Billy Strings can do no wrong… he is just phenomenal.
Strings is magic with a full band behind him, but solo hits differently. Last week, he took a stage in San Francisco with a guitar and Jackson Browne.
The lack of production gives the performance a raw feel, letting his unreal talent shine.
It was also great to listen to some songs he pulled out of the vault, like “While I’m Waiting Here,” which appeared on his debut album in 2017.
He tells the sold-out venue a little story with the tune before hitting it off.
“When I wrote the third verse, it just changed into more of a fictional story, and I don’t know if it gained weight or it just got weird, or what, but anyways… it’s called ‘While I’m Waiting Here.'”
We all know that Strings can pick a guitar like no other, but the listener sees a softer side of him during this tune. He is dialed in on the lyrics and lets his vocal ability come through more than his guitar playing.
Strings then sings with Jackson Browne, a stellar songwriter, and singer. This duo together is impressive to watch.
They perform Browne’s “Running On Empty.”
“This is a song that I wouldn’t have chose for a night like tonight, but I heard that Billy does a version of this song. So, it’s a chance for me to play this with Billy.”
I was unfamiliar with this track prior to this video, but I think this will now live forever on one of my YouTube playlists. The sound is so different than what Strings typically covers, but it is amazing.
It shows how dynamic he is as an artist; he can adapt to many different sounds while still giving a hell of a performance.
We are truly so lucky to have an artist to watch like Billy Strings.
To put it simply… he’s just so damn good.
“Love and Regret”
