newer sound.  Also one of those little four song EPs from OurVinyl Sessions, which is damn good, and which is where that recording up above comes from.

Pretty awesome, to be honest.  I know a lot of people wouldn't be interested in bluegrass, but if you like someone who is ridiculously skilled with an instrument in their hands, then this is the good stuff.  I'd go check it out.