This past weekend’s Hoxeyville Music Festival saw headliners The Allman Betts Band welcome Billy Strings to the stage for a take on “Midnight Rider”. The rendition of The Allman Brothers Band classic saw Strings making use of Devon Allman‘s 1957 Les Paul Junior.
Emerging near the middle of the Saturday set from the descendants of Southern rock royalty, Strings further bolstered the band’s guitar core of Allman, Duane Betts, and Johnny Stachela. Following his Friday night headlining slot, the Saturday sit-in afforded Strings the opportunity to show off his increasingly utilized electric guitar prowess on the ABB classic.
Rather than taking the kin of Dickey Betts head-on in a farcical guitar duel, the two axemen instead joined together in a chorus of blues-inspired licks. Together the two formed a communal symphony that also allowed each guitarist to take a step out in front for some eye-catching solos, with Betts visibly impressed by the bluegrass picker’s rock chops at points.
Watch Billy Strings sit in with The Allman Betts Band on “Midnight Rider” at Hoxeyville on Saturday.
The Allman Betts Band w/ Billy Strings – “Midnight Rider” (The Allman Brothers Band) – Wellston, MI – 8/14/21
[Video: Ohio Grown]