The Best Billy Strings Songs

Living Like an Animal

Surprisingly quirky in comparison to any usual Strings selection, this is a particularly animated offering that wouldn't have sounded out of place on the soundtrack to The Lion King if it wasn't for Strings' twangy drawl.

With a banjo, fiddle and jaw harp providing the primary instrumentation, its chanting refrain brings to mind an old work song, albeit a most spirited example, as Strings plays a down-on-his-luck dreamer wondering when he's going to catch a break.

Seven Weeks in County

A lonesome whistle leads the way in one of Strings' most articulate prison songs. Taken from the latest album, Highway Prayers, released in September 2024, the song was accompanied by a suitably Western themed music video directed by Bryan Schlam, best known for Tyler Childers’ 'In Your Love' video.

Produced by Strings and Jon Brion (Fiona Apple, Mac Miller, Aimee Mann), Highway Prayers was recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville and features Strings and his longtime band.

Home

The title track of Strings' 2019 Rounder release Home is a decidedly different Strings song, one with a haunting, harrowing and decidedly psychedelic sound.

It’s exotic by Strings’ standards and yet strangely compelling all at the same time. It also shows that variety and versatility find room within his wheelhouse.

The album was titled Home as Strings was starting to "feel at home" in his Nashville residence and in the music industry at the time of the album's release.

All of Tomorrow

Strings pays homage to the heartland homilies that inspired him early on and that continue to play a key role in his musical mantra.

Taken from Strings' third studio album, Turmoil and Tinfoil, the easy sway and humble demeanor of 'All of Tomorrow' add to the tender trappings, making for a old-timey back-porch ballad that could easily have been borne from an earlier era.

Away From the Mire

Another track from Home, this song finds Strings in a seemingly sweet and sentimental mood, sharing a tender paean to the passing of time.

It's a song about breaking patterns and how you can hold yourself back from doing what you want to do by a stronger negative force inside you.

"Let go of the pain and hold onto the rhythm," he sings. "It's consciously held back in you.

His mandolin break seals the deal, and when fiddles join the fray, it results in an uplifting attitude that resonates overall.

Must Be Seven

Taken from Home, this touching track recalls the caring advice passed down to someone that goes on to help them fulfill their potential when they leave a potentially unhealthy home environment filled with "Dirty broken dishes, cigarette burns on the floor" and "Paper tearing off the walls, a rotten moldy sink."

"She held a look of disbelief as she wandered through the door," he sings, suggesting a case worker or a counselor coming to inspect the home. "To have a seat and meet the parents of a child that was heading the wrong way / And it's probably seven years since she turned around and hit the road that day."

"She said, 'Stay on track, don't let me see you lookin' back," he sings in the refrain, recalling the advice passed down to . "'Never mind what's left behind and don't look back / Don't look back.'"

Like most of the songs Strings recorded in his formative years, it shows a marked maturity through a singular passion and purpose.

This Old World

"A mean old world I’m leaving / Even though I have nowhere to go". Strings sings on this cut from his 2021 album Renewal, reflecting on hopes and aspirations that manage to remain intact despite obstacles and distractions that are tossed his way.

While his disappointment is never in doubt, it’s ultimately about finding optimism, even when the odds against it appear otherwise.

Little Cabin Home on the Hill

Taken from Strings' 2022 album Me/and/Dad, this song comes courtesy of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, while sizing up the homespun sentiment that inspired the album overall.

“As long as I can remember I wanted to make a record with my dad,” Billy Strings explained about the project. “I’ve been burning up and down the highways the last 12 years, and as time slips away, you start thinking, ‘I need to make time.’ It’s been a bucket list thing for me, something I’ve been afraid I wouldn’t find the time to do. And that scared me; not doing this record scared me.”

That dream of coming together to make a proper studio album was finally realised with Me/And/Dad, a collection of 14 classics that Billy and Terry know like the back of their hands, from Doc Watson and Bill Monroe songs to hymns and traditional classics.

In midst of his seemingly nonstop touring schedule in 2022, Billy brought his father from their native Michigan to Nashville’s Sound Emporium studios, along with an all-star band including bassist Mike Bub, mandolinist Ron McCoury, banjo player Rob McCoury, and fiddler Michael Cleveland. Jerry Douglas and Jason Carter sat in too.

Terry arrived with his cherished Martin acoustic, the guitar he played when Billy was just a boy and then pawned to financially support his family. When the guitar was sold, Terry thought it was lost forever - until Billy, who refers to it as “the family jewel,” located it online and reunited the instrument with its original owner.

“I’ve never been so dumbstruck in my life,” Terry says. “It was like bringing my mother out of the grave.”

It’s the sound of that guitar, mixed with Billy’s own playing on a series of Martins, that propels songs like 'Little Cabin Home on the Hill', summing up the duo’s shared sentiments adroitly and offering reason to acknowledge Strings elevated stature within bluegrass’ both past and present.

Miss the Mississippi and You

Strings’ appreciation for singular standards was never more apparent than when he and Don Julin tackled this Jimmie Rogers chestnut on their aptly titled duo album Fiddle Tune X.

Recorded at a house concert in Brooklyn, the emotion and engagement is evident in these intimate environs.

In the Clear

One of the standout tracks from Strings' latest album, Highway Prayers, 'In the Clear' is a wistful road song which has the singer wondering how much longer he has to travel along the road he's on before he feels free of the troubles that follow him.

"I spent a thousand hours on my knees / Broke down and started praying," he sings, before adding poetically, "But I was pleading with the wind just to never feel a difference in the breeze."

On the Line

The opening offering from the album Turmoil and Tinfoil, ‘On the Line’ finds Strings flush with a cool confidence.

A instant live favourite, 'On the Line' captures the singular exuberance and energy of a Billy Strings crowd with lines like: "You can't stop us from moving / You can't stop us from feeling fine / You can't stop us from putting our lives on the line / You can't stop us from dancing / You can't stop us from feeling high / We can't help it if we'd like to stay out all night."

This rousing number leaves no doubt that even this early in his still-budding career, he was ready to assume his role as one of Americana’s most promising and prominent voices.

In the Morning Light

Sung from a decidedly personal perspective, this song from Renewal is a deliciously sweet lovelorn gem that finds Strings reflecting on the woman who’s illuminated his life and, as a result, inspired him to give her full devotion and dedication, wishing he could find even more worthy parts of himself to give over to her.

As legend has it, he wrote 'In the Morning Light' with mandolin player Paul Hoffman from Greensky Bluegrass about his then fiancée, Ally Dale, while she was briefly out for a run.

The video for 'In The Morning Light' features poignant footage of couples at different stages of their lives and in their relationships as Strings plays in the background.

Fire Line

Strings slows the pace (albeit briefly) to substitute focus for frenzy, courtesy of a thoughtful ballad marked by deep determination.

The rich arrangements underscore the song’s effusive emotion, resulting not only in one of Strings’ most fully realized releases, but easily one of his most affecting efforts overall.

The introspective ballad begins with the gentle chords of John Mailander’s violin before Strings and Billy Failing join in on guitar and banjo and touring bandmates Royal Masat and Jarrod Walker build the song with bass and mandolin.

“And when the work is done and the Devil’s called his time / You’ll feel a sterile breeze, that blows through ashen pine," Strings since on this powerful environmentalist plea to oil companies. "It’s a poison dream, gets me running through the night, I’ll take it all, and then some more.”

Way Downtown

A track from 2022's Me/And/Dad, 'Way Downtown' finds Strings and his adoptive dad Terry Barber offering a decidedly down-home duet with affection and authenticity.

Rich and robust, it conveys the flavor of Appalachia in every note and nuance. Indeed, it soars on the strength of its drive and dexterity.

Long Journey Home

A traditional bluegrass tune recorded with Barber, ‘Long Journey Home’ offers an astute example of instrumental acumen plied with both flash and finesse.

Here again, Strings picks from the past while moving forward towards the future. Written by Doc Watson, 'Long Journey Home' was one of the first songs recorded by Bill Monroe in 1936, but countless others have taken on the song - including Strings himself, in his early duo with mandolinist Don Julin - but the close family harmonies of Strings and Barber on this version from Me/And/Dad make this particularly special.

Midnight on the Stormy Deep

Strings plays mandolin while Del McCoury provides accompaniment on harmonies and guitar, as the duo share a heartfelt ballad basking in true bluegrass tradition.

It’s yet another excellent example of how timeless tradition transcends age and experience when plied by two capable and credible players.

Red Daisy

Named Song of the Year at the 2022 International Bluegrass Music Awards - where Strings was proclaimed Entertainer of the Year as well - ‘Red Daisy’ offers an example of rapid-fire revelry in a full celebratory stance.

Billy Strings has shared that the song was inspired by a personal experience of heartbreak that deeply impacted him and his assured performance would likely make Doc, Lester, Earl and all his other distinguished forebears profoundly proud.

Gild the Lily

When Billy Strings dropped his highly anticipated fifth studio album, Highway Prayers, in September of this year, 'Gild the Lily' became an instant fan favourite.

The gently plucked intro opening up to reveal a psychedelic bluegrass sound that felt as indebted to The Beach Boys at their most experimental and the harmony soaked West coast folk pop of The Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers as it did its more traditional roots influences.

Dust in a Baggie

Originally included on Strings' debut self titled EP, Billy Strings told Theo Von about the origins of the song after Von had asked him if he'd ever written a song about methheads panning for gold in a river.

“No, not about panning for Gold but I wrote one called 'Dust In A Baggie' that’s about Brad Lasco, man," Strings tells him. "He just passed away a couple years ago too man. That Me/And/Dad record, we dedicated it to Brad.”

Strings went on to tell Theo Von about the background to a now legendary viral video of Strings performing the song in a windowless basement.

“That’s a famous video now because of that guy in the background, Barefoot Ben," explained Strings. "We were all on mushrooms that night, we were sitting in my friend Gina’s basement and were all picking songs."

"And there’s a big party upstairs, everybody was drunk but we were all tripping so we wanted to go downstairs and be quiet and get away from all the drunks. So we were sitting down there in that basement pickin’ tunes."

"And yeah, Barefoot Ben there, he was like the only hippie in like Ionia, you know what I mean? I mean I guess there was a couple like skater kids but he was like barefoot at every party wearing tie-dye. People called him Barefoot Ben or Hippie… He was like the only hippie around."

Five years later and that video has over 32 million views.

Watch the video below.

Along with some break-neck bluegrass picking and fiddling, the song rattles along loosely with an almost punk energy and spirit.

“I used my only phone call to contact my Daddy," he sings in the song's chorus. "I got 20 long years for some dust in a baggie.”

Know It All

Taken from Strings' 2021 album, Renewal, 'Know It All' is the song that perhaps resonates most with his live audiences.

A profoundly bittersweet song about taking the twists and turns of life as they come at you and embracing your mistakes and learning from them. We can never "know it all," and Strings sings about the transformative power of overcoming life's many hurdles.

"I thought I knew it all 'til I crashed into the wall," he sings. "Let me learn from my mistakes and try to pick up all the pieces / Well all I know is everything I've learned and if I'm changing that's the reason that I'll turn into someone I can trust before I turn back into dust."