Billy Strings received quite the welcome when he got to Colorado this week, jamming at a hotel with Béla Fleck in the presence of John Bell. The impromptu meet-up came ahead of Billy’s three-night run at Broomfield’s 1stBank Center kicking off tonight, February 2nd.
A video posted to Strings’ Instagram shows Billy, Jarrod Walker, Billy Failing, Royal Masat, and Alex Hargreaves all pickin’ around with venerable banjo master Béla Fleck. Meanwhile, Widespread Panic frontman John Bell takes it all in from the best seat in the house. Strings also went live on Instagram on Wednesday, with online archivist @phishonphilm capturing a group run through Roger Bowling and Jody Emerson‘s “Dig A Little Deeper In The Well”.
This jam session only adds to the wealth of rumors regarding possible special guests for Strings’ arena run just outside Denver. At the nearby Mission Ballroom in the Mile High City, Phil Lesh will bring members of Goose, Trey Anastasio Band, and more to town on Saturday and Sunday.
Strings previously collaborated with Fleck onstage and off, with the guitarist contributing to the world-renowned banjo player’s guest-filled 2021 album, My Bluegrass Heart. When it came time to give the album a proper live celebration at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Strings was on the stacked call sheet alongside Sam Bush, Sierra Hull, Michael Cleveland, Jerry Douglas, Molly Tuttle, and more.
Billy’s affinity for Widespread Panic is well-established, with the guitarist regularly including “All Time Low” in his setlists and recently adding “Fishing” to his live repertoire. In October 2021, Strings finally got to join the band for an extended sit-in at Widespread Panic’s first of two nights headlining Mempho Music Festival in Memphis, TN.
Watch Billy Strings and his band jam with Béla Fleck as John Bell soaks it all in.
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