Rock of Ages, the 2013 release from Billy Strings and Don Julin, offers an early portrait of Billy Strings before his emergence as one of the most celebrated guitarists in contemporary bluegrass. Recorded when Strings was in his early twenties, the album pairs him with mandolinist Don Julin in a duo format that highlights his flat-picking guitar fluency and his easy command of traditional material. Strings, born William Lee Apostol in Lansing, Michigan, grew up playing with his father Terry Barber. Rock of Ages stands as a document of exceptional natural talent not yet fully formed, valuable as a measure of how far Strings would travel in the years following.
Tracklist
- 1 Dust in a Baggie alt version 2:30
- 2 Soldier’s Joy alt version 1:34
- 3 Cocaine Blues 3:11
- 4 Watson Blues alt version 3:31
- 5 Wild Bill Jones alt version 4:30
- 6 Red Haired Boy alt version 3:23
- 7 I’ve Just Seen the Rock of Ages alt version 3:48
- 8 Kickin Mule 2:45
- 9 Summertime Source Recording 3:23
- 10 Beaumont Rag alt version 3:16
- 11 The Cuckoo alt version 3:41
- 12 Long Journey Home alt version 3:04
- 13 Cluck Old Hen alt version 2:34
