Everyone loves Billy Strings.
Dierks Bentley is a big fan of bluegrass. He tries to model his shows after traditional bluegrass bands, where each instrument is highlighted on stage, not a frontman with the band in the shadows. After taking Whiskey Riff behind the scenes of his Gravel & Gold Tour setup, we had the chance to sit down with him for the most recent episode of Whiskey Riff Raff.
During the conversation, Bentley revealed that he is a big fan of Mr. Strings and gushed about how he is changing the bluegrass landscape.
“I mean, he’s the future of acoustic music; he’s the present and future.”
Bentley responded when asked about Strings’ stardom, which has captured the hearts of jam band and bluegrass fans.
“Bryan Sutton told me that about six years ago the future of bluegrass music is in good hands. He kind of befriended Billy Strings. But yeah, I was lucky enough to have Billy on a record, and I’ve watched him play a couple of sold-out shows at Bridgestone…
Some people bring into a certain genre but then keep searching for the source, and Billy’s the guy. You know the Del McCoury and The Travelin’ Mccourys? They live in that hippie, trippy jam band stuff, but they have the roots to go back and do it. If you want to learn where the music comes from, watch Del McCoury and those guys.
But Billy’s… he’s unbelievable, he’s so good. It’s great to see him, you know, playing all different types of genre festivals….The kids are discovering Billy Strings, and he’s the best.”
@whiskeyriff @dierksbentley shares thoughts on @Billy Strings & the future of bluegrass. // The latest Whiskey Riff Raff episode with Dierks Bentley is LIVE. 🥃 // whiskeyriff.com #whiskeyriff #whiskeyriffraff #dierksbentley #billystrings ♬ original sound – Whiskey Riff
Bentley is fortunate enough to have Strings on his tune “High Note,” which combines Bentley’s timeless country sound with Strings’ flat-picking style and traditional bluegrass vocals. The lyrics pay homage to the bluegrass greats who defined the genre, making it pure gold.
While having a song with someone doesn’t necessarily mean you have to think highly of them, so it’s amazing to hear Bentley gush about how much he admires Strings as an artist and player.
Fire it up while you’re here, and if you want to hear more from our latest Whiskey Riff Raff episode, click HERE.
