Renewal Moves Forward Without Billy Strings As Baby Strings Arrives

Billy Strings (William Apostol) already had quite the eventful Friday planned with the release of his new album, Highway Prayers, and the start of his fourth annual Renewal festival in Buena Vista, Colorado. What he didn’t expect was to receive a phone call just hours before showtime from his wife Ally informing him that her water broke.

Apostol flew home on Ringo Starr‘s jet to be on hand for the birth of his first child. Strings made it in time as he announced on Monday morning the baby boy had arrived. “After a long delivery, he’s here! Mommy and baby are both doing great ❤️ I’m a dad,” Billy wrote on social media in text accompanying a photo of Apostol with the baby.

Billy Strings’ team immediately put together headlining performances at Renewal, which continued despite the guitarist’s absence. Strings’ bandmates — fiddler Alex Hargreaves, bassist Royal Masat, banjo player Billy Failing and mandolinist Jarrod Walker — served as the house band and performed in different configurations on Friday and Saturday nights. Other musicians on the Renewal lineup were recruited to make guest appearances throughout the four sets.

Apostol wrote a note to his fans on Sunday detailing his experience:

I arrived in Buena vista Thursday night ready to rock out at renewal with my band and all my friends .. but knowing in the back of my mind that there’s a chance I might have to get back to Michigan at a moments notice if my wife went into labor.. we were really hoping that baby boy would wait till Sunday morning at least but he had plans of his own. Friday morning I got to the festival site and did a soundcheck and a quick Q&A set about the album.. I was hanging out backstage getting ready to rehearse for our set when my wife called and told me her water broke. I immediately hopped on a jet (thank you ringo starr for lending me your ride) and headed back. I was mortified to leave the fans hanging and to leave the responsibility of the gig to my band and friends who stepped up and kicked ass in my absence. ( I owe you all a cold beer! ) but I was so excited to get back to my wife because she needed me…

I got to Michigan Friday night around midnight and we have been in labor ever since.. we labored all day yesterday and we’re still in the race. Ally is doing amazing! she is so strong. I’ve never witnessed anything like it. There is an unbelievable amount of strength and courage in that woman. We are still here and she is doing great work. Baby and mother are both healthy. We are hoping to meet our boy today! I’ll let you all know when he’s here. But for now please just keep sending Ally all of your thoughts of love and strength.

I cannot wait to meet him ❤️

Billy Strings also explained he will devise a way to make up his absence to festivalgoers. “Regarding renewal. I WILL find a way to make it up to you.. just give me a sec to be with my family. I’ll figure out a way to make it up to you I promise!”

“Pine Knob is definitely a GO!!” Strings added in regards to the home state shows this coming Friday and Saturday near Detroit that will kick off his fall tour. “Thank you for your patience and understanding during this amazing time .. and always for your love and support. You all mean the world to me. Thank you,” Apostol ended his note.

The most unusual run of Billy Strings shows to date began on Friday with cellist Nat Smith joining Apostol’s bandmates for the first set with Failing, Walker, Masat, Hargreaves, Smith and guitarist Jon Stickley forming the core group for set two. Larry Keel sat in at the end of the opening stanza for covers of “Sally Goodwin” (traditional), “Steam Powered Aereo Plane” (John Hartford), “Mr. Charlie” (Grateful Dead) and “Mountain Dew” (Bascom Lamar Lunsford).

Jon Stickley handled lead vocals on “E.M.D. (Eat My Dust)” and “Old Home Place” during Friday’s second set. Keel came back out to play “My Little Georgia Rose” and “Midnight Moonlight.” Mountain Grass Unit’s Drury Anderson (mandolin) and Luke Black (guitar) joined Masat, Failing, Hargreaves, Walker, Smith and Stickley for Strings original “Turmoil & Tinfoil” to punctuate the frame.

Saturday’s headlining action began with a Clusterpick set hosted by Jarrod Walker, Royal Masat, Alex Hargreaves and Billy Failing with special guest Nat Smith. Luke Black, Drury Anderson and Mountain Grass Unit bandmates fiddler Josiah Nelson and bassist Sam Wilson lent a hand on the traditional “Salt Creek” and Strings’ “Dust In A Baggie.” Then, members of Molly Tuttle’s Golden Highway ensemble emerged for a few songs.

The final set of the weekend was billed as “Renewal Family Band featuring Molly Tuttle, Jerry Douglas, Jarrod Walker, Royal Masat, Alex Hargreaves, Billy Failing and the Whole Dang Family.” Molly Tuttle fronted the Billy Strings Band with Smith once again on cello. Highlights included covers of Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit,” The Band’s “Up On Cripple Creek,” The Beatles’ “Things We Said Today” and “I’ve Just Seen A Face,” the traditional “Cold Rain & Snow” and Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower.” Circles Around The Sun drummer Mark Levy was behind the kit for a portion of the frame.

All of the assembled musicians contributed to the two-song encore. The fitting tunes chosen were “With A Little Help From My Friends” and “Will The Circle Be Unbroken.”

Watch fan-shot video from Renewal 2024 below:

Setlists (via BillyBase.net)

Friday, September 27

Set One: I’m Coming Back But I Don’t Know When [1] [2] [3], The Old Mountaineer, The High Road [4] > I’ll Cry Instead [5], Libby Phillips Rag, I’m Troubled [6], Show Me The Door [7], Sally Goodin [8], Steam Powered Aereo Plane [4] [8], Mr. Charlie [5] [8] [9], Mountain Dew [3] [8]

Set Two: E.M.D. (Eat My Dust) [10], Ole Slew Foot [11], Back in the Goodle Days [6] [12], West Dakota Rose, I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome [4] [13], My Little Georgia Rose [8] [14], Midnight Moonlight [8] [14] [15], Blue Skies [5], Old Home Place [11], Manzanita [16], Turmoil & Tinfoil [17] [18]

Notes:

• [1] Prior to start of show Billy’s manager and Bonfire Entertainment announced that Billy was flying home to be with Ally and his coming baby. Set 1 lineup (w/out Billy) — band plus Nat Smith (cello)
• [2] Last Time Played 2022-08-10 | 189 Shows
• [3] Billy Failing and Jarrod Walker lead vocals
• [4] Billy Failing lead vocals
• [5] Royal Masat lead vocals
• [6] Alex Hargreaves lead vocals
• [7] Jarrod Walker lead vocals
• [8] w/ Larry Keel (guitar)
• [9] Last Time Played 2021-11-06 | 276 Shows
• [10] Set 2 lineup (w/out Billy) — band, Nat Smith (cello) & John Stickley (on Billy’s Thompson guitar)
• [11] Jon Stickley lead vocals
• [12] FTP – John Hartford
• [13] FTP – Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys
• [14] Larry Keel lead vocals
• [15] Last Time Played 2021-03-28 | 343 Shows
• [16] Last Time Played 2023-10-07 | 64 Shows
• [17] w/ Drury Anderson (mandolin) & Luke Black (guitar) from Mountain Grass Unit
• [18] Drury Anderson lead vocals

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Saturday, September 28

Set One: Long Journey Home [1], Charlie’s Birthday Breakdown, Pretty Fair Maid in the Garden [2] [3], High on a Mountain [4], Salt Creek [5], Dust In A Baggie [5] [6], Ground Speed [7] [8] [9], I Wonder Where You Are Tonight [7] [8] [9] [10] [11], Stoney Lonesome [7] [8] [9] [10] [12] [13], Sleepy-Eyed John [8] [9] [14] [15] [16], How Long Have I Been Waiting On You? [3] [9] [17], Roll In My Sweet Baby’s Arms [7] [9] [18] [19]

Set Two: White Freightliner Blues [20] [21], Dooley’s Farm, Everything’s The Same [22],Cincinnati Rag [2] [22], White Rabbit [22] [23] [24] [25], Up On Cripple Creek [22] [23] [24] [26], Look Out For Hope [22] [23] [24] [27], Things We Said Today [22] [23] [24] [28] [29], I’ve Just Seen a Face [22] [23] [24] [30],Roly Poly [3] [12] [22] [23] [24] [31], New San Antonio Rose [22] [23] [24] [28] [32], Cold Rain & Snow [22] [23] [24] [28], All Along The Watchtower [22] [23] [24] [28] [33], So Many Miles [22] [23] [24] [34], Reuben’s Train [22] [23] [24]

Encore: With a Little Help From My Friends [28] [35] [36], Will The Circle Be Unbroken [18] [35]

Notes:

• [1] Set 1 Clusterpick set hosted by Jarrod Walker, Royal Masat, Alex Hargreaves, and Billy Failing w/ special guest Nat Smith (cello) entire show
• [2] FTP – Traditional
• [3] Jarrod Walker lead vocals
• [4] FTP – Ola Belle Reed
• [5] w/ Luke Black (guitar) of Mountain Grass Unit
• [6] w/ Drury Anderson (mandolin, lead vocals), Josiah Nelson (fiddle), Sam Wilson (bass) of Mountain Grass Unit
• [7] w/ Kyle Tuttle (banjo), Bronwyn Keith-Hynes (fiddle), Dominick Leslie (mandolin) and Shelby Means (bass) of Molly Tuttle’s Golden Highway
• [8] w/ out Royal Masat
• [9] w/ Larry Keel (guitar)
• [10] Alex Hargreaves lead vocals
• [11] FTP – Jimmy Wakely and His Rough Riders
• [12] w/ Christian Sedelmyer (fiddle) of Jerry Douglas Band
• [13] FTP – Bill Monroe
• [14] w/ Kyle Tuttle (banjo), Bronwyn Keith-Hynes (fiddle) and Shelby Means (bass) of Molly Tuttle’s Golden Highway
• [15] Shelby Means lead vocals
• [16] FTP – Ole Rasmussen and His Cornhuskers
• [17] w/ Kyle Tuttle (banjo) and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes (fiddle) of Molly Tuttle’s Golden Highway
• [18] Kyle Tuttle lead vocals
• [19] Last Time Played 2019-12-21 | 402 Shows
• [20] Set 2 Molly Tuttle (guitar, lead vocals) leading the Billy Strings Band w/ Nat Smith (cello)
• [21] Last Time Played 2023-06-03 | 104 Shows
• [22] w/ Jerry Douglas (dobro)
• [23] w/ Royal Masat on electric bass
• [24] w/ Mark Levy (drums) of Circles Around the Sun
• [25] Last Time Played 2021-09-24 | 294 Shows
• [26] Last Time Played 2019-12-21 | 402 Shows
• [27] FTP – Bill Frissell
• [28] Royal Masat lead vocals
• [29] Last Time Played 2021-10-14 | 287 Shows
• [30] Last Time Played 2022-03-25 | 234 Shows
• [31] FTP – Fred Rose
• [32] Last Time Played 2023-06-03 | 104 Shows
• [33] Last Time Played 2022-10-29 | 166 Shows
• [34] Billy Failing lead vocals
• [35] w/ Everyone
• [36] FTP – The Beatles