Billy Strings Debuts ‘Hickory Wind’ Cover At Columbia Speedway Finale

Billy Strings concluded a four-night stand at Columbia Speedway in Cayce, South Carolina on Sunday. Strings, bassist Royal Masat, mandolinist Jarrod Walker and banjoist Billy Failing keep growing their repertoire as yesterday’s concert featured the debut of “Hickory Wind,” a song originally released on The Byrds’ iconic 1968 studio album, Sweetheart Of The Rodeo.

The quartet opened with Tony Rice’s “Tipper” and followed with “Hollow Heart” from Strings’ Grammy-winning 2019 studio album, Home. Billy then led the group through their first ever cover of “Hickory Wind.” Gram Parsons purportedly penned “Hickory Wind” which has been covered by such artists as Joan Baez, Emmylou Harris and Lucinda Williams.

Billy went on to discuss the history of the venue before pairing “Katy Daly” and Home track “Watch It Fall.” A quick romp through Doc Watson’s “The Train That Carried My Girl From Town” bled into a cover of the traditional “Black Mountain Rag.” Next up was “Hellbender,” an original the band debuted in February at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York. From there, Strings and company worked Bill Monroe’s “Dusty Miller” into Johnny Horton’s “Ole Slewfoot” and ended the frame with the recently premiered “This Old World” and the title track from Home.

Sunday’s second set began with a cover of New Grass Revival’s “This Heart Of Mine.” Turmoil & Tinfoil’s “Dealing Despair” was then followed by the four-piece’s third ever “Leaders” and a take on “Bluegrass Breakdown” by Bill Monroe. Billy Strings and his band went improv-heavy on a three-song, 45-minute run to close the frame. A lengthy rendition of John Hartford’s “All Fall Down” nearly hit the 18-minute mark before the group dug in on the Grateful Dead’s “Wharf Rat” that included teases of Jimi Hendrix’s “Third Stone From The Sun” to the delight of the crowd.

Strings and his mates capped Sunday’s second set with an extended version of Home standout “Highway Hypnosis.” For the encore, the quartet played Lead Belly’s “Alabama Bound.” The song was a fitting choice considering the next stop on the tour is Land-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama this weekend.

Setlist