Billy Strings Receives Key To City & Welcomes Guests At Asheville Run Finale

Billy Strings wrapped up a four-show engagement at ExploreAsheville.com Arena in Asheville, North Carolina on Saturday. During the finale, the guitarist received the key to the city and brought out Jon Stickley, Chris Henry and Mark Lavengood for guest appearances.

Billy and his band got the show underway with a track off his Grammy-winning 2019 album Home, “Love Like Me.” The first guest came in the form of Grand Rapids, Michigan-based musician and Billy Strings collaborator Mark Lavengood, who emerged eight songs into the first frame to add dobro to a set closing run.

“Mark Lavengood is truly a treasure in our lives and his music and positivity shine through the darkness like no other,” Strings said of Lavengood. “A great songwriter and a master on the dobro, I am honored to call him my friend.”

The collab began with Lavengood’s “Sliding Rock,” a second time performance for Billy Strings following a play during the guitarist’s “Van Andel Scramble” pro-wrestling themed 2023 Halloween concert in Grand Rapids. The first set came to a close with Mark adding to “Show Me The Door” and bluegrass standard “How Mountain Girls Can Love.”

The second set commenced with Billy Strings receiving the key to the city from Mayor of Asheville Esther Manheimer “in recognition of his help through the years to the local economy and the people of Asheville.” Asheville and the surrounding area was hit hard by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. Billy undertook initiatives raising money for the community and delivered performances bolstering the economy.

The music fittingly began with “This Heart Of Mine” on Valentine’s Day. The band also broke out The Seldom Scene‘s “Old Train” for the first time in 141 shows. Mandolinist Jarrod Walker and bassist Royal Masat then led the way through Carter Stanley’s “Nobody’s Love Is Like Mine” and The Beatles‘ “I’ll Cry Instead” respectively

Following a cover of The Moody Blues‘ “Nights In White Satin,” Billy, Jarrod, Royal, banjo player Billy Failing and fiddler Alex Hargreaves gathered around a single mic. Lavengood returned along with mandolinist Chris Henry for a single mic rendition of “I Don’t Want Your Ramblin’ Letters,” released by The Stanley Brothers in 1963.

Henry and Walker then began the former’s “West Dakota Rose” with a single mic mandolin intro. Billy Strings last performance of “WDR” came in 2024. The quintet then went it alone to seal the second set with “Gild The Lily.”

The third and final guest of the evening, guitarist Jon Stickley, joined the band for the encore, which got underway with Tim O'Brien's “Nellie Cane.” Stickley stuck around for the show-closer, the Alton Delmore-penned Jimmy Martin release “Sophoronie.”

Setlist