Billy Strings is the reigning artist-in-residence at the Grey Fox festival, among other accolades. He is a guitarist and singer with formidable chops, one who is already quite familiar with sitting into all kinds of musical contexts. Billy brings no lack of energy and enthusiasm to the stage, whether it be leading his own group into an extended jam or standing shoulder to shoulder singing with Del McCoury. Geez, when one has climbed these mountains, where do you go from there?
Well, I guess you go to Rounder Records. On this first project for the label, Billy Strings has put together 14 cuts that exhibit all of his collective talents of picking, singing and songwriting as well. Added to this, as you might imagine, is a crackerjack bluegrass ensemble. Special guests include Molly Tuttle, John Mailander and Jerry Douglass, as well as tabla player John Churchville.
“Watch It Fall”
Despite his meteoric rise in the music business, Billy Strings has known some hard times and personal loss. His songwriting engages some of these personal spaces alongside perhaps more conventional themes. In any case, these songs all get his infusion of contemporary taste and experimental spirit. This recording captures an artist that is at the leading edge of a generation of bluegrass music performers that are comfortable in more traditional contexts, but defining themselves in a much more urban and 21st century moment. Given Billy Strings early success, recordings like Home promise we’ll be seeing a lot more of him in the future.
Rounder Records
