Billy Strings Explained

Billy Strings
Birth Name:William Lee Apostol
Birth Date:3 October 1992
Birth Place:Lansing, Michigan, U.S.
Spouse:Ally Apostol (m. 2023)
Years Active:2013–present
Website:https://www.billystrings.com

Billy Strings (born William Lee Apostol, October 3, 1992) is an American guitarist and bluegrass musician.[1] His album Home won the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album in 2021.

Early life

Billy Strings was born William Lee Apostol on October 3, 1992, in Lansing, Michigan. His father died of a heroin overdose when he was two and his mother remarried Terry Barber, an accomplished amateur bluegrass musician whom Strings regards as his father. The family later moved to Morehead, Kentucky, and then to Muir, Michigan. While he was still a preteen, his parents became addicted to methamphetamine. He left the family home at the age of 13 and went through a period of hard drug usage. His family eventually achieved sobriety; Billy stopped using hard drugs and drinking alcohol, becoming "California sober" and consuming only cannabis and similar "light drugs" (ie psychedelics).[2] [3]

Barber was a heavy influence on his stepson, introducing him to traditional bluegrass artists at a young age,[1] including Doc Watson, Del McCoury, David Grisman,[4] Bill Monroe, John Hartford, Ralph Stanley, Earl Scruggs and Larry Sparks.[5] [6] Strings is also a rock and metal fan, influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Widespread Panic, Phish, Grateful Dead, Def Leppard, Between the Buried and Me and Black Sabbath, and played in hard rock and indie rock bands in his teens.[3] [7]

Apostol got his stage name, Billy Strings, from his aunt, who saw his ability on multiple traditional bluegrass instruments.[8]

Career

Beginnings and Turmoil & Tinfoil (2012-2019)

In 2012, Don Julin, a mandolin player from Traverse City, Michigan, and author of Mandolin for Dummies, asked Strings to join him on a paying gig. The partnership lasted for the next four years.

Rolling Stone named Strings one of the Top Ten New Country Artists to Know in 2017. On February 12, 2018, Rolling Stone published an article titled "Bluegrass Prodigy Billy Strings Plots 2018 Spring Tour", saying: "Billy Strings doesn't have any trouble living up to his name. [He is] one of the latest breakneck guitar pickers to emerge in the bluegrass world."[9] The International Bluegrass Music Association awarded him with the Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year award in 2016.[10] Bluegrass Situation named him a scene tastemaker in 2016.[10] Lisa Snedeker of HuffPost proclaimed Turmoil & Tinfoil as one of the best albums of 2017, writing: "In September it charted at No. 3 on the Billboard Bluegrass charts. 'Nuff said."[11] In March 2018, Rolling Stone released Strings' debut music video for his song "Dealing Despair" from his album Turmoil & Tinfoil.[12] He planned to play over 200 shows in 2018.[13]

He has been invited to play on stage with artists including Phish, Dierks Bentley,[14] Del McCoury, Bill Kreutzmann, Bob Weir, David Grisman, Larry Keel, Sam Bush,[15] The Marcus King Band,[16] Greensky Bluegrass, The Infamous Stringdusters,[17] The String Cheese Incident, Leftover Salmon, Widespread Panic, Tool, and more. He has performed at festivals including Frankfort Bluegrass Festival (Frankfort, IL), Hookahville, Blue Ox, Pickathon, Merlefest, DelFest, High Sierra Music Festival, Lollapalooza, Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, John Hartford Memorial Festival,[18] Aiken Bluegrass Festival, Appaloosa Music Festival, Wheatland Music Festival, Red Wing Roots Music Festival, Bristol Rhythm & Roots, Rooster Walk, French Broad River Festival, Makers Trail Festival, Under the Big Sky Festival and the All Good Presents 4848 Festival. At Grey Fox, he served as their very first artist in residence in 2017 and 2018.[19] [20] Strings has appeared on famous PBS musical TV programs Austin City Limits and Bluegrass Underground.[21] He has toured with Greensky Bluegrass, The Infamous Stringdusters, Leftover Salmon,, Cabinet and others.[10] [22] Of those bands he played with early in his career, he has cited Greensky Bluegrass specifically as a major influence and his "favorite band."[23] In February 2017, Strings was named one of the six new rising stars of bluegrass by Acoustic Guitar.[24] He also collaborated with Molly Tuttle on the songs "Sittin' on Top of the World" and "Billy in the Lowground".

In March 2018, PBS announced that Strings was to be the inaugural performer at the new cave for the renowned series Bluegrass Underground in the caverns of Pelham, Tennessee.[25] [26]

Home and Renewal (2019-2021)

In January 2019, Rolling Stone wrote an article titled "Why Guitarist Billy Strings Is the Bluegrass Star You Don't Want to Miss."[27] He was signed to Rounder Records in June 2019.[28] Strings released his album Home (produced and engineered by Glenn Brown) under the label on September 27, 2019. It became his most successful release yet, reaching No. 1 on the Heatseekers Albums and Bluegrass Albums charts, as well as debuting at No. 11 on the Emerging Artists Chart.[29] On September 26, 2019, Billy Strings was voted the International Bluegrass Music Association Guitar Player of the Year in Raleigh, North Carolina.

His album Home won the Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.

In 2021, he joined Bill Kreutzmann's Billy & the Kids for a number of shows, along with James Casey (saxophone).

As a solo artist, he was part of the Newport Folk Festival in July 2021.[30] On September 24, 2021, he released his third studio album, Renewal.[31] [32]

Me/And/Dad (2022-present)

Billy Strings' touring band was expanded from a quartet to a five piece when frequent guest fiddler Alex Hargreaves was asked to become a permanent member during a show in Baltimore on July 3, 2022.[33] The band consists of Billy Failing (banjo), Royal Masat (bass), Jarrod Walker (mandolin) and Alex Hargreaves (fiddle).

At the 2022 International Bluegrass Music Awards, Strings was nominated for six awards, winning Entertainer of the Year for the second consecutive year, while "Red Daisy" won Song of the Year.[34]

On October 3, 2022, Strings announced the album Me/And/Dad, a project with his father Terry Barber.[35] While Barber is not his biological father, Strings said about Barber, "Terry raised me and taught me how to wipe my ass, tie my shoes, and play guitar. That's my fucking dad."

The album, released in November 2022, is a collection of traditional, country and bluegrass music from George Jones, Doc Watson, Hank Thompson, A.P. Carter and others. The same day the album was announced, "Long Journey Home" / "Life to Go" was released as a two-song single. Barber takes the lead vocal on the Jones-written song "Life to Go."

Discography

Artist:Billy Strings
Studio:3
Live:1
Music Videos:10
Ep:2
Singles:10
Option Name:As featured artist
Option:7
1Option Name:Collaboration albums
1Option:3
2Option Name:Other appearances
2Option:4

Albums

Studio albums

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positionSales
US
[36]
US
Country

[37]
US
Folk

[38]
US
Grass
[39]
US
Heat.
[40]
Turmoil & Tinfoil[41] 318
Home[42]
  • Released: September 27, 2019
  • Label: Rounder
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
41111 1
Renewal[44]
  • Released: September 24, 2021
  • Label: Rounder
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
82941
"—" denotes album that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Collaborations

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart position
US
Rock of Ages
Fiddle Tune X[45]
  • Released: October 1, 2014
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download
Me/And/Dad
  • Released: November 18, 2022
  • Label: Rounder
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
37

Live albums

Extended plays

TitleEP detailsPeak chart position
US
Grass
Billy Strings
  • Released: June 10, 2016
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: CD, digital download, streaming
Billy Strings An OurVinyl Sessions
  • Released: 2018
  • Label: N/A
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
10
"—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles

As lead artist

TitleYearAlbum
"All the Luck in the World"
2020Highway Butterfly: The Songs of Neal Casal
"The Great Divide
2021rowspan=4
"Wargasm"
"Midnight on the Stormy Deep"
"Globe"
"Fire Line"Renewal
"In the Morning Light"
"Long Journey Home"
2022Me/And/Dad
"Life to Go"
"California Sober"
[48]
2023

As featured artist

TitleYearAlbum
"Bells of Every Chapel"
2021Long Time Coming
"Charm School"
My Bluegrass Heart
"Dooley's Farm"
2022Crooked Tree
"High Note"
Gravel & Gold
"For Your Love"
2023For Your Love
"Muscle Car"
[49]
Squareneck Soul
"Brown Ferry Blues"
[50]
2024Earl Jam: A Tribute to Earl Scruggs
"Poor Davey"
[51]
One of These Days

Music videos

YearTitleAlbum
2019"Away From the Mire"Home
"Must Be Seven"
2020"Home"
"Watch It Fall"
2021"In the Morning Light"Renewal
"Heartbeat of America"
2022"Love and Regret"
"Long Journey Home"
Me/And/Dad
"Catch & Release"
2023"California Sober"
2024"Leadfoot"Highway Prayers

Other appearances

TitleYearCredited artist(s)Album
"Slippery Eel"2021Béla Fleck
My Bluegrass Heart
"This Old Road"Béla Fleck
"Tentacle Dragon (Revenge of the)"Béla Fleck
"Road Trip"
2022Cory Wong
Power Station
"M-E-X-I-C-O"
2024Post Malone
F-1 Trillion

Awards and nominations

Billy Strings
Wins:9
Nominations:26
Award1:Americana Music Honors & Awards
Award1w:2
Award1n:4
Award2:Grammy Awards
Award2w:1
Award2n:6
Award3:International Bluegrass Music Awards
Award3w:6
Award3n:16

Americana Music Awards

The Americana Music Honors & Awards are awarded annually by the Americana Music Association to honor the best in Americana and American roots music. Strings has received two wins from four nominations.[52] |-|2020|Emerging Artist of the Year|rowspan=4|Billy Strings||-|2021|rowspan=3|Artist of the Year||-|2022||-|2023|

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Strings has one win from six nominations.[53]

|-|2021|rowspan=2|Best Bluegrass Album|Home||-|rowspan=2|2022|Renewal||-| rowspan="2"|Best American Roots Performance|"Love and Regret"||-|rowspan=3|2024|"California Sober"
||-|Best Bluegrass Album|Me/And/Dad||-|Best Country Duo/Group Performance|"High Note"
||-

International Bluegrass Music Awards

The International Bluegrass Music Awards are awarded annually by the International Bluegrass Music Association to honor the best in bluegrass. Strings has won seven[54] awards from 16 nominations.[55] [56] [57]

|-|rowspan=2|2019|New Artist of the Year|rowspan=4|Billy Strings||-|rowspan=2|Guitar Player of the Year||-|rowspan=4|2020||-|Entertainer of the Year||-|Album of the Year|Home||-|Instrumental Recording of the Year|"Guitar Peace"||-|rowspan=3|2021|Guitar Player of the Year|rowspan=6|Billy Strings||-|Instrumental Group of the Year||-|rowspan=2|Entertainer of the Year||-|rowspan=6|2022||-|Guitar Player of the Year||-|Instrumental Group of the Year||-|Album of the Year|Renewal||-|Song of the Year|"Red Daisy"||-|Instrumental Recording of the Year|"Ice Bridges"||-|2023|Entertainer of the Year|Billy Strings|

External links

Notes and References

  1. 10 New Country Artists You Need to Know: August 2017. Rolling Stone. August 8, 2017. January 31, 2018.
  2. News: Hudak . Joseph . Drugs, Bluegrass, and Bass Fishing: How Billy Strings Outran His Past and Infiltrated the Mainstream . 25 August 2022 . Rolling Stone . June 22, 2022.
  3. Web site: The Amazing Billy Strings. Northern Express.
  4. Web site: Watch Billy Strings Crush Garcia & Grisman's "Dreadful Wind & Rain". liveforlivemusic.com. March 23, 2018.
  5. Web site: Midwestern Gentleman - Keep Stringin': The Billy Strings Interview. December 8, 2019 .
  6. Web site: Billy Strings: Just Beginning An Already Wild Ride. NPR. November 7, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20110519173408/http://http/. May 19, 2011. dead.
  7. Web site: JUMPING INTO THE DEEP END: A CONVERSATION WITH BILLY STRINGS. October 18, 2017 . The Bluegrass Situation.
  8. Web site: Billy Strings Is A Fascinatingly Unpredictable Performer. May 4, 2017 . Greenville Journal.
  9. Web site: Bluegrass Prodigy Billy Strings Plots 2018 Spring Tour. Rolling Stone. February 12, 2018 .
  10. Web site: Crossover Touring. crossovertouring.com.
  11. Web site: Year in Review: Favorite musical picks for 2017. January 2018 . Huffington Post.
  12. Web site: See Bluegrass Shredder Billy Strings Call Out Violent Culture in 'Dealing Despair' Video . March 13, 2018 . Rolling Stone.
  13. Web site: Steeped in versatility, Billy Strings Keeps Returning to His Bluegrass Roots. May 2, 2018 . Daily Progress.
  14. Web site: WMOT Fundraiser: An Evening with Dierks Bentley. wmot.org. March 6, 2018 .
  15. Web site: Greensky Bluegrass Collaborate with Sam Bush and Billy Strings in Nashville. Jambands.com. January 21, 2018 .
  16. Web site: Marcus King & Billy Strings To Team For 'King & Strings' Set At Rooster Walk. Jambase.com.
  17. Web site: The Infamous Stringdusters, Fruition, & More To Bring The Pickin' To Aiken Bluegrass Festival . liveforlivemusic.com. April 13, 2017 .
  18. Web site: John Hartford Memorial Festival - Previous Lineup History. hartfordfest.com. June 2, 2018 .
  19. Web site: Lineup. delfest.com. November 15, 2021 .
  20. Web site: 2018 Lineup. greyfoxbluegrass.com.
  21. Web site: Cave Concert Venue Gives New Meaning to Underground Music Scene. March 21, 2018 . NY Post.
  22. Web site: Greensky Bluegrass & Billy Strings Take Manhattan. Jambase.
  23. Web site: Billy Strings breaks away from his mentor and is set to take his new band to the 'stratosphere'. February 1, 2018 . Marquee Magazine.
  24. Web site: Next-Gen Pickers: 6 Rising Stars are Carrying on the Bluegrass Tradition by Making It Their Own. February 16, 2017 . Acoustic Guitar.
  25. Web site: First Look: Bluegrass Underground's New Home The Caverns. The Tennessean.
  26. Web site: Music and Magic in the Pelham Valley. October 6, 2023 . The Grundy County Herald.
  27. Web site: Why Guitarist Billy Strings Is the Bluegrass Star You Don't Want to Miss. January 2, 2019 . Rolling Stone.
  28. Web site: Billy Strings to Rounder Records . June 25, 2019 . John . Lawless . Bluegrass Today.
  29. Billy Strings, Dayseeker and Temples Debut On Emerging Artists Chart . October 9, 2019 . Xander. Zellne . Billboard.
  30. Web site: Newport Folk Festival stage schedule 2021 . September 21, 2021 . Newport Folk.
  31. Web site: New album #RENEWAL out September 24. Preorder now.
  32. Web site: Grammy Winning Bluegrass Artist Billy Strings Has A New Album. NPR.org . September 28, 2021.
  33. Web site: Billy Strings Makes Alex Hargreaves Official Band Member. Jambase.com . September 21, 2023.
  34. Web site: Billy Strings, Béla Fleck, Dolly Parton Win Big at 2022 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards: Winners List. Grein. Paul. September 30, 2022. Billboard. October 5, 2022.
  35. Web site: Billy Strings Picks and Sings With His Father on New Album 'Me/And/Dad'. October 3, 2022. Freeman. Jon. Rolling Stone. October 5, 2022.
  36. Billy Strings Chart History: Billboard 200. Billboard. July 23, 2024.
  37. Billy Strings Chart History: Country Albums. Billboard. October 5, 2021.
  38. Billy Strings Chart History: Americana/Folk Albums. Billboard. October 5, 2021.
  39. Billy Strings Chart History: Bluegrass Albums. Billboard. October 5, 2021.
  40. Billy Strings Chart History: Heatseekers Albums. Billboard. October 5, 2021.
  41. Web site: Turmoil & Tinfoil track debut from Billy Strings - Bluegrass Today. July 27, 2017.
  42. Billy Strings Talks His Brand of Bluegrass, New Album 'Home'. Garret K.. Woodward . Rolling Stone. October 2, 2019.
  43. Web site: Top 10 Country Albums Pure Sales Chart: March 9, 2020 . RoughStock. Matt . Bjorke . March 10, 2020 . March 22, 2020 .
  44. Web site: Renewal [Explicit]]. Amazon.
  45. Web site: Fiddle Tune X . Amazon.
  46. Web site: Billy Strings Drops First-Ever Live Album. Broerman. Michael. July 12, 2024. Live for Live Music. July 13, 2024.
  47. billboardcharts. 1815395972672868746. Debuts on this week's #Billboard200.... July 22, 2024. July 23, 2024.
  48. Web site: Billy Strings and Willie Nelson Commit to Going 'California Sober' in Duet Released for Willie's Birthday. Willman. Chris. April 27, 2023. Variety. June 12, 2023.
  49. Web site: Muscle Car from Andy Hall, with Billy Strings. Lawless. John. June 1, 2023. Bluegrass Today. June 12, 2023.
  50. Web site: Hear Billy Strings Join Banjo Great Tony Trischka on a Fiery Salute to Earl Scruggs. Hudak. Joseph. January 12, 2024. Rolling Stone. January 14, 2024.
  51. Web site: Cris Jacobs Teams Up with Billy Strings & The Infamous Stringdusters In New Video for 'Poor Davey'. Sharpe. Josh. May 1, 2024. BroadwayWorld. May 2, 2024.
  52. Web site: Awards .
  53. Web site: Billy Strings. Recording Academy Grammy Awards. 5 February 2024.
  54. Web site: Awards . 2023-10-24 . AmericanaMusic.org . en.
  55. Web site: IBMA Awards 2019: See the Winners . September 27, 2019 .
  56. Web site: IBMA Awards 2021: See the Full List of Winners . October 2021 .
  57. Web site: 2022 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards nominees announced . July 26, 2022 .