Billy Strings

[Jeff Tanyard]

I only came across this guy a few days ago.  Once I started watching his videos, though, I couldn't stop.  He's a phenomenal picker.  He's a great bandleader, too.  He gives timely cues for solos and never lets his ego get in the way of the other musicians.  He seems to genuinely enjoy watching the others perform.

Here he is singing about meth at the Grand Ole Opry:

Reminds one of the old song "Cocaine Blues," right?  Well, Billy's done that one, too.

Here he is with the legendary Del McCoury.

With Molly Tuttle, another fantastic picker.

In the previous vid, there was a brief bit of call-and-return between Billy and Molly.  In this next vid, there's a lot more of that.  They absolutely cook here.

Now we'll slow things down a bit and get a little bluesy with Gershwin's "Summertime."

Finally, here's Billy with the magnificent Michael Cleveland, perhaps the best fiddler of this generation, playing the classic fiddle tune "Sally Goodin."  Michael's blind, so Billy has to give him audible cues instead of visual ones.

Anyway, as y'all can tell, I'm thoroughly impressed with this guy.  Plenty more of his stuff on YouTube, including performances with his father (who's a pretty good picker, too.)  Check it out.

[PJ Post]

Bluegrass is still a thing. We have more next level and virtuoso musicians than ever before, like by a lot - regardless of genre. And, thankfully, many of them live on YouTube. Thanks for the post.

 

[Vijaya]

i've never been to a bluegrass festival and i know i'd love it. thanks for these links. you must share what you told me about space opry.

[Jeff Tanyard]

you must share what you told me about space opry.

I like to joke that I don't write Space Opera... I write Space Opry.   

The MC of Wheel of Fire plays the banjo.  He took up the instrument as a way of working through the trauma of his military service.