Billy Strings Appears On Nick Forster’s ‘Teach Me One Thing’

Guitarist Billy Strings is Nick Forster‘s guest on the third episode of Teach Me One Thing, a video series. The pair conversed from separate locations while quarantining due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic for the series in which Forster, the host of eTown and longtime Hot Rize member, calls upon his musical friends via video chat for a quick musical lesson.

Billy Strings taught Nick Forster a “trick” he learned from listening to Doc Watson. Strings showed Forster the picking pattern after discussing life as a touring musician stuck at home during the COVID-19 outbreak. Billy explained he never gets much time of the road, so it’s been interesting for him to watch simple things like the seasons changing. He also revealed his bassist, Royal Masat, recently had a bike accident. Masat is okay but is unable to play. “It’s great timing,” Strings said since the band doesn’t have any gigs.

Strings originally pulled the “trick” from how Doc would perform “Ragtime Annie.” Billy went over the picking pattern a number of times with Forster following along. “It’s a little bit awkward, isn’t it?” Nick said to which Strings responded, “Once you get it, it’s just kinda [easy].”

“It’s a real ‘docism,” Forster told Strings after he got the pattern down in reference to Doc Watson, one of Billy’s biggest influences. Nick noted he can hear the “trick” in much of what Billy plays. The conversation ends with the pair discussing what Billy’s been eating lately and his songwriting technique. Watch Strings’ appearance on Teach Me One Thing below: