Billy Strings & His Mentor Rip Through Tony Rice’s ‘Fishscale’ At Carter Vintage Guitars

Bluegrass guitarist Billy Strings and his teacher Robb Cappelletto are featured in the debut episode of the Playback podcast. The pair sat down at Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville to dissect Tony Rice’s playing and tore through the late guitarist’s version of “Fishscale.”

Interviews with the world’s best musicians will arrive weekly via the Playback YouTube channel. The podcast comes in partnership from Sonora Guitar Intensive, an intensive online program for intermediate guitar players, and legendary guitar store Carter Vintage Guitars.

When Billy Strings decided he wanted to take his guitar playing to the next level, he looked to Sonora and picked Cappelletto to mentor him. Strings has been taking lessons from Cappelletto since May 1, 2023. “It doesn’t feel like I’m as good as everyone’s making me out to be, you know? There are people that are way better that don’t have as much success,” Strings told GQ of signing up with Sonora. “That led me to these classes, because I don’t want to feel like a fraud. I was born into this shit, and I know who the fuck I am. But with the success comes opinions, eyeballs, all this pressure that gets in the way of the original dream. I just want to play.”

“I don’t know anyone else at that level who would just sign up for guitar lessons,” said Cappelletto of Strings. “It takes a certain amount of humility and wanting to get better, without ego.”

Billy Strings has long been a fan of late bluegrass guitarist Tony Rice. Strings played Rice's storied 1935 Martin D-28 acoustic guitar at a March 2023 concert in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

For Playback, Strings and Cappelletto analyze Tony Rice’s technique and lasting impact on countless guitarists. Their discussion offers deep insights into subtle musicianship, rhythmic feel and instrumental expertise.

The pair talk about the evolution of Rice’s playing, Tony’s technique and the quiet power of playing with joy and without ego. Strings and Cappelletto also discuss the importance of leading a band with your ears and not your hands.

Tony Rice first recorded the Artie Traum-penned “Fishscale” as a member of the David Grisman Quintet for the outfit’s eponymous 1977 album. Rice also released a version of the instrumental with John Carlini on 1995’s River Suite For Two Guitars.

Watch Billy Strings and Robb Cappelletto cover “Fishscale” and the full episode of Playback below:

Billy Strings continues his spring tour tonight, April 9 in Tampa, Florida. Watch a livestream of this evening’s show and all remaining spring tour concerts with a nugs.net All Access subscription.