Watch Billy Strings Break Out ‘Remington Ride’ & More From 2023 US Fall Tour Closer

Billy Strings concluded his 2023 Fall Tour at Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence, Missouri on Saturday. The guitarist and his band dusted off bluegrass standards “Remington Ride” and “Poor Ellen Smith” at the second of two concerts near Kansas City.

Traditional “Poor Ellen Smith” arrived in the 10th song slot of the second set. Strings and company last played the tune on October 29, 2022 — during Billy’s Lord Of The Rings-themed Halloween run — for a 105 show gap, as per BillyBase. The rarity has seen roughly one play every other year since it debuted in 2017.

Up next was instrumental “Remington Ride,” first released by Hank Penny featuring Herb Remington on steel guitar and also recorded by Don Reno, Red Smiley and The Tennessee Cutups. The song — last played by Billy Strings on September 24, 2022 for a 116 show gap — was also an early staple for “Yonder Mountain String Band.” Strings explained how his family friend Brad Lasko called the song “Reynolds Wrap” when Billy and fam would hang out at the Barkus Park Campground in Michigan. The song is a classic toss the solos around tune beginning with Failing on the main melody followed by turns from fiddler Alex Hargreaves, Billy and mandolinist Jarrod Walker.

Watch Billy Strings break out “Remington Ride” below:

Strings kicked off the fall tour closer with the Bill Monroe-recorded traditional “Dusty Miller,” which led into original “Secrets” off Billy’s 2021 album Renewal. The guitarist would also perform the LP’s “Ice Bridges” and “Fire Line,” the latter closing the set. Additional first set highlights included banjo player Billy Failing on lead vocals for John Hartford’s “Steam Powered Aereo Plane.”

The second set got underway with the Eric Von Schmidt-penned, Doc Watson-released “My Love Come Rolling Down.” Set two also saw a “Dos Billys” outing with Strings and Failing on banjo for “Dos Banjos.” Billy then went it alone for the “Dock” Boggs oldie, “Country Blues,” on clawhammer banjo. The band reconvened for Strings’ collab with Willie Nelson, “California Sober.” Following the aforementioned bust outs, the second set came to a close with originals “Must Be Seven” and “Hide and Seek.” Billy and company returned to encore with a pairing of “Tennessee” and “Train 45.”

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Up next for Billy Strings is an all-star Halloween concert in his home state of Michigan before the band heads across the pond for a European Tour. Check out Billy’s full routing below:

Setlist (via BillyBase)

Set 1: Dusty Miller >? Secrets, Away From The Mire, Long Forgotten Dream, Taking Water > Ice Bridges > Enough To Leave, Steam Powered Aereo Plane[1], Hellbender, Ridin’ That Midnight Train, Fire Line[2]

Set 2: My Love Come Rolling Down, Meet Me At The Creek, Charlie’s Birthday Breakdown, In The Morning Light, Bringing Mary Home, Dos Banjos[3], Country Blues[4], California Sober, Turmoil & Tinfoil, Poor Ellen Smith[5], Remington Ride[6][7], Must Be Seven, Hide and Seek

Encore: Tennessee > Train 45

Notes:

• [1] Billy Failing on lead vocals
• [2] “Third Stone From The Sun” (Jimi Hendrix) tease
• [3] Dos Billys (Billy Strings on clawhammer banjo, Billy Failing on banjo)
• [4] Billy Strings solo on clawhammer banjo
• [5] Last Played 2022-10-29 | 105 show gap
• [6] Last Played 2022-09-24 | 116 show gap
• [7] Also known as “Reynold’s Wrap” due to being renamed by Brad Lasko, Barkus Park Campground