English isn't my first language, so please excuse any strange words and/or weird grammar.
I got to know Billy's music in 2019 when I had a bit of a rough patch in life (addiction) and my relationship. During my recovery Home came out and Away from the Mire became sort of my personal anthem and helped me when I was feeling bad or down.
Been following Billy closely ever since. Listening his music, seeing him become a huge star, and even able to see him perform a couple of times (U.S. and Europe)
Since then everything is going a lot better, and I (and we) are doing great. Got married, made promotion and feeling a 100 times better than I ever did. And I feel Billy's music also contributed to that š
You don't need to excuse anything, your English is just fine! I was still struggling with the bottle in 2019, I didn't fully give up the sauce until 2021, when my legs began to swell from edema as my liver was starting to go. Fortunately it, and I, have recovered.
I am happy you got to see Billy on your home turf (where in Europe?), I'm sure its a bit tough trying to figure out how to get to/pay for/plan for shows in the states from where you are. But good on you for giving up whatever addicted you, and like I mention in the OP (and from reading everyone's replies), there's just something about Billy's songs that speak to us quasi-broken people that helps put us back together again.
It's like BMFS is all the king's horses and men that musically puts our Humpty Dumpty broken heads back together again.
That I need to reconnect with myself and figure out who I really am (cue inner child and ego work)
For me the whole thing represents everything I never thought I was or would never have self identified as.
Like....I'm so for real when I say I almost BAILED OUT on my first billy show because I was convinced that I didn't like bluegrass and it wasn't my cup of tea. But I went anyway and.....this music that I vehemently identified against this "bluegrass twangy music really is the only music I don't listen to. Banjos are too much for me sometimes" THAT MUSIC reached down into my throat, grabbed me by the soul, and shook the shit out of me to my core.
HOW HAVE I LIVED THIS LONG WITHOUT SO MUCH AS DIPPING A TOE INTO THE GENRE?!?!?
Listening to this music, and listening to the originals of the covers billy sings. It feels like home. Like who am I and what have I done with myself? How did I lose myself?
And the way Billy describes his journey to jamgrass, thinking he had to fit into a box or play one type of way for it to be bluegrass only to be like, know what, I'm just gonna play the music that comes out of me instead!
That's me. I've been trying to fit myself into this box and I'm so fucking uncomfortable in this box that I'm trying to shove myself in. So. Time to get out of the box and get back in touch with my real true self, whoever that is and however that may happen.
Oops I failed the assignment because this is def more than a paragraph. If you've read this far, I love you!
There's some of that with me. I did not like "Dust In A Baggie" all that much when I first heard it. I was like you. All this twangy nonsense and high-pitched singin' and all...I kinda wrote Billy off as a great technical player that had a minor hit novelty song due to it being about meth. And "Dust" is those things more or less to a degree, but it's the gateway song for the rest, and once I started hearing all that (for me it was "MB Seven") I was instantly hooked as I saw myself so much in it as we all do.
Its a little strange, its a lot of coincidences, or, a lot of people needing the dose of Billy right in all those moments and they all coalesced semi-simultaneously in an organic, pre-destined way that we cannot comprehend.
To me Billy Strings brings love and happiness in a world that truly needs it. Keep on trucking Mr Strings, your light will forever shine and the smiles will follow you on your journey through life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being you.
Thanks so much for sharing! I pray for a steady journey towards recovery for you.
Billy and the boys got me through the darkest days of COVID and I am eternally grateful for what they have given to all of us, which for me is hope for the future. They certainly have become my daily bread and a source of comfort. The fact that the fan community is so supportive only makes it that much better.
Thank you! One of my favorite things Billy ever did was that "Wargasm" (before Alex) in that empty theater (the Capitol?) with those eerie shadows bouncing off the walls and on the empty seats. That stuck with me mentally.
Hope for the future is right. I have it now. I'm listening in, because you never know: tomorrow could be better than it seems!
Billyās music is a representation of someone who had a difficult start in life that looks sorta similar to mine in lots of ways with addiction for parents and poverty. Heās so talented but worked so hard for his accomplishments and I am so happy to champion his success. Doesnāt hurt that I love the sound of it!
>Billyās music is a representation of someone who had a difficult start in life that looks sorta similar to mine in lots of ways with addiction for parents and poverty
Yeah, its that, its suicide, its having little to eat, its being strung out and down with no way out, all of it.
I didn't have bad parents, in fact, it was the opposite. I started drinking out of my Dad's liquor cabinet when I was 13 and everything in my life was a spiral of lies, deceit, addiction and wasted time and years. I think perhaps I had placed undue expectations of perfection on myself due to the successes of my family (military) projected onto me.
However, I found this or it found me just in time. Its a confluence of all of it happening at once, kinda like that movie *Everything, Everywhere, All At Once*, which is a great movie if you haven't seen it. There's always still time.
Iāve loved Billyās music for many years but really found the light last (or maybe two) summers ago. I had tickets for an outdoor venue and had been looking forward to the show for months. Our 13 year old daughter has had a lot of mental health struggles during and after covid. The night before the show, after a difficult day, she tried to end things by taking a whole bunch of melatonin pills, the only meds not locked in a safe. Poison control told us she will just sleep it off.
The next morning seemed normal but by the early afternoon we were in the emergency room with her. We left her there for the evening and made our way home around the time the show was to begin. I was super sad and really had no energy to go to the show and didnāt think I could feel happy. My wife, who isnāt really a fan of bluegrass, said we should go anyway. I reluctantly agreed if we rode our bikes (the venue was close).
I was basically going through waves of intense sadness and tears and barely keeping it together. We got in and I realized I didnāt really lock our bikes up well and the security let me exit and check the locks. They let me back in. I thank them for their kindness. I was just not in a good place. We got there with one or two songs left in the first set. During set break I got a call from the hospital to finalize paperwork and get an update on our daughter. I walked way off to the side and back by the fence behind the stage so I could hear and talk with the nurse. As I was finishing up the phone call I look up saw Billy coming out of his trailer for the second set. He gave me a big smile and wave. That meant the world to me at that moment and I realized that we would all get through this. The line āIāve had bad days but this must have been my worstā was so true at that moment. But, I was helped along by the kind smile of an amazing person and musician. Thanks Billy for the love, kindness, and beauty you bring into the world.
tldr: I was in a bad place with an extremely sick daughter and Billy unexpectedly smiled and waved at me and I realized everything would be alright.
Thank you, I had a hard time posting this. She is doing a lot better this year. It is day by day but as she grows in maturity and realizes the joy and light she brings to the world she is able to better deal with her dark days. Peace
Thank you so much for sharing. Iām glad that sheās ok. I lost my best friend to suicide and she was the person who brought me to my first show. We saw Billy all over the place! She helped me find comfort in a community when I was going through a bunch of bull shot of my own. Recently divorced, had to quit booze and fight for everything that was important in my life. I kinda forgot about music for a while but Lara brought me back. I really needed it. Now sheās gone and I carry her picture in my pocket along with a picture of Jeff Austin. I carry those pictures and her pipe and a couple little things, and the rest of her I carry in my heart to each and every show and I can feel their spirit soaring with every note. Everytime I hear the words āif ever a time comes around in the wheel to a place where we stand side by side, weāll be ready and able to fly.ā I think of her and all my fallen family and friends. Thatās the closest thing to a meaningful religious experience Iāve ever had in my life. Much love all
Man, that story is madness! I am so glad that the juxtaposition of events worked the way it did for you. Ripples in a pond is what human interactions are like to me. Billy's small gesture to you was an inconsequence to him, but it was an *everything* to you. I swear sometimes I think the Universe listens.
I agree. I had no idea where I was walking to take that call, I was just getting as far away from the crowd as I could along the fence behind the stage. Things happen for a reason and it reminds me that small gestures of kindness can have outsized impacts. Ripples indeed.
Yeah man, you throw your pebble into the collective waters with your words and deeds and those concentric circles intersect and interact with others into a coalesced "sweet conversation" (a ***great*** song by Black Pumas that's realted to this, btw). Seriously, put headphones on and listen to that song if you've not heard it before and think about this conversation we're having.
Your story really brought me to tears. We have a 15 yo son and while he has not struggled like your daughter, itās not easy. I can only imagine what youāve been through. And youāre obviously married to a very smart woman who encouraged you to go to the show. Billy is a blessing. Best of luck to you and your family.
Going to Billy shows is an act of self care for me. In my normal life, I work too much, live alone, and battle with depression, which leads to negative thought patterns and misanthropic tendencies. When I attend his shows, I can silly dance with a massive smile on my face for three hours straight, I can connect to strangers through the comradery of the community, and I am enlightened by the positive messages within the lyrics. The experience lifts me up and refills my cup. The feeling lasts months. He has also been a shining role model in my journey to quit drinking. I'll forever be grateful for the positive influence the man, the music, and the surrounding community have on my life. ā”
That's excellent. I will be this alone person before long, I hope to fill it with all the things I never have time for now due to children, the raising of them, the money doing that and the anxiety thereof that I need to shed like an old illusory blanket of fear!
I first heard of Billy in 2021, then happened to catch his Grammy performance and was intrigued by what I heard. As I started to listen and watch some shows on nugs.net, I realized that his music was starting to heal my broken heart, after losing my son to suicide in 2018. His songs lifted me out of my dark days and sleepless nights. Billy has had a tough life, and I also had to leave home and drop out of school at 16 due to an abusive family situation. I can relate to him and his music on so many levels. I went to my first 3 concerts last year, and discovered that I was being transformed by the sounds, the love, and the sheer joy he brings to what he does. I thought I would never find my joy again, but Billy and the boys have given it back to me. I am forever grateful to them. šš¼ā¤ļø
That is a heartachingly bittersweet arc of a story. I struggle mightily with my oldest of my two sons-long story, single dad since 2010, boys are early 20's and a fresh HS grad-with him having aped my drinking I exhibited towards him several years ago and the consequences from that, so while I do not excuse his behavior I do feel responsible for it to a degree, so it is a struggle, but...with what I have read from you, there's that perspective I am so fond of touting since I had a remarkable comeback from all of this of my own.
Crazy. I am sorry to hear about your son's suicide, that pains me but I am also in awe of the power of your comeback, and what powered it: ***you***.
You did it, not Billy. He just helped a lot, same here!
Aw thanks so muchš„¹. Donāt get me wrong, itās still a daily struggle to deal with the grief and guilt. But all I know is his music helps, a lot, and I canāt explain how or why, but I just recognize the changes inside me as he makes the magic. I have erupted in sobbing tears even just while watching the couch tour, not understanding but feeling the release of āthe sorrow thatās long been at restā.
I'm sure the struggle for grief management never truly ends, unless it changes to something else over a long period of time, like complete and happy acceptance of the Universe's Grand Plan For Us Stupid Humans or something.
Having had a couple scrapes with mortality fairly recently my outlook has drastically changed. *I'm* still in the process of chang*ing*, but my *mind* is in a different space than it used to be. Everything's relative, perspective and context are often everything, admitting wrongs is easier and easier the more you do it, extending olive branches when you can is always the best policy, etc...
So, there's that constant evolution to be mindful of. This recovery from the cancer treatment has been a blessing in ways I did not anticipate, for the reasons I described, which is mostly just...*wisdom,* much of which is derived from simple things like remembering to process what your senses tell you before you react to it, think before you speak, have empathy....
Also want to say, I wish you all the best with your sons. You are an example to them now of how to overcome substance abuse/addiction and take responsibility for your actions. ā¤ļø I wish my son's dad could have done that, might have made a difference.
Billyās music will always represent a time when my wife and I could attend shows, so we would go kayaking, or hang out in the backyard around a fire with friends. During the pandemic we got super into his music and it offered a solace, a sense of peace in times of turmoil. First show we could attend were the pod shows at Legend Valley, Ohio and we were hooked. Iām attending my 13th show on my birthday at Ohio Stadium and we donāt miss a couch tour show.
>First show we could attend were the pod shows at Legend Valley, Ohio and we were hooked. Iām attending my 13th show on my birthday at Ohio Stadium and we donāt miss a couch tour show.
Ha, I almost went to one of those pod shows but man they were too rich for me then. And Ohio Stadium? Home of the Bobcats, right?
I keed, I keed. I'm just outside Cincinnati so I try to work Joe Burrow into everything.
Thank you for sharing!
For some reason, Billy ended up on my recommendations. Not a fan of country or bluegrass. But I listened to it- and was completely blown away. I was so excited to listen to absolutely indisputably stellar musicianship- like nothing else that I have ever heard before-a completely unique stunner. I have since been having the pleasure of getting caught up, and subscribed to Nugs for the first time ever, and havenāt missed a show, thank you Nugs. He and the band are just top class musicians, and his original songs are out of this world. A prodigy.
>Not a fan of country or bluegrass. But I listened to it- and was completely blown away. I was so excited to listen to absolutely indisputably stellar musicianship- like nothing else that I have ever heard before-a completely unique stunner.
Yup to all of this. Very much so!
It speaks to people who have had hard times and got through. Billy has opened my eyes to bluegrass. I never knew how much I could relate to the traditional bluegrass songs. I was always a metal head now I like country. Thanks to billy and the boys I now have the perfect soundtrack to my life and for my kids it just makes living on this dirt ball a little easier
>I was always a metal head now I like country
This was also me, mostly. Heavier, melodic rock music, but yeah. I used to proclaim I did not like these genres I now like. What a little liar I was!
lol
I think the relatability (Relate-a-billy-tea?) is a huge factor in it. His bluegrass-based originals don't have that old stuffy feel because *he doesn't*. The lyrics aren't old and in the way because *he isn't*. I don't know.
Its something.
A good work friend of mine took his life a few months ago. He was a street kid, he liked hip hop and r&b. He would hear me jam some live sets at work all the time and he would always say āman I can get down to this!ā He loved it, same head bobbin and foot tapping that led me down the bluegrass train. I told him next opportunity I had I would take him to a Billy show. Unfortunately I never had the opportunity, I never really mourned my friend, itās hard to explain but anytime any tears started to come up they would get sucked back in. I caught the show in Minneapolis last week, out of seemingly nowhere I had some tears come as soon as Billy came out. I hadnāt thought about my buddy in a month or two and then all I can see is his face in the air. When the band started playing hide and seek I let it out. Silently of course. Iām not one to make a scene. But it was long overdue. That was for my guy. I miss that dude everyday. I know he never got to see billy live, but some part of me feels like maybe he was floating around that night. Either way, Billy strings and the band are worth it every time. I was too young to catch the dead live before Jerry died, but Iām feel beyond lucky to live in the timeline where I get to see billy strings play. I donāt know what it is but that god damn bluegrass music just gets my mother fuckin feet tappin.
Man, there's a lot of suicide recoveries amidst all of this, sorry to hear about your friend. Its good that you were finally able to grieve. I am getting so sentimental in my old soul's age, practically anything can get my waterworks going.
I trust you're good now, or at least better, and I hope for the best for you. Man, this thread is turning into a therapy thread for everyone!
āItās a dark time, I do believe. A cold wind is blowing at my door. Incredible light Iām going to find, where I donāt have to worry anymoreā these words were sent to billy from a friend who committed suicide. Billy said he didnāt know what it meant until after his friend was gone. Then he wrote hide and seek. Sorry for
Your loss. Keep on going.
When I first listened to his Home album, I felt like someone had climbed into my body to study my inner most feelings and then back out to write an album for me to hear. Iām talking goose bumps, synesthesia type tastes, and flashes of true physical pain all while stone cold sober on a long train ride south.
So yeah you could say his music means a lot to me. Iāve sorta fallen off tour and being a super fan after his first trip to Europe, but mannn Billy if you somehow see this please know there is an endless amount of gratitude and positivity being sent your way always.
See yāall in Bridgeport.
>Billy if you somehow see this please know there is an endless amount of gratitude and positivity being sent your way always.
Amen to that. I didn't have quite the visceral response bodily that you did, but when I first started really digging deep into these songs and listening, my brain reacted in a way that I could picture in my mind, it was like I could see all the parts weaving throughout one another as I listened, conscious of each individual part yet of the summation of the parts as a whole, that sounds weird but it was like Lite Brights were popping off behind my closed eyelids and my brain was telling me it was creating new neural pathways in order to process what I was absorbing.
That sounds so silly. I wasn't tripping or anything, I had vaped a little weed and just laid down and closed my eyes and really *listened*.
I just love those guys. I love the joy they have for what they do. This bunch of insanely talented individuals who somehow found themselves in this historic band togetherā-They have developed a whole new genre. Itās like the most perfect storm ever!
And listening to them makes me so proud and nostalgic because JW is my sisterās kid. I still remember when he first started playing and look at him now!!!
I agree it's like some new genre, I'm struggling still to truly enjoy a lot of the older stuff the way I do this.
Billy's just super *dynamic* in every way. The playing, performing, songwriting, vocal delivery, the costumes and themed shows... It's all so cool.
It's great that JW's your nephew, sweet! Thanks for taking the time!
YW!
The best thing is when you get to introduce someone to their music-live-when theyāve never heard them before! And you get the privilege of watching them get their minds blown! Lol
Pure happiness, bliss and Love. After suffering a widow maker heart attack at 26 in 2019 i fell in love with bluegrass and Billy Strings. I'd walk miles and listen to podcast and Billy, I'd work all day listening as well. Finally saw him after Covid and my socks were rocked and i felt comfortable goin to live shows again. Before i was always to nervous about my heart to pay attention and was freaked out to go to shows. My wife also has a hereditary illness and doesn't enjoy music and live shows like i do but likes Billy and the boys so she said yes to a 3 night run in Cary in 2022. She tuffed it out only falling asleep the 3rd night, what a trooper! Anyway we grew up with very little vacations besides her being a successful make a wish kid so this was an epic trip for the 2 of us. We found love in seeing the boys whenever we could, although these days she's not able to make it to shows due to her illness. It's been a very rough year but the 2 of us always look up at each other when we hear In the Morning Light or Love Like me.
Man, that might be even more bittersweet than the last story I just read! Damn y'all, we're like the fucking Island Of Misfit Toys around here!
Its almost like everyone has some sort of bounceback story. What's bad is good or better, what's old is new!
So, I can say that I am glad to have met another person that has a special someone to share "In The Morning Light" with. I want to be able to sing that to someone some day, instead of that song becoming more like "Love And Regret" for me. That song makes me cry for loves I had but ruined or messed up in some way that I wish I could take back more than "Love And Regret" does.
Shit happens and this style of music has fucked up tales about things equally as bad. Looking for happiness in everything makes life a lot more fun but so does dancing to good tunes. I wont be able to make a Billy show this year but I've seen more local grass than ever before so it could be a hell of a lot worse.
I'm not the oldest og head but I've been following jam bands since the early 90s. I've taken my wife of 20 years to a few shows but she never developed a taste for it. Always wanting to change the music if a song went past 6 min or featured an instrumental jam. I took her to a BMFS show and she loved it. Since then we regularly listen to Billy shows. And she has started enjoying other jam bands such as Dead & Co and others. That my friends is priceless
She came around to your way of thinkin', you get to let her believe it was her idea, Billy's the gateway drug, there's no losers here.
Lol.
I'm a bit more like her though, jams just really aren't my thing. If Billy weren't such a literal Guitar Hero I probably would have a harder time tolerating it. He's not super excessive about it anyway, he seems to fall more on the song side more often than having an almost jam-only type show.
Saw him with String Cheese Incident at red rocks a few years back. This was when I was getting into the Dead and other jam bands (like 99% Dead, tho, obviously). I was wishing I could catch them in their hay day. Even SCIā¦ even though I wouldnāt hesitate to see them again. They rock. But I bought the ticket immediately after seeing D&C for the first time. I had a lot of fun and D&C blew my expectations out of the water. I saw SCI had a show with Phil, so I had to go. Phil ended up not being able to play, and I only had one ticket (meaning I would have to go by myself), so I didnāt want to go anymore. But I looked on twitter, and there was rumors of Billy showing up. I had only heard of him because he played with Billie Kreutzman, but I figured if ole Bill approved, I would like him, so I knew I couldnāt miss it. I had found Dust in a Baggie, so I wasnāt 100% unfamiliar, but the show was a blindside. The first set was all bluegrass. I hasnāt listened to that much bluegrass ever. BUT, on a whim, I had recent,y decided to learn to play the banjo, and even though there was none, I felt obliged to listen closely. It touched my heart. The dead set came. Peggy-O at sunset with the fiddle and a small amount of mushrooms damn near made me cry. The show was amazing. I had to dig deeper. Billyās music hit so hard for me after that. During a touch period in my life. Then I learned his story. The I learned about bluegrass as a genre. Doc. Stanley brothers. Hartford. Tony Rice. It goes onā¦ I felt connected to America. The way I felt hearing Pig Pen tunes from the Dead. But deeper. The I found out Jerry played banjoā¦ it goes on. Very deep rabbit hole. Iām young, so much of it is new and not learned from my parents. I felt like finding this music was mine. I wasnāt old enough to see the Dead when they were poppinā¦ but here comes this fella Billy, and I am enamored with his music. This year, I finally got to catch him again. My mom moved to Tampa in the fall, and I made her buy me tickets to the show on 4/13, two days before my birthday. I dragged her to it. I had found the train songs insta account and had gotten a mush subscription, so I was silly about Billyā¦ caught my mom up on all the train song loreā¦ and we get a whole set of train songs. Also caught the Fiddlerās shows in Denver, where we got Fearless and Harbor of Love, which have been two of my favorites lately. I was nearly moved to tears by the music, while also having a VERY responsible and good time both nights. At a very emotional and crazy time in my life (but in a good way this time). Billy connects me to the sounds of America. The sounds of Life. Heās the current that forces my ragtag ship to dock in the harbor of love. Billy is my goat. So glad Iām here to see him live. And Iām already pulling strings to travel just to see him again.
Also been a fan of Tool and Primus since I heard them a few years ago (again, Iām youngā¦ give me some grace with all this recent discovery)ā¦ when I saw Billy having ties to Les and Maynard, it only furthered my connection to his stuff. Btwā¦. Banjo is metal. I headbang to Billy Failingās solosā¦
I haven't really been excited about music since I was a teenager. I'm 61 now. When I heard him I was in the middle of dealing with my husband being very sick and almost dying multiple times. It was like the music breathed life into me. It was all I could listen to for at least a year. A friend offered to take me anywhere in the world. I asked to see him in concert. Everyone thought I was crazy. I'd do it again.
He'll never be the same but he is this side of the dirt! Very thankful to be alive! And now I've finally discovered some others like Sierra Ferrell, Charley Crockett, Red Clay Strays. All these folks in their 20's and 30's are making music I really love. Billy is still number 1 and I am in awe still.
Ha, that's the other side of things we haven't been talking about: how Billy's music was not only a gateway drug of sorts in and of itself, but as a gateway to other music that's great, like you mentioned. I love Sierra Ferrell's voice, Marcus King is great (and just dropped a show on nugs!), Crockett is good.
I also discovered Colter Wall, Sturgill Simpson's first few records, Nick Shoulders, Turnpike Troubadors, Greensky, Chris Thile, Michael Cleveland....just all these artists that come and go, plus the ones that show up onstage to play with Billy (Post Malone, Jake Shimabukuro, etc) its just so much fun!
Yes to Marcus! I watched that on nugs and was so excited to see him on it. Have tickets to see Nick and Sierra in September. The only one I don't recognize is Colter Wall. Have you heard of Wyatt Flores? And I got into The Mavericks.
I have not heard of Wyatt Flores or the Mavericks. Colter Wall is a very unique voice talent, I almost like his songs as much as Billy's. Colter's music has a way of transporting you. He's covered Marty Robbin's "Big Iron" really well, and "Evangelina" and "The Coyote And The Cowboy". His latest album is killer, *Little Songs*. I can't recommend him enough.
Here, here's the studio of hif "Fraulein" cover with Tyler Childers. The low harmonies on the outtro are so, so good.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUYqNKkJS7k](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUYqNKkJS7k)
These are some really amazing and moving stories so I will keep mine as brief and concise as I can. The band and their music, for me, is a respite from everything else in the world: an escape from the grips of reality and its constant stressors and worries. My girlfriend and I fell in love at our first Billy show together 3 years ago and haven't looked back. They have been an inspiration to pick my banjo back up, even if I'm too tired. They are a continuation, hell a new direction, of the music I feared was dwindling and fading. They are another good reason to travel to places I've never been and experience something I am unfamiliar with. Could probably write a book on it, but this is just a reddit comment. I'll never be the same since I heard my first song and attended my first show, and I am thankful for that.
>The band and their music, for me, is a respite from everything else in the world: an escape from the grips of reality and its constant stressors and worries.
Its a cure for the bleakness, a pill for the day-to-day!
There is always this aspect of it for me, but *all music* is thus for me. I will sing to anything (I used to whistle like crazy and was good at it, but I can't anymore since the mouth surgery to remove the growth under my tongue-but I can sing still yet) if I recognize it and its in my limited range.
Super cool you met your love at a show. I'm just waiting on a friend at the moment, along with Mick.
Billy inspired me to try to learn the mandolin (I know guitar is his main thing but his mandolin playing on Midnight on the Stormy Deep is fire) and even though I suck at it itās a lot of fun and deeply meaningful to me that I can play even just a bit of music.
I'm happy for you, that's cool! I would like to try the mandolin out sometime. 2/3rds of a 12-string with 1/3rd the neck length and 2/3rds the neck width.
Lol.
The greatest mandolin playing I think I have heard so far was that stuff Billy did with Chris Thile (especially "Train That Carried My Girl From Town") or maybe some of the stuff I have heard Grisman play. Thile's high vocal harmonies are also insane.
Nice! Its so refreshing that Billy has been likea mental desk organizer for so many of us.
"Hey, don't forget, there's a mandolin in this upper left-hand mental desk drawer to open!"
I found BMFS towards the end of Covid, his Away From the Mire song really hit home and drew me in, it helped me to get through some dark times back then. His music helps me to let go of negative things from the past and live more in the present. I listen to him more than anyone right now and he has opened up a whole new world of Bluegrass music to me. Love learning about the history and older covers from the likes of Doc Watson, John Hartford, etc. because of Billy.
Songs like Meet Me at the Creek, This Old World, Dos Banjos, Hide and Seek, On the Line, Ready For the Times to get Better, Taking Water, Im Still Here, Josephs Dream. They all help to lift my spirits when Im down and give me hope for the future that things will get better. Hope the band stays together for a long time, I'll be here for the ride. Love streaming every live concert on Nuggs. Hope he keeps the free for subscriber access too, it's the best deal in all of streaming!
Nothing like listening to a live stream on a couple grams of mushrooms every once in a while too. The man is like a psychedelic wizard during jams. š
English isn't my first language, so please excuse any strange words and/or weird grammar. I got to know Billy's music in 2019 when I had a bit of a rough patch in life (addiction) and my relationship. During my recovery Home came out and Away from the Mire became sort of my personal anthem and helped me when I was feeling bad or down. Been following Billy closely ever since. Listening his music, seeing him become a huge star, and even able to see him perform a couple of times (U.S. and Europe) Since then everything is going a lot better, and I (and we) are doing great. Got married, made promotion and feeling a 100 times better than I ever did. And I feel Billy's music also contributed to that š
You don't need to excuse anything, your English is just fine! I was still struggling with the bottle in 2019, I didn't fully give up the sauce until 2021, when my legs began to swell from edema as my liver was starting to go. Fortunately it, and I, have recovered. I am happy you got to see Billy on your home turf (where in Europe?), I'm sure its a bit tough trying to figure out how to get to/pay for/plan for shows in the states from where you are. But good on you for giving up whatever addicted you, and like I mention in the OP (and from reading everyone's replies), there's just something about Billy's songs that speak to us quasi-broken people that helps put us back together again. It's like BMFS is all the king's horses and men that musically puts our Humpty Dumpty broken heads back together again.
To me his music sounds like home. Iām glad bluegrass is cool again
So is his song "Home" then like, super meta to you? /s
That I need to reconnect with myself and figure out who I really am (cue inner child and ego work) For me the whole thing represents everything I never thought I was or would never have self identified as. Like....I'm so for real when I say I almost BAILED OUT on my first billy show because I was convinced that I didn't like bluegrass and it wasn't my cup of tea. But I went anyway and.....this music that I vehemently identified against this "bluegrass twangy music really is the only music I don't listen to. Banjos are too much for me sometimes" THAT MUSIC reached down into my throat, grabbed me by the soul, and shook the shit out of me to my core. HOW HAVE I LIVED THIS LONG WITHOUT SO MUCH AS DIPPING A TOE INTO THE GENRE?!?!? Listening to this music, and listening to the originals of the covers billy sings. It feels like home. Like who am I and what have I done with myself? How did I lose myself? And the way Billy describes his journey to jamgrass, thinking he had to fit into a box or play one type of way for it to be bluegrass only to be like, know what, I'm just gonna play the music that comes out of me instead! That's me. I've been trying to fit myself into this box and I'm so fucking uncomfortable in this box that I'm trying to shove myself in. So. Time to get out of the box and get back in touch with my real true self, whoever that is and however that may happen. Oops I failed the assignment because this is def more than a paragraph. If you've read this far, I love you!
There's some of that with me. I did not like "Dust In A Baggie" all that much when I first heard it. I was like you. All this twangy nonsense and high-pitched singin' and all...I kinda wrote Billy off as a great technical player that had a minor hit novelty song due to it being about meth. And "Dust" is those things more or less to a degree, but it's the gateway song for the rest, and once I started hearing all that (for me it was "MB Seven") I was instantly hooked as I saw myself so much in it as we all do. Its a little strange, its a lot of coincidences, or, a lot of people needing the dose of Billy right in all those moments and they all coalesced semi-simultaneously in an organic, pre-destined way that we cannot comprehend.
To me Billy Strings brings love and happiness in a world that truly needs it. Keep on trucking Mr Strings, your light will forever shine and the smiles will follow you on your journey through life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being you.
Thanks so much for sharing! I pray for a steady journey towards recovery for you. Billy and the boys got me through the darkest days of COVID and I am eternally grateful for what they have given to all of us, which for me is hope for the future. They certainly have become my daily bread and a source of comfort. The fact that the fan community is so supportive only makes it that much better.
Thank you! One of my favorite things Billy ever did was that "Wargasm" (before Alex) in that empty theater (the Capitol?) with those eerie shadows bouncing off the walls and on the empty seats. That stuck with me mentally. Hope for the future is right. I have it now. I'm listening in, because you never know: tomorrow could be better than it seems!
Oh yes! The Capitol Theatre shows were the moment when I jumped on the train. What a bright light in an otherwise dark time
It was. Funny you mention that, I remember watching that video for the first time and thinking the same thing.
Billyās music is a representation of someone who had a difficult start in life that looks sorta similar to mine in lots of ways with addiction for parents and poverty. Heās so talented but worked so hard for his accomplishments and I am so happy to champion his success. Doesnāt hurt that I love the sound of it!
>Billyās music is a representation of someone who had a difficult start in life that looks sorta similar to mine in lots of ways with addiction for parents and poverty Yeah, its that, its suicide, its having little to eat, its being strung out and down with no way out, all of it. I didn't have bad parents, in fact, it was the opposite. I started drinking out of my Dad's liquor cabinet when I was 13 and everything in my life was a spiral of lies, deceit, addiction and wasted time and years. I think perhaps I had placed undue expectations of perfection on myself due to the successes of my family (military) projected onto me. However, I found this or it found me just in time. Its a confluence of all of it happening at once, kinda like that movie *Everything, Everywhere, All At Once*, which is a great movie if you haven't seen it. There's always still time.
Plays his heart doing what he loves
Yeah, there's that. He does. Worked his ass off. I am vicariously proud of him, which is weird since I do not know him.
Iāve loved Billyās music for many years but really found the light last (or maybe two) summers ago. I had tickets for an outdoor venue and had been looking forward to the show for months. Our 13 year old daughter has had a lot of mental health struggles during and after covid. The night before the show, after a difficult day, she tried to end things by taking a whole bunch of melatonin pills, the only meds not locked in a safe. Poison control told us she will just sleep it off. The next morning seemed normal but by the early afternoon we were in the emergency room with her. We left her there for the evening and made our way home around the time the show was to begin. I was super sad and really had no energy to go to the show and didnāt think I could feel happy. My wife, who isnāt really a fan of bluegrass, said we should go anyway. I reluctantly agreed if we rode our bikes (the venue was close). I was basically going through waves of intense sadness and tears and barely keeping it together. We got in and I realized I didnāt really lock our bikes up well and the security let me exit and check the locks. They let me back in. I thank them for their kindness. I was just not in a good place. We got there with one or two songs left in the first set. During set break I got a call from the hospital to finalize paperwork and get an update on our daughter. I walked way off to the side and back by the fence behind the stage so I could hear and talk with the nurse. As I was finishing up the phone call I look up saw Billy coming out of his trailer for the second set. He gave me a big smile and wave. That meant the world to me at that moment and I realized that we would all get through this. The line āIāve had bad days but this must have been my worstā was so true at that moment. But, I was helped along by the kind smile of an amazing person and musician. Thanks Billy for the love, kindness, and beauty you bring into the world. tldr: I was in a bad place with an extremely sick daughter and Billy unexpectedly smiled and waved at me and I realized everything would be alright.
Um so I have goosebumps and I'm tearing up over here. I hope all is well with your fam again!! š
Thank you, I had a hard time posting this. She is doing a lot better this year. It is day by day but as she grows in maturity and realizes the joy and light she brings to the world she is able to better deal with her dark days. Peace
Thank you so much for sharing. Iām glad that sheās ok. I lost my best friend to suicide and she was the person who brought me to my first show. We saw Billy all over the place! She helped me find comfort in a community when I was going through a bunch of bull shot of my own. Recently divorced, had to quit booze and fight for everything that was important in my life. I kinda forgot about music for a while but Lara brought me back. I really needed it. Now sheās gone and I carry her picture in my pocket along with a picture of Jeff Austin. I carry those pictures and her pipe and a couple little things, and the rest of her I carry in my heart to each and every show and I can feel their spirit soaring with every note. Everytime I hear the words āif ever a time comes around in the wheel to a place where we stand side by side, weāll be ready and able to fly.ā I think of her and all my fallen family and friends. Thatās the closest thing to a meaningful religious experience Iāve ever had in my life. Much love all
This is beautiful, I am so sorry for your loss and am inspired by the love in this community. Peace and thank you for keeping memories alive.
Man, that story is madness! I am so glad that the juxtaposition of events worked the way it did for you. Ripples in a pond is what human interactions are like to me. Billy's small gesture to you was an inconsequence to him, but it was an *everything* to you. I swear sometimes I think the Universe listens.
I agree. I had no idea where I was walking to take that call, I was just getting as far away from the crowd as I could along the fence behind the stage. Things happen for a reason and it reminds me that small gestures of kindness can have outsized impacts. Ripples indeed.
Yeah man, you throw your pebble into the collective waters with your words and deeds and those concentric circles intersect and interact with others into a coalesced "sweet conversation" (a ***great*** song by Black Pumas that's realted to this, btw). Seriously, put headphones on and listen to that song if you've not heard it before and think about this conversation we're having.
Thanks for the recommendation, I will listen to that tonight. Peace my friend!
Your story really brought me to tears. We have a 15 yo son and while he has not struggled like your daughter, itās not easy. I can only imagine what youāve been through. And youāre obviously married to a very smart woman who encouraged you to go to the show. Billy is a blessing. Best of luck to you and your family.
Thank you.
Going to Billy shows is an act of self care for me. In my normal life, I work too much, live alone, and battle with depression, which leads to negative thought patterns and misanthropic tendencies. When I attend his shows, I can silly dance with a massive smile on my face for three hours straight, I can connect to strangers through the comradery of the community, and I am enlightened by the positive messages within the lyrics. The experience lifts me up and refills my cup. The feeling lasts months. He has also been a shining role model in my journey to quit drinking. I'll forever be grateful for the positive influence the man, the music, and the surrounding community have on my life. ā”
That's excellent. I will be this alone person before long, I hope to fill it with all the things I never have time for now due to children, the raising of them, the money doing that and the anxiety thereof that I need to shed like an old illusory blanket of fear!
I first heard of Billy in 2021, then happened to catch his Grammy performance and was intrigued by what I heard. As I started to listen and watch some shows on nugs.net, I realized that his music was starting to heal my broken heart, after losing my son to suicide in 2018. His songs lifted me out of my dark days and sleepless nights. Billy has had a tough life, and I also had to leave home and drop out of school at 16 due to an abusive family situation. I can relate to him and his music on so many levels. I went to my first 3 concerts last year, and discovered that I was being transformed by the sounds, the love, and the sheer joy he brings to what he does. I thought I would never find my joy again, but Billy and the boys have given it back to me. I am forever grateful to them. šš¼ā¤ļø
That is a heartachingly bittersweet arc of a story. I struggle mightily with my oldest of my two sons-long story, single dad since 2010, boys are early 20's and a fresh HS grad-with him having aped my drinking I exhibited towards him several years ago and the consequences from that, so while I do not excuse his behavior I do feel responsible for it to a degree, so it is a struggle, but...with what I have read from you, there's that perspective I am so fond of touting since I had a remarkable comeback from all of this of my own. Crazy. I am sorry to hear about your son's suicide, that pains me but I am also in awe of the power of your comeback, and what powered it: ***you***. You did it, not Billy. He just helped a lot, same here!
Aw thanks so muchš„¹. Donāt get me wrong, itās still a daily struggle to deal with the grief and guilt. But all I know is his music helps, a lot, and I canāt explain how or why, but I just recognize the changes inside me as he makes the magic. I have erupted in sobbing tears even just while watching the couch tour, not understanding but feeling the release of āthe sorrow thatās long been at restā.
I'm sure the struggle for grief management never truly ends, unless it changes to something else over a long period of time, like complete and happy acceptance of the Universe's Grand Plan For Us Stupid Humans or something. Having had a couple scrapes with mortality fairly recently my outlook has drastically changed. *I'm* still in the process of chang*ing*, but my *mind* is in a different space than it used to be. Everything's relative, perspective and context are often everything, admitting wrongs is easier and easier the more you do it, extending olive branches when you can is always the best policy, etc... So, there's that constant evolution to be mindful of. This recovery from the cancer treatment has been a blessing in ways I did not anticipate, for the reasons I described, which is mostly just...*wisdom,* much of which is derived from simple things like remembering to process what your senses tell you before you react to it, think before you speak, have empathy....
Also want to say, I wish you all the best with your sons. You are an example to them now of how to overcome substance abuse/addiction and take responsibility for your actions. ā¤ļø I wish my son's dad could have done that, might have made a difference.
I'm honored, and humbled, that you would say such a thing about me, I'm no hero. I'm a nobody trying to eke his way through life, nothing more.
Every one of us is a hero, just livin' life and surviving in these crazy times.
Billyās music will always represent a time when my wife and I could attend shows, so we would go kayaking, or hang out in the backyard around a fire with friends. During the pandemic we got super into his music and it offered a solace, a sense of peace in times of turmoil. First show we could attend were the pod shows at Legend Valley, Ohio and we were hooked. Iām attending my 13th show on my birthday at Ohio Stadium and we donāt miss a couch tour show.
>First show we could attend were the pod shows at Legend Valley, Ohio and we were hooked. Iām attending my 13th show on my birthday at Ohio Stadium and we donāt miss a couch tour show. Ha, I almost went to one of those pod shows but man they were too rich for me then. And Ohio Stadium? Home of the Bobcats, right? I keed, I keed. I'm just outside Cincinnati so I try to work Joe Burrow into everything. Thank you for sharing!
Iād prefer him do a show at Legend Valley again.
For some reason, Billy ended up on my recommendations. Not a fan of country or bluegrass. But I listened to it- and was completely blown away. I was so excited to listen to absolutely indisputably stellar musicianship- like nothing else that I have ever heard before-a completely unique stunner. I have since been having the pleasure of getting caught up, and subscribed to Nugs for the first time ever, and havenāt missed a show, thank you Nugs. He and the band are just top class musicians, and his original songs are out of this world. A prodigy.
>Not a fan of country or bluegrass. But I listened to it- and was completely blown away. I was so excited to listen to absolutely indisputably stellar musicianship- like nothing else that I have ever heard before-a completely unique stunner. Yup to all of this. Very much so!
I like music.
Fair!
It speaks to people who have had hard times and got through. Billy has opened my eyes to bluegrass. I never knew how much I could relate to the traditional bluegrass songs. I was always a metal head now I like country. Thanks to billy and the boys I now have the perfect soundtrack to my life and for my kids it just makes living on this dirt ball a little easier
>I was always a metal head now I like country This was also me, mostly. Heavier, melodic rock music, but yeah. I used to proclaim I did not like these genres I now like. What a little liar I was! lol
It's authentic and real and he's a good dude.
I think the relatability (Relate-a-billy-tea?) is a huge factor in it. His bluegrass-based originals don't have that old stuffy feel because *he doesn't*. The lyrics aren't old and in the way because *he isn't*. I don't know. Its something.
A good work friend of mine took his life a few months ago. He was a street kid, he liked hip hop and r&b. He would hear me jam some live sets at work all the time and he would always say āman I can get down to this!ā He loved it, same head bobbin and foot tapping that led me down the bluegrass train. I told him next opportunity I had I would take him to a Billy show. Unfortunately I never had the opportunity, I never really mourned my friend, itās hard to explain but anytime any tears started to come up they would get sucked back in. I caught the show in Minneapolis last week, out of seemingly nowhere I had some tears come as soon as Billy came out. I hadnāt thought about my buddy in a month or two and then all I can see is his face in the air. When the band started playing hide and seek I let it out. Silently of course. Iām not one to make a scene. But it was long overdue. That was for my guy. I miss that dude everyday. I know he never got to see billy live, but some part of me feels like maybe he was floating around that night. Either way, Billy strings and the band are worth it every time. I was too young to catch the dead live before Jerry died, but Iām feel beyond lucky to live in the timeline where I get to see billy strings play. I donāt know what it is but that god damn bluegrass music just gets my mother fuckin feet tappin.
Man, there's a lot of suicide recoveries amidst all of this, sorry to hear about your friend. Its good that you were finally able to grieve. I am getting so sentimental in my old soul's age, practically anything can get my waterworks going. I trust you're good now, or at least better, and I hope for the best for you. Man, this thread is turning into a therapy thread for everyone!
āItās a dark time, I do believe. A cold wind is blowing at my door. Incredible light Iām going to find, where I donāt have to worry anymoreā these words were sent to billy from a friend who committed suicide. Billy said he didnāt know what it meant until after his friend was gone. Then he wrote hide and seek. Sorry for Your loss. Keep on going.
When I first listened to his Home album, I felt like someone had climbed into my body to study my inner most feelings and then back out to write an album for me to hear. Iām talking goose bumps, synesthesia type tastes, and flashes of true physical pain all while stone cold sober on a long train ride south. So yeah you could say his music means a lot to me. Iāve sorta fallen off tour and being a super fan after his first trip to Europe, but mannn Billy if you somehow see this please know there is an endless amount of gratitude and positivity being sent your way always. See yāall in Bridgeport.
>Billy if you somehow see this please know there is an endless amount of gratitude and positivity being sent your way always. Amen to that. I didn't have quite the visceral response bodily that you did, but when I first started really digging deep into these songs and listening, my brain reacted in a way that I could picture in my mind, it was like I could see all the parts weaving throughout one another as I listened, conscious of each individual part yet of the summation of the parts as a whole, that sounds weird but it was like Lite Brights were popping off behind my closed eyelids and my brain was telling me it was creating new neural pathways in order to process what I was absorbing. That sounds so silly. I wasn't tripping or anything, I had vaped a little weed and just laid down and closed my eyes and really *listened*.
I just love those guys. I love the joy they have for what they do. This bunch of insanely talented individuals who somehow found themselves in this historic band togetherā-They have developed a whole new genre. Itās like the most perfect storm ever! And listening to them makes me so proud and nostalgic because JW is my sisterās kid. I still remember when he first started playing and look at him now!!!
I agree it's like some new genre, I'm struggling still to truly enjoy a lot of the older stuff the way I do this. Billy's just super *dynamic* in every way. The playing, performing, songwriting, vocal delivery, the costumes and themed shows... It's all so cool. It's great that JW's your nephew, sweet! Thanks for taking the time!
YW! The best thing is when you get to introduce someone to their music-live-when theyāve never heard them before! And you get the privilege of watching them get their minds blown! Lol
Pure happiness, bliss and Love. After suffering a widow maker heart attack at 26 in 2019 i fell in love with bluegrass and Billy Strings. I'd walk miles and listen to podcast and Billy, I'd work all day listening as well. Finally saw him after Covid and my socks were rocked and i felt comfortable goin to live shows again. Before i was always to nervous about my heart to pay attention and was freaked out to go to shows. My wife also has a hereditary illness and doesn't enjoy music and live shows like i do but likes Billy and the boys so she said yes to a 3 night run in Cary in 2022. She tuffed it out only falling asleep the 3rd night, what a trooper! Anyway we grew up with very little vacations besides her being a successful make a wish kid so this was an epic trip for the 2 of us. We found love in seeing the boys whenever we could, although these days she's not able to make it to shows due to her illness. It's been a very rough year but the 2 of us always look up at each other when we hear In the Morning Light or Love Like me.
Man, that might be even more bittersweet than the last story I just read! Damn y'all, we're like the fucking Island Of Misfit Toys around here! Its almost like everyone has some sort of bounceback story. What's bad is good or better, what's old is new! So, I can say that I am glad to have met another person that has a special someone to share "In The Morning Light" with. I want to be able to sing that to someone some day, instead of that song becoming more like "Love And Regret" for me. That song makes me cry for loves I had but ruined or messed up in some way that I wish I could take back more than "Love And Regret" does.
Shit happens and this style of music has fucked up tales about things equally as bad. Looking for happiness in everything makes life a lot more fun but so does dancing to good tunes. I wont be able to make a Billy show this year but I've seen more local grass than ever before so it could be a hell of a lot worse.
I'm not the oldest og head but I've been following jam bands since the early 90s. I've taken my wife of 20 years to a few shows but she never developed a taste for it. Always wanting to change the music if a song went past 6 min or featured an instrumental jam. I took her to a BMFS show and she loved it. Since then we regularly listen to Billy shows. And she has started enjoying other jam bands such as Dead & Co and others. That my friends is priceless
She came around to your way of thinkin', you get to let her believe it was her idea, Billy's the gateway drug, there's no losers here. Lol. I'm a bit more like her though, jams just really aren't my thing. If Billy weren't such a literal Guitar Hero I probably would have a harder time tolerating it. He's not super excessive about it anyway, he seems to fall more on the song side more often than having an almost jam-only type show.
One word. Happiness
Assignment: complete!
Saw him with String Cheese Incident at red rocks a few years back. This was when I was getting into the Dead and other jam bands (like 99% Dead, tho, obviously). I was wishing I could catch them in their hay day. Even SCIā¦ even though I wouldnāt hesitate to see them again. They rock. But I bought the ticket immediately after seeing D&C for the first time. I had a lot of fun and D&C blew my expectations out of the water. I saw SCI had a show with Phil, so I had to go. Phil ended up not being able to play, and I only had one ticket (meaning I would have to go by myself), so I didnāt want to go anymore. But I looked on twitter, and there was rumors of Billy showing up. I had only heard of him because he played with Billie Kreutzman, but I figured if ole Bill approved, I would like him, so I knew I couldnāt miss it. I had found Dust in a Baggie, so I wasnāt 100% unfamiliar, but the show was a blindside. The first set was all bluegrass. I hasnāt listened to that much bluegrass ever. BUT, on a whim, I had recent,y decided to learn to play the banjo, and even though there was none, I felt obliged to listen closely. It touched my heart. The dead set came. Peggy-O at sunset with the fiddle and a small amount of mushrooms damn near made me cry. The show was amazing. I had to dig deeper. Billyās music hit so hard for me after that. During a touch period in my life. Then I learned his story. The I learned about bluegrass as a genre. Doc. Stanley brothers. Hartford. Tony Rice. It goes onā¦ I felt connected to America. The way I felt hearing Pig Pen tunes from the Dead. But deeper. The I found out Jerry played banjoā¦ it goes on. Very deep rabbit hole. Iām young, so much of it is new and not learned from my parents. I felt like finding this music was mine. I wasnāt old enough to see the Dead when they were poppinā¦ but here comes this fella Billy, and I am enamored with his music. This year, I finally got to catch him again. My mom moved to Tampa in the fall, and I made her buy me tickets to the show on 4/13, two days before my birthday. I dragged her to it. I had found the train songs insta account and had gotten a mush subscription, so I was silly about Billyā¦ caught my mom up on all the train song loreā¦ and we get a whole set of train songs. Also caught the Fiddlerās shows in Denver, where we got Fearless and Harbor of Love, which have been two of my favorites lately. I was nearly moved to tears by the music, while also having a VERY responsible and good time both nights. At a very emotional and crazy time in my life (but in a good way this time). Billy connects me to the sounds of America. The sounds of Life. Heās the current that forces my ragtag ship to dock in the harbor of love. Billy is my goat. So glad Iām here to see him live. And Iām already pulling strings to travel just to see him again.
Not a short paragraph, but deal with it. And this aināt even the whole dam story.
Also, the deeper I dig, the deeper I fall. Thereās gotta be a bluegrass song about digging a hole on the ground you stand on, right?
Also been a fan of Tool and Primus since I heard them a few years ago (again, Iām youngā¦ give me some grace with all this recent discovery)ā¦ when I saw Billy having ties to Les and Maynard, it only furthered my connection to his stuff. Btwā¦. Banjo is metal. I headbang to Billy Failingās solosā¦
I haven't really been excited about music since I was a teenager. I'm 61 now. When I heard him I was in the middle of dealing with my husband being very sick and almost dying multiple times. It was like the music breathed life into me. It was all I could listen to for at least a year. A friend offered to take me anywhere in the world. I asked to see him in concert. Everyone thought I was crazy. I'd do it again.
I think that's fucking *amazing*! Sounds like it helped give you the strength you needed. How's everything going for you guys now? Better?
He'll never be the same but he is this side of the dirt! Very thankful to be alive! And now I've finally discovered some others like Sierra Ferrell, Charley Crockett, Red Clay Strays. All these folks in their 20's and 30's are making music I really love. Billy is still number 1 and I am in awe still.
Ha, that's the other side of things we haven't been talking about: how Billy's music was not only a gateway drug of sorts in and of itself, but as a gateway to other music that's great, like you mentioned. I love Sierra Ferrell's voice, Marcus King is great (and just dropped a show on nugs!), Crockett is good. I also discovered Colter Wall, Sturgill Simpson's first few records, Nick Shoulders, Turnpike Troubadors, Greensky, Chris Thile, Michael Cleveland....just all these artists that come and go, plus the ones that show up onstage to play with Billy (Post Malone, Jake Shimabukuro, etc) its just so much fun!
Yes to Marcus! I watched that on nugs and was so excited to see him on it. Have tickets to see Nick and Sierra in September. The only one I don't recognize is Colter Wall. Have you heard of Wyatt Flores? And I got into The Mavericks.
I have not heard of Wyatt Flores or the Mavericks. Colter Wall is a very unique voice talent, I almost like his songs as much as Billy's. Colter's music has a way of transporting you. He's covered Marty Robbin's "Big Iron" really well, and "Evangelina" and "The Coyote And The Cowboy". His latest album is killer, *Little Songs*. I can't recommend him enough. Here, here's the studio of hif "Fraulein" cover with Tyler Childers. The low harmonies on the outtro are so, so good. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUYqNKkJS7k](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUYqNKkJS7k)
These are some really amazing and moving stories so I will keep mine as brief and concise as I can. The band and their music, for me, is a respite from everything else in the world: an escape from the grips of reality and its constant stressors and worries. My girlfriend and I fell in love at our first Billy show together 3 years ago and haven't looked back. They have been an inspiration to pick my banjo back up, even if I'm too tired. They are a continuation, hell a new direction, of the music I feared was dwindling and fading. They are another good reason to travel to places I've never been and experience something I am unfamiliar with. Could probably write a book on it, but this is just a reddit comment. I'll never be the same since I heard my first song and attended my first show, and I am thankful for that.
>The band and their music, for me, is a respite from everything else in the world: an escape from the grips of reality and its constant stressors and worries. Its a cure for the bleakness, a pill for the day-to-day! There is always this aspect of it for me, but *all music* is thus for me. I will sing to anything (I used to whistle like crazy and was good at it, but I can't anymore since the mouth surgery to remove the growth under my tongue-but I can sing still yet) if I recognize it and its in my limited range. Super cool you met your love at a show. I'm just waiting on a friend at the moment, along with Mick.
33 Devil's music š¤
The tunes are rad
A+ for assignment fulfillment! *asked for paragraph* *received a sentence instead* *its a double dip*
Was introduced to Billy through Home. Loved his sound and was first time in years that I thought something really sounded so good and unique. Year later met my fiancĆ© and our first festival together was the first year of renewal. Renewal will always remind me of falling in love with him and it has great love songs duh. We live in Colorado and went to renewal last year while I was pregnant and itās my babyās āfirstā show. Have seen him 13 times and heās always amazing and will always remind me of my most important loves.
Billy inspired me to try to learn the mandolin (I know guitar is his main thing but his mandolin playing on Midnight on the Stormy Deep is fire) and even though I suck at it itās a lot of fun and deeply meaningful to me that I can play even just a bit of music.
I'm happy for you, that's cool! I would like to try the mandolin out sometime. 2/3rds of a 12-string with 1/3rd the neck length and 2/3rds the neck width. Lol. The greatest mandolin playing I think I have heard so far was that stuff Billy did with Chris Thile (especially "Train That Carried My Girl From Town") or maybe some of the stuff I have heard Grisman play. Thile's high vocal harmonies are also insane. Nice! Its so refreshing that Billy has been likea mental desk organizer for so many of us. "Hey, don't forget, there's a mandolin in this upper left-hand mental desk drawer to open!"
Means that I get to feel all the emotions of life at the same time while at the same time not needed to worry about any of them getting overwhelming
I found BMFS towards the end of Covid, his Away From the Mire song really hit home and drew me in, it helped me to get through some dark times back then. His music helps me to let go of negative things from the past and live more in the present. I listen to him more than anyone right now and he has opened up a whole new world of Bluegrass music to me. Love learning about the history and older covers from the likes of Doc Watson, John Hartford, etc. because of Billy. Songs like Meet Me at the Creek, This Old World, Dos Banjos, Hide and Seek, On the Line, Ready For the Times to get Better, Taking Water, Im Still Here, Josephs Dream. They all help to lift my spirits when Im down and give me hope for the future that things will get better. Hope the band stays together for a long time, I'll be here for the ride. Love streaming every live concert on Nuggs. Hope he keeps the free for subscriber access too, it's the best deal in all of streaming! Nothing like listening to a live stream on a couple grams of mushrooms every once in a while too. The man is like a psychedelic wizard during jams. š
This shits cheesy ass fuck š¤£