Billy Strings

Billy Strings
Background information
Birth name William Apostol
Born (1992-10-03) October 3, 1992
Muir, Michigan
Genres Bluegrass, Americana, Rock and Roll
Instruments Guitar, Vocals, Banjo, Mandolin
Years active 2013-present
Labels Apostol Recording Company
Associated acts Billy Failing, Royal Masat, Jarrod Walker
Website www.billystrings.com

Billy Strings (born William Apostol, October 3, 1992) is an American guitarist and bluegrass musician.[1]

Early life

Billy Strings was born William Apostol on October 3, 1992 in Lansing, Michigan.[2] His stepfather, Terry Barber, was a picker in the Michigan bluegrass scene, although he never played professionally. Barber was a heavy influence on his son, introducing him to traditional bluegrass at a young age.[1] He got his nickname, Billy Strings, from his aunt, who saw his ability on multiple traditional bluegrass instruments.[3] His dad introduced him to classic bluegrass like Doc Watson, Del McCoury, David Grisman,[4] Bill Monroe, John Hartford, Ralph Stanley, Earl Scruggs, and Larry Sparks.[5][6] He was also a rock and metal fan, influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, and Black Sabbath, and played in hard rock and indie rock bands in his teens.[2][7]

Career and Recognition

Rolling Stone named Strings one of the Top Ten New Country Artists to Know in 2017.[1] On February 12, 2018, Rolling Stone published an article entitled "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." [8] The International Bluegrass Music Association awarded him with the 2016 Momentum Award for Instrumentalist of the year.[9] Bluegrass Situation named him a scene tastemaker in 2016.[9] Lisa Snedeker of HuffPost proclaimed Turmoil and Tinfoil as one the best albums of 2017, writing, "in September it charted at No. 3 on the Billboard Bluegrass charts. ‘Nuff said.".[10] In March, 2018, Rolling Stone released Strings' debut music video Dealing Despair from his album Turmoil & Tinfoil.[11] He plans to play over 200 shows in 2018.[12]

He has been invited to play on stage with artists including Dierks Bentley,[13] Del McCoury, David Grisman, Larry Keel, Sam Bush,[14] The Marcus King Band[15] , Greensky Bluegrass, The Infamous Stringdusters,[16] Leftover Salmon and more. He has performed at festivals including Pickathon, Merlefest, DelFest, High Sierra Music Festival, Grey Fox, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, John Hartford Memorial Festival[17],Aiken Bluegrass Festival, Appaloosa Music Festival, Red Wing Roots Music Festival, Bristol Rhythm & Roots, Rooster Walk, and Makers Trail Festival.[18][19] Strings had the honor of being invited to play at the famous PBS-sponsored event "Bluegrass Underground".[20] He has toured with Greensky Bluegrass, The Infamous Stringdusters, Leftover Salmon, Cabinet and others.[9][21]

In February 2017, Billy was named one of the six new rising stars of bluegrass by Acoustic Guitar.[22] In March 2018, PBS announced that Billy was to be the inaugural performer at the new cave for the renowned series Bluegrass Underground in the caverns of Pelham, Tennessee.[23][24]

Discography

  • Turmoil and Tinfoil, 2017[25]
  • Billy Strings - EP, 2016
  • Fiddle Tune X (with Don Julin), 2014
  • Rock of Ages (with Don Julin), 2013

References

  1. 1 2 3 "10 New Country Artists You Need to Know: August 2017". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
  2. 1 2 "The Amazing Billy Strings". Northern Express.
  3. ↑ "Billy Strings Is A Fascinatingly Unpredictable Performer". Greenville Journal.
  4. ↑ "Watch Billy Strings Crush Garcia & Grisman's "Dreadful Wind & Rain"". liveforlivemusic.com.
  5. ↑ "Midwestern Gentleman - Keep Stringin': The Billy Strings Interview".
  6. ↑ "Billy Strings: Just Beginning An Already Wild Ride". NPR.
  7. ↑ "JUMPING INTO THE DEEP END: A CONVERSATION WITH BILLY STRINGS". The Bluegrass Situation.
  8. ↑ "Bluegrass Prodigy Billy Strings Plots 2018 Spring Tour". rollingstone.com.
  9. 1 2 3 "Crossover Touring". crossovertouring.com.
  10. ↑ "Year in Review: Favorite musical picks for 2017". Huffington Post.
  11. ↑ "See Bluegrass Shredder Billy Strings Call Out Violent Culture in 'Dealing Despair' Video". Rolling Stone.
  12. ↑ "Steeped in versatility, Billy Strings Keeps Returning to His Bluegrass Roots". Daily Progress.
  13. ↑ "WMOT Fundraiser: An Evening with Dierks Bentley". wmot.org.
  14. ↑ "Greensky Bluegrass Collaborate with Sam Bush and Billy Strings in Nashville". Jambands.com.
  15. ↑ "Marcus King & Billy Strings To Team For 'King & Strings' Set At Rooster Walk". Jambase.com.
  16. ↑ "The Infamous Stringdusters, Fruition, & More To Bring The Pickin' To Aiken Bluegrass Festival". liveforlivemusic.com.
  17. ↑ "John Hartford Memorial Festival - Previous Lineup History". hartfordfest.com. Retrieved 2018-06-02.
  18. ↑ "Lineup". delfest.com.
  19. ↑ "2018 Lineup". greyfoxbluegrass.com.
  20. ↑ "Cave Concert Venue Gives New Meaning to Underground Music Scene". NY Post.
  21. ↑ "Greensky Bluegrass & Billy Strings Take Manhattan". Jambase.
  22. ↑ "Next-Gen Pickers: 6 Rising Stars are Carrying on the Bluegrass Tradition by Making It Their Own". Acoustic Guitar.
  23. ↑ "First Look: Bluegrass Underground's New Home The Caverns". The Tennessean.
  24. ↑ "Music and Magic in the Pelham Valley". The Grundy County Herald.
  25. ↑ "Turmoil & Tinfoil track debut from Billy Strings - Bluegrass Today". 27 July 2017.
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