Bluegrass stars Chris Thile and Billy Strings will continue their budding bromance later this month with a collaborative set at Telluride Bluegrass Festival on Thursday, June 20th. The special performance will highlight day one of the festival in Telluride, CO which will also include performances by Sam Bush Band, Charley Crockett, Lyle Lovett and His Large Band, The Infamous Stringdusters, Sierra Hull, and many more.
This set will mark the third collaboration of the year for Thile and Strings, who so far have already appeared on CBS Saturday Morning and performed a one-of-a-kind show with jazz organist Cory Henry at New York’s Lincoln Center for the finale of Thile’s 65th Street Session concert series. Though there aren’t many specific details on what this Telluride set may entail—Chris and Billy are the only listed performers—it is a near-certainty that the two musicians will put on another display of mountain music mastery. Live For Live Music reached out to representatives for both artists for further details on the performance, and Thile’s rep responded, ” I don’t have any additional information.”
So far, Thile and Strings have performed together as a duo and as a trio with Henry. The 65th Street Session was a unique showcase that paired the modern bluegrass luminaries with the world-renowned jazz organist. Through nearly two years of 65th Street Sessions performances, Thile has paired together forces from across the musical spectrum like funk guitarist Cory Wong with, Late Show bandleader Louis Cato, and singer-songwriter/rapper/bassist Meshell Ndegeocello and another with wunderkind Jacob Collier, singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham, and members of the New York Philharmonic, all with Thile at the helm. Chris’ collaborative skills shine through in these concerts, displaying his ability to adapt his mandolin to whatever concoction he cooks up—and being a certified genius probably doesn’t hurt either.
The day after the Lincoln Center performance, Strings and Thile appeared together on CBS Saturday Morning. While the 65th Street Session was a cross-cultural merging of jazz and bluegrass, the televised performance remained committed to a more traditional tone. Together the duo performed “Wild Bill Jones”, “I Am a Pilgrim”, and “I’ve Been All Around This World” in a style much more reminiscent of Thile’s Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek catalog and the less-rocking moments of a live Billy Strings show. The pair’s creative dynamic was a highlight throughout the in-studio set as Thile continued to push the bluegrass whiz kid Billy Strings to new and exciting places, just as he did at the 65th Street Session.
So, do we know what Chris Thile and Billy Strings will do at Telluride Bluegrass Festival? No, but what we do know is that it will be a spectacle not to miss for any bluegrass lover. Revisit the pair’s collaborative history in the videos below and purchase Telluride Bluegrass festival tickets here.
Billy Strings & Chris Thile – “Wild Bill Jones” (Traditional)
Billy Strings & Chris Thile – “I Am A Pilgrim” (Traditional)
Billy Strings & Chris Thile – “I’ve Been All Around This World” (Traditional)
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