Billy friggin’ Strings, man
The extremely talented Billy Strings was in my neck of the woods last night, performing at Wintrust Field just outside of Chicago. And he treated fans to a seven and a half minute rendition of “Long Hot Summer Day.”
To be honest, I always forget that “Long Hot Summer Day” isn’t a Turnpike original. I’m not sure how many other folks even know that, but it was actually written by John Hartford, a St. Louis based country/bluegrass singer that also wrote the Glen Campbell hit “Gentle On My Mind.”
Titled “Long Hot Summer Days (with an “s”), it was released on his 1976 Mark Twang (great album title) album.
Of course, Turnpike put their own personal style on the tune, releasing it as the last track on their 2010 knockout of album, Diamonds & Gasoline.
Good shit.
