Billy Strings shared a new music video for his Grammy-nominated single, “Love And Regret”, on Thursday. CMT first premiered the clip on Wednesday, with Strings calling the video, “a portrait in words.”
“[It’s] about a man who has messed things up with his lover,” Strings told CMT. “So while he’s not thinking straight, he runs off to be alone in the woods and dwells on the past. It’s kind of a literal song, so I think the video just follows that vibe.”
Like some of Billy’s previous videos including “In The Morning Light“, “Love And Regret” takes on a hyperrealism due to its simplicity. The old familiar story of a man loving a woman, messing things up, and venturing off (to a bar) to ruminate over things is nothing new. What Strings gives to the predictable story format is his own experience, both figuratively and literally. The river that opens the video and plays a pivotal role is a scene from Billy’s past, a place he went to contemplate during his turbulent upbringing.
“When I was younger, and things were bad, I used to go sit by the river and just listen to the sound of it… wishing I was one of them floating leaves being taken far away,” he said.
Strings also makes a cameo in the clip, playing something of a villain as he’s seen fraternizing with the female protagonist. Billy’s beloved 1966 Chevrolet “Bluebell” also plays a minor part, helping to add some artistic ambiguity as to the nature of the story’s anti-hero.
“I felt like we did a pretty good job at creating a visual representation of the song,” Strings said. “Shout out to the director and actors and such. Everyone coming together to help bring this to life really meant a lot to me. I appreciate everything everyone does to help spread the word about our music.”
Watch the new music video for Billy Strings’ “Love And Regret” via the player below. The song is nominated for Best Roots Performance at the 64th annual Grammy Awards, alongside Billy’s new album Renewal which earned a Best Bluegrass Album nod. The awards are set to air on April 3rd at 8 p.m. ET on CBS from the MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV on CBS.
Billy Strings – “Love And Regret” (Official Music Video)