Billy Strings Welcomes Sierra Hull For Bluegrass Classics In Idaho

Sierra Hull made a guest appearance with fellow Outlaw Music Festival performer Billy Strings' last night in Nampa, Idaho. Strings brought out the virtuosic mandolinist to perform on two songs with the guitarist and his band during their Outlaw Festival set at the Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater on Tuesday.

Billy Strings took the stage after performances by Lily Meola and Sierra Hull and before sets from co-headliners Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. Strings — accompanied by bandmates fiddler Alex Hargreaves, mandolinist Jarrod Walker, banjo player Billy Failing and bassist Royal Masat — opened with a cover of Red Allen’s “Hello, City Limits.”

“Wargasm” filled the two-slot to begin a run of originals that also included “Leaders,” “Highway Hypnosis” and “Love Like Me.” Sierra Hull, who joined Strings for a lengthy sit-in in Chula Vista last Thursday, then emerged.

Hull teamed with Billy & Co. for the Ronnie McCoury-written, Del McCoury Band-recorded “Baltimore Johnny.” Sierra stayed out to duet with Strings on the Bill Monroe-associated traditional song “Midnight On The Stormy Deep,” which the pair performed together at a concert celebrating Austin City Limits' 50th anniversary last fall.

Billy Strings went solo to continue the set with a take on Jamey Johnson’s “Lonely At The Top.” He then sang “And Am I Born To Die?” a cappela. Masat, Failing, Hargreaves and Walker returned for Renewal standout “Show Me The Door.” From there, the five musicians delivered covers of Bill Monroe’s “Ashland Breakdown” and John Hartford’s “All Fall Down” before closing with “Everything’s The Same.”

The Outlaw Music Festival pulls into Spokane, Washington tomorrow, May 22. Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Billy Strings, Sierra Hull and Lily Meola will each perform at ONE Spokane Stadium.

Setlist (via BillyBase.net)

Set: Hello City Limits, Wargasm, Leaders, Highway Hypnosis, Love Like Me, Baltimore Johnny [1], Midnight On The Stormy Deep [1], Lonely At The Top [2], And Am I Born To Die? [3], Show Me The Door, Ashland Breakdown, All Fall Down, Everything’s The Same

Notes:

• [1] – w/ Sierra Hull on mandolin
• [2] – Billy Strings solo
• [3] – Billy Strings solo a capella