Billy Strings Breaks Out Cher Cover & Swaps Sit-Ins With Sierra Ferrell In Montana

Sierra Ferrell and Billy Strings exchanged guest appearances on Sunday at the Under The Big Sky festival in Whitefish, Montana. Strings brought out Ferrell late in his performance for a two-song collaboration that included a rare cover of Cher’s “Believe” after he joined Sierra on a tune.

Billy Strings was accompanied for most of his marathon set by his band — mandolinist Jarrod Walker, bassist Royal Masat, banjoist Billy Failing and fiddler Alex Hargreaves. The guitarist went solo for a five-song stretch to break up the lengthy frame.

Sierra Ferrell & Billy Strings previously played together at Hinterland in 2022. The first song the pair performed together during Billy’s set at the Iowa festival, “One Loaf Of Bread,” was the same tune that started Ferrell’s guest spot on Sunday in Montana. Penned by Dave Evans, Strings had covered “One Loaf Of Bread” three other times besides the versions with Sierra.

Billy Strings’ first “Believe” since March 9, 2022 — a span of 224 shows — was also performed with Sierra Ferrell by the guitarist and his band at Under The Big Sky. Cher’s 1998 single “Believe” was her most successful single to date and one of the best-selling singles in music history as per Wikipedia. Billy covered the song 11 times between July 19, 2019 and March 9, 2022.

Ferrell took the stage on horseback in full Western wear for her set earlier on Sunday. Sierra Ferrell welcomed Strings for “Bells Of Every Chapel.” Billy Strings contributed to the version of the song that appeared on Ferrell’s debut album, Long Time Coming, in 2021.

Watch fan-shot footage of Billy Strings and Sierra Ferrell’s “Believe” and “Bells Of Every Chapel” below:

Country star Zach Top also sat in with Billy Strings last night. Top joined Strings and his band on covers of Keith Allison’s “Freeborn Man” and The Osborne Brothers’ “Big Spike Hammer.” Billy’s set also featured such favorites as “Dust In A Baggie,” “Pyramid Country,” “Love & Regret” and “Red Daisy.”

Billy Strings now heads to Oregon for an appearance at the FairWell Festival on Friday. Strings then kicks off his summer tour on July 26 in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Setlist (via BillyBase.net)

Set: The Fire On My Tongue > Bronzeback, Seven Weeks in County, Escanaba [1] [2], Dust In A Baggie, Summertime, Pyramid Country [3], Drifter’s Escape, Catch and Release [4], Give The Fiddler A Dram [4], Whistling Rufus [4], Ragtime Annie [4], Brown’s Ferry Blues [4],Freeborn Man [5], Big Spike Hammer [5], Love and Regret, Red Daisy, One Loaf Of Bread [6], Believe [6] [7], Old Man At The Mill, All Fall Down, Psycho > Train, Train

• [1] – “Third Stone From the Sun” (Jimi Hendrix Experience) tease
• [2] – “Sally Goodin'” (Traditional) tease
• [3] – “Axel F” aka “Beverly Hills Cop Theme Song” (Faltermeyer) tease
• [4] – Billy Strings solo
• [5] – w/ Country Artist Zach Top (guitar, vocals)
• [6] – w/ Singer/Songwriter Sierra Ferrell (vocals)
• [7] – LTP 2022-03-09 | 224 Shows