Billy Strings & Vince Herman Join Greensky Bluegrass In Grand Rapids

Greensky Bluegrass got a head start on Ionia Freak Fair festivities on Thursday night in Grand Rapids, where Billy Strings, Vince Herman and Mark Lavengood sat in with the band during a two-set performance at GLC Live at 20 Monroe.

The guest appearances came one day before the inaugural Ionia Freak Fair gets underway at the Ionia Fairgrounds in Strings’ hometown of Ionia, Michigan. Strings is headlining and has curated the lineup for the two-day festival, while Greensky Bluegrass and Herman’s Leftover Salmon are also among the acts on the lineup. Lavengood is serving as the event’s emcee.

Lavengood was the first guest to emerge Thursday, sitting in on “I’d Probably Kill You” during the opening set on dobro and vocals. The Grand Rapids show then picked up considerably more Freak Fair flavor during its second set.

Greensky opened the frame with “Worried About The Weather” and “Monument” before welcoming Herman for a first-time performance of Dolly Parton’s “My Tennessee Mountain Home.” The cover debut came two days after Parton died in Nashville at age 80.

Strings then took the stage on guitar and vocals alongside Greensky for an extended run of songs. The Michigan natives paired up on GSBG originals “Living Over,” “Solstice,” “Reverend,” “Broke Mountain Breakdown” and “Tied Down.”

Herman returned for the encore, with Strings also joining him and the band for “Get No Better” and “My Love Will Not Change.” The former is a John Hartford cover that GSBG performs an average of once per years, while the latter was written by Shawn Camp and Billy Burnette and popularized by the Del McCoury Band.

The collaboration between Strings and Greensky is hardly a new one. The Michigan guitarist has a long history with the progressive bluegrass outfit, making Thursday’s appearance another chapter in a musical relationship that stretches back over a decade. Strings credits GSBG will opening him up to how he could take bluegrass beyond its typical boundaries.

Herman and Leftover Salmon also have performed with Strings and GSBG many times in the past. Leftover Salmon is scheduled to perform at Ionia Freak Fair alongside Strings, Greensky, Sierra Hull, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Lindsay Lou, Full Cord and several other acts.

The Freak Fair, hosted by Lavengood, runs Friday and Saturday at the Ionia Fairgrounds. Livestreams and replays of sets from Billy Strings, Greensky Bluegrass and Leftover Salmon are available for nugs subscribers.

Watch more fan-shot video from Greensky Bluegrass’ Freak Fair Eve performance below:

Setlist (via GSBG PT)

Set One: Feel Like a Stranger, Demons, Blood Sucking F(r)iends, Grow Together, I’d Probably Kill You [1], Take Cover, Windshield, Run or Die

Set Two: Worried About the Weather, Monument, My Tennessee Mountain Home [2] [3], Living Over [4], Solstice [4], Reverend [4], Broke Mountain Breakdown [4], Tied Down [4]

Encore: Get No Better [3] [4], My Love Will Not Change [3] [4]

• [1] – w/ Mark Lavengood (dobro, vocals)
• [2] – first time played
• [3] – w/ Vince Herman (vocals, guitar)
• [4] – w/ Billy Strings (guitar, vocals)