Billy Strings sat-in with Greensky Bluegrass during the band’s concert on Friday night at The Caverns in Pelham, Tennessee. Current GSBG tour mates The Wood Brothers got in on the collaborative action during the encore that also included Strings.
Strings came out midway through Greensky Bluegrass’ main set, adding his acoustic guitar first to “I’ll Stay Around,” a rarely played Flatt & Scruggs cover. Greensky Bluegrass mandolinist Paul Hoffman then sang lead on the band’s debut performance of “In The Morning Light.” The song was co-written by Hoffman and Strings and appeared on the latter’s Grammy-nominated 2021 album, Renewal.
“That’s a real honor to sing that song for y’all,” Phoff said. “Billy and I wrote that song together. He sent me all the verses. I was sitting on my couch doing something worthless and I immediately wrote the chorus. I’m glad we did.”
“It happened pretty fast!” Strings added.
The guest guitarist stayed onstage for the remainder of the set and sang lead on the GSBG original “Reverend.” The extra picker augmented subsequent offerings of
“Worry For You” from GSBG’s 2022 studio album, Stess Dreams as well as the set-closer, “Don’t Lie.”
Greensky Bluegrass, Billy Strings and The Wood Brothers – bassist Chris Wood, guitarist Oliver Wood and percussionist Jano Rix – shared The Caverns stage for the encore. The Wood Brothers’ “Luckiest Man,” started the collaboration. The night ended with the amalgamation of musicians covering the Motown classic “Second That Emotion.”
Scroll down for more audience-captured video clips from Friday’s concert.
https://www.instagram.com/p/ChfDImOl8mc/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Chd9EIPgEO1/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Che3p5gD5mI/
https://www.instagram.com/p/ChfCCVbD08f/
https://www.instagram.com/p/ChfGm-PLkSp/
Setlist (via GSBG PT)
Set: Reasons to Stay > Leap Year > Foxy Lady > Leap Year, Blood Sucking F(r)iends, Grow Together, Screams, Burn Them, Courage for the Road, Before Bring Out Your Dead > Bring Out Your Dead, I’ll Stay Around [1], In the Morning Light [1][2][3], Reverend [1][4], Worry for You [1], Don’t Lie [1]
Encore: Luckiest Man [1][5], Second That Emotion [1][5]
Notes:
- [1] with Billy Strings (guitar)
- [2] Phoff on vocals
- [3] first time played
- [4] Billy Strings (vocals)
- [5] with Jano Rix (drums, keys), Chris Wood (bass, vocals), Oliver Wood (guitar, vocals)
