Anh Phung, Chris Henry & Jon Stickley Join Billy Strings In Asheville

Billy Strings wrapped his six-show, two-weekend run at ExploreAsheville.com Arena in Asheville, North Carolina this past weekend. The final three shows featured a trio of guest spots from Anh Phung, Chris Henry and Jon Stickley.

Friday’s cover-heavy show got underway with a fitting debut of “My Cabin in Caroline” by bluegrass legends Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs — the latter was born in North Carolina. The first set came to a close with a Reno & Smiley cover, “Unwanted Love,” last time played by Billy Strings on March 1, 2024.

Set two began with flutist Anh Phung returning to the stage where she helped Billy Strings present his 2022 Lord of the Rings-themed Halloween run. The collab appropriately reprised “The Shire” theme from the trilogy’s soundtrack, last performed on October 29, 2022. Phung would stick around to add flute to “Ole Slew Foot” along with “Love and Regret,” the latter from Billy’s 2021 album, Renewal.

The second set also saw a premiere of John Hiatt’s “Crossing Muddy Waters.” Following set closer — the Tim O’Brien-penned, Hot Rize bluegrass standard “Nellie Kane” — Anh Phung returned for the encore. The collab offered up two more bluegrass classics in “Sophoronie” and “Doin’ My Time.”

Official Audio (via nugs.net)

On Saturday, Billy Strings and company kicked things off with Renewal cut “Red Daisy.” The first set also saw Strings going solo for a clawhammer banjo “Georgia Buck” before banjo player Billy Failing came back out for the duo’s “Dos Banjos.” A cover of Jeff Austin’s “15 Steps” wrapped the first set.

The second set began with the emergence of mandolinist Chris Henry, who just happened to be celebrating his birthday. Billy led the audience in singing “Happy Birthday” to the musician before the duo delivered a single-mic rendition of the Monroe Brothers-recorded (1936) “What Would You Give (In Exchange For Your Soul)?” Strings last performed the song on March 1, 2020, for a 406-show gap.

Henry also added mando to “These Memories of You,” off Billy’s 2017 album Turmoil & Tinfoil, and a breakout of “Travelin’ This Lonesome Road,” which was performed around a single mic with the full band. The Bill Monroe tune was also last performed on October 29, 2022, during the LoTR Halloween run. Henry’s sit-in came to a close with a song he wrote, “West Dakota Rose,” which Billy Strings covers, also around a single mic.

The second set also saw a bust-out cover of the Little Feat classic “Willin.” “Shady Grove” sealed the second set before the band encored with “Happy Hollow,” a song off Strings’ latest studio album, Highway Prayers.

Official Audio (via nugs.net)

The Sunday finale in Asheville commenced with Billy Strings favorite “Dust in a Baggie.” Guitarist Jon Stickley rolled on stage about halfway through the first frame, joining the band for “Home of the Red Fox,” which gave way to “Little Maggie.” Stickley stuck around for traditional “I’ve Been All Around This World” and Bill Monroe’s “Big Mon.” Billy and the band then went it alone for the first “Rank Stranger,” by The Stanley Brothers, in over 50 shows.

The quintet then delivered Highway Prayers companions “Stratosphere Blues / I Believe in You,” which saw Billy on a Martin 12-string guitar, bassist Royal Masat on keyboard, and Billy Failing on a Béla Fleck signature baritone banjo.

Set two saw a number of 2025 debuts, including Bill Monroe’s “Blue Grass Breakdown,” Béla Fleck’s “Tentacle Dragon (Revenge Of The),” original “Doin’ My Time” and the Jimmie Davis-penned, Mac Wiseman-covered “Shackles & Chains.” Strings sealed the second set with “Meet Me At The Creek.” Stickley returned to help Billy conclude his Asheville stint with a cover of Arlie Duff’s “Y’all Come.”

Watch “Home of the Red Fox” > “Little Maggie” below:

Official Audio (via nugs.net)