Home Jambase Watch Billy Strings Cover Bill Monroe

Watch Billy Strings Cover Bill Monroe

November 5, 2020

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In 2016, guitarist Billy Strings was named Instrumentalist of the Year as part of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Momentum Awards recognizing early-career achievements of bluegrass musicians. In 2019, Strings earned Guitar Player of the Year recognition at the IBMA Awards, along with New Artist of the Year and being named among the Instrumental Performers of the Year.

The 31st Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards were held virtually this year. Strings was nominated for Entertainer Of The Year and Guitar Player Of The Year, while his album Home was up for Album Of The Year and its track “Guitar Peace” competed for Instrumental Recording Of The Year. Strings did not add any trophies to his collection this year, but along with other four Guitar Player Of The Year nominees — including 2020 winner Jake Workman — he participated in a tribute to bluegrass legend Doc Watson.

While Watson is frequently cited by Strings as an influence, another legend has no doubt impacted Strings’ playing: the Father Of Bluegrass himself, Bill Monroe. Strings’ appreciation for the Big Mon was on full display back on September 13 — what would have been Monroe’s birthday — when Strings incorporated several classic bluegrass tunes associated with Monroe into his setlist on his Meet Me At The Drive-In Tour stop at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

Further examples of Billy picking Bill’s tunes can be found in the JamBase Live Video Archive. Here are five such instances of Strings covering Bill Monroe available via the JBLVA.

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Can’t You Hear Me Callin’

Another bluegrass legend keeping Bill Monroe’s legacy alive is one-time member of Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys, Del McCoury. While Del’s stint in the Big Mon’s renowned band was short, he nonetheless was able to share the stage with the bluegrass pioneer. Strings shared the stage with the Del McCoury Band at the 2019 Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in Oak Hill, New York. Watch above a collaborative rendition of Monroe’s “Can’t You Hear Me Callin’’ which dates back to the late-1940s.

Can’t You Hear Me Calling	00:00:00

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Channel	LessThanFace Productions (See 249 videos)
Bands	Billy Strings (See 232 videos) and Del McCoury Band (See 31 videos)

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Blue Moon of Kentucky

Other than bluegrass, the thing most associated with Bill Monroe is his home state of Kentucky. Monroe wrote several songs about the Bluegrass State, and recorded several more composed by others. One of Monroe’s best-known odes to his home commonwealth is “Blue Moon Of Kentucky,” which Strings is one of many to have covered. The video above from 2019 features Strings covering the song in Kentucky.

Everything’s the Same	00:01:08
Shady Grove	00:04:27
Ernest T. Grass	00:09:03
Must Be Seven	00:20:24
Down The Road	00:24:47
Away from the Mire	00:27:56
Long Forgotten Dream	00:38:43
While I’m Waiting Here	00:43:25
Ride Me High	00:47:49
And Your Bird Can Sing	00:56:54
Slow Train	01:00:40
Thirst Mutilator	01:04:44
So Many Miles	01:08:31
Hollow Heart	01:19:47
Sorrow Is a Highway	01:22:51
Enough to Leave	01:26:28
My Rose of Old Kentucky	01:30:21
Running	01:33:53
Blue Moon Of Kentucky	01:37:33
Old Train	01:41:07
Turmoil and Tinfoil	01:43:09
Freedom (Billy Strings)	02:06:55

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Channel	Music City Maven (See 7 videos)
Band	Billy Strings (See 232 videos)

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Shenandoah Breakdown

The instrumental “Shenandoah Breakdown” is another of Monroe’s best-known compositions. Going back to Billy’s IBMA Momentum Award winning year, the video above features Strings performing live in 2016. The compact set featured not only “Shenandoah Breakdown,” but another tune often associated with Monroe, “Roll On Buddy, Roll On.”

Little Maggie	00:00:59
Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)	00:13:40
Roll On Buddy, Roll On	00:23:22
Turmoil and Tinfoil	00:28:46
Shenandoah Breakdown	00:36:40
Dust in a Baggie	00:41:50

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Channel	wklitz1 (See 22 videos)
Band	Billy Strings (See 232 videos)

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Little Cabin Home on the Hill

Billy also counts his father, Terry Barber, among his musical mentors. The father and son have shared the live stage together on numerous occasions, including earlier this year during their pre-pandemic “Family Strings” run of shows in their home state of Michigan. The video above features Billy and Terry teaming up on Monroe’s “Little Cabin Home on the Hill,” a late-1940s co-write by Monroe and bluegrass guitar legend Lester Flatt.

Preacher and The Bear	00:01:21
Miss The Mississippi And You	00:06:14
Dig A Little Deeper In The Well	00:11:06
Georgia Buck	00:16:23
Groundhog	00:20:52
Letter Edged in Black	00:24:58
Beaumont Rag	00:28:59
Willie Roy	00:32:14
Salt Creek	00:36:02
Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down	00:40:25
Let The Cocaine Be	00:44:49
Here Comes The Sun	00:48:14
Streamlined Cannonball	00:51:55
Bringing Mary Home	00:55:00
Little Cabin Home On The Hill	00:59:31
Rank Stranger	01:05:41

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Channel	Billy Strings (See 40 videos)
Bands	Billy Strings (See 232 videos) and Terry Barber (See 5 videos)

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Southern Flavor

In 1988, Monroe released a studio album entitled Southern Flavor, that went on to win the first Grammy Award given in the Best Bluegrass Recording (Vocal or Instrumental) category (now called Best Bluegrass Recording). Strings can be seen playing the award-winning album’s title track during a recent socially distanced concert held at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado.

Red Rocking Chair	00:08:09
Doin’ Things Right	00:12:20
Southern Flavor	00:18:44
Haul de Woodpile Down	00:24:09

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Channel	nugsnet (See 542 videos)
Band	Billy Strings (See 232 videos)

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