Billy Strings and Béla Fleck shared the stage for a performance of “Balderdash” at AmericanaFest‘s Americana From All Sides: Strings, Songs And Conversation in 2019, and pro-shot video footage is now available to watch online.
Fan-shot footage of the duo’s joint performance at AmericanaFest on September 12th, 2019 has been available on YouTube since the performance, but this marks the first upload of pro-shot video.
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In the clip, Strings and Fleck appear onstage at The Ainsworth in Nashville, TN for an intimate performance. This Fleck original tune served as the closer for a set that saw the venerable banjo and guitar players trading original compositions, including Strings’ “While I’m Here Waiting”, Fleck’s “Slipstream”, a cover of Tony Rice‘s “Church Street Blues”, and more.
The fiery instrumental number features Fleck and Strings trading breakneck leads throughout, as both musicians display their virtuosic abilities on their respective instruments. Just when it appears that Strings has taken center stage with a flurry of traditional bluegrass picking, Fleck retorts with licks of his own that offer inspiration as to how much further Billy will be able to take his craft with age.
Watch Billy Strings and Béla Fleck perform “Balderdash” at 2019 AmericanaFest below.
Billy Strings, Béla Fleck — “Balderdash” — Nashville, TN — 9/12/19
[Video: Billy Strings]
Despite being laid off the road as a result of the global pandemic, Strings has stayed fairly busy these past few months. In addition to a steady rollout of archival videos, he has launched the On The Line podcast, collaborated with Circles Around The Sun on a Neal Casal tribute album, penned liner notes for the upcoming GarciaLive Vol. 14 release, and announced his own Streaming Strings webcast series. Visit Strings’s website to stay up-to-date on all of his current endeavors.