Billy Strings
Best known for
Guitar
Billy Strings is one of the defining bluegrass guitarists of his generation and the most commercially successful bluegrass artist of the 21st century — pairing flatpicking rooted in Doc Watson and Tony Rice with a jam-band instinct that has carried traditional instrumentation onto arena stages.
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- Born William Lee Apostol on October 3, 1992 in Lansing, Michigan; the nickname "Billy Strings" came from an aunt. He was raised on bluegrass by his stepfather Terry Barber, who taught him to flatpick on Doc Watson and Bill Monroe records.
- Toured Michigan as a duo with mandolinist Don Julin in the mid-2010s before launching his solo career; named IBMA Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year in 2016.
- Released his debut Turmoil & Tinfoil in 2017 and signed to Rounder Records in 2019, following with Home (2019), Renewal (2021), Me/And/Dad (2022, with Terry Barber), and Highway Prayers (2024).
- Won the Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album three times — for Home, Live, Vol. 1, and Highway Prayers.
- Won IBMA Guitar Player of the Year in 2019 and 2021, and IBMA Entertainer of the Year in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2025.
- Tours with Billy Failing (banjo), Royal Masat (bass), Jarrod Walker (mandolin), and Alex Hargreaves (fiddle), and is a frequent collaborator with Phish, Del McCoury, Sam Bush, David Grisman, and Willie Nelson.
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Billy Strings and Don JulinPlayed on recordings with Billy Strings and Don Julin
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Billy StringsPlayed on recordings with Billy Strings
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Billy Strings and Bryan SuttonPlayed on recordings with Billy Strings and Bryan Sutton
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Tony TrischkaPlayed on recordings with Tony Trischka
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Billy Strings and Del McCouryPlayed on recording with Billy Strings and Del McCoury
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Bobby Osborne and C.J. LewandowskiPlayed on recording with Bobby Osborne and C.J. Lewandowski
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Dan TyminskiPlayed on recording with Dan Tyminski
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Leftover SalmonPlayed on recording with Leftover Salmon
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Mark LavengoodPlayed on recording with Mark Lavengood
