Billy Strings Debuts ‘It Rains Just The Same In Missouri’ Cover In St. Louis

Billy Strings stopped by the Saint Louis Music Park in St. Louis on Thursday. The guitarist and his band unveiled the locale appropriate Ray Griff tune “It Rains Just The Same In Missouri.”

Billy and company — bassist Royal Masat, mandolinist Jarrod Walker, banjoist Billy Failing along with guest fiddler Alex Hargreaves (who performed with the band the night previous) — kicked things off with the title track to Strings’ debut LP, 2017’s Turmoil & Tinfoil. Larry Sparks’ “Slow Train” and “Hellbender” off Billy’s 2021 album Renewal followed.

After pairings of Bill Emerson’s “Home Of The Red Fox” and “Must Be Seven” as well as “Taking Water” and “Ice Bridges,” Billy and the band debuted “It Rains Just The Same In Missouri.” The tune was written by singer-songwriter Ray Griff who first released it in 1972. Late bluegrass great Mac Wiseman also put out a version of the song in 2006. Strings then capped off the first frame with his composition, “Thunder,” set to words by Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter.

Billy launched the second set with a big four-song seamless segment that began with “The Fire On My Tongue” before flowing into “While I’m Waiting Here.” From there Strings and company embarked on the instrumental “Pyramid Country” which boasted a “Bathtub Gin” Phish tease, before heading into the bluegrass standard “Ole Slewfoot.” The Gershwin classic “Summertime” came next.

Strings then delivered his “Highway Hypnosis” before the band set sail on another three-song seamless section which kicked off with Mother Love Bone’s “Crown of Thorns” followed by Renewal closer “Leaders.” Live staple “Wargasm” wrapped up the second set. Strings and the band returned to encore with the Bill Monroe-recorded traditional “Roll On Buddy, Roll On.”

Watch fan-shot video of “Wargasm” below:

Setlist (via BillyBase)

Set One: Turmoil & Tinfoil, Slow Train, Hellbender, Home Of The Red Fox > Must Be Seven, Taking Water > Ice Bridges, It Rains Just The Same In Missouri[1], Thunder

Set Two: The Fire On My Tongue > While I’m Waiting Here > Pyramid Country[2] > Ole Slewfoot Summertime, Highway Hypnosis, Crown Of Thorns > Leaders > Wargasm

Encore: Roll On Buddy, Roll On

Notes:

1. FTP

2. Bathtub Gin tease