Billy Strings Debuts Tony Rice Cover In New Orleans
By Andy Kahn Mar 26, 2021 • 8:21 am PDT
Guitarist Billy Strings debuted a cover of Tony Rice’s “Plastic Banana” at a concert held Thursday night at Tipitina’s in New Orleans. The show was the second of two nights in a row for Strings at the historic venue.
Rice, a legendary bluegrass guitarist, died in December 2020 at the age of 69. Strings and his bandmates kicked off their second set last night in NOLA with a cover of “Plastic Banana,” a song written by David Nichtern that appeared on Rice’s 1977 self-titled album.
Before that, the show started with a first set that opened with Steve Goodman’s “City Of New Orleans,” which Strings played once before at his last visit to Tip’s in January 2020. Set one also featured recently added new songs “Bronzeback” and “Hide & Seek,” alongside covers such as “I’ve Been All Around This World,” “Little Sadie” and “Cold On The Shoulder.” The set ended with the title track to Strings’ recent Grammy Award-winning album Home.
Following the debut of “Plastic Banana,” Strings and his bandmates rounded out the show with another set mixing covers and originals. Among the covers were “Going To The Races,” “Ain’t Nothing To Me” and “June Apple” the last of which coming with teases of “Jessica” and “Lake Of Fire.” Among the originals was newcomer “Show Me The Door.” Strings brought an end to the evening by covering “Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar.”
Strings’ Spring Tour 2021 continues tonight in Austin, Texas. Watch the first few songs played at Thursday’s Billy Strings concert at Tipitina’s in New Orleans below:
Setlist (via Billy Strings PT)
Set One: City Of New Orleans, Bronzeback, I’ve Been All Around This World, Hide & Seek, Cold On The Shoulder, Watch It Fall, Little Sadie, Taking Water, A Robin Built A Nest On Daddy’s Grave, Home
Set Two: Plastic Banana [1], Going To The Races, Ain’t Nothing To Me, June Apple [2][3] > Must Be Seven, Show Me The Door, Pretty Daughter > Sugar Hill Ramble > Unwanted Love, Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar
Notes:
- [1] Debut, Tony Rice
- [2] Jessica tease
- [3] Lake Of Fire tease
