Billy Strings Honors Louisville & Kentucky At Louisville Opener

Billy Strings delivered the first of three concerts at Louisville, Kentucky’s Waterfront Park on Friday. The guitarist honored both Louisville and the Bluegrass State during the 20-song show.

Billy Strings and company — bassist Royal Masat, mandolinist Jarrod Walker and banjoist Billy Failing — fittingly kicked off the concert with “Eight More Miles to Louisville” by Kentucky native and banjo player Grandpa Jones. The favorite “Dust In A Baggie” followed and led into Tony Rice’s “Tipper.” Billy kept segeuing through the traditional “Red Rocking Chair” and the New Grass Revival recorded “This Heart Of Mine,” NGR’s co-founder Sam Bush is also a Kentucky native.

“Dealing Despair” would cap of the continuous section. Strings’ cover of the Jackson Browne classic “Running On Empty” contained a “Dealing Despair” call back. “Show Me The Door,” “Must Be Seven” and “Bronzeback” came ahead of first set closer, Doc Watson’s version of “And Am I Born To Die.”

Jimmy Martin’s “Sophronie” launched the second set ahead of “Watch It Fall,” from Billy’s Grammy-winning 2019 album, Home. An excursion of Bill Emerson’s “Home Of The Red Fox” and Father of Bluegrass and Kentuckian Bill Monroe’s “My Rose of Old Kentucky.” “Fire Line,” “Lumpy Beanpole and Dirt” and “Everything’s The Same” then came ahead of second set closer, “Hide & Seek.” Billy would complete his Kentucky tribute with Larry Sparks’ “Kentucky Girl” to close out the concert.