Billy Strings surprised fans on Tuesday with the release of a new EP featuring reworked versions of songs from his chart-topping Highway Prayers album with guest appearances by Sam Bush, Cory Henry, Jason Carter, and others. The Nashville Sessions are available now as an Apple Music streaming exclusive.
The new EP includes updated takes on “Be Your Man” with keyboardist Cory Henry, live favorite “Gild the Lily” with cellist Nat Smith and drummer Jamie Dick, “Leaning on a Travelin’ Song” with fiddler Jason Carter, and instrumental “Malfunction Junction” with mandolinist and newgrass pioneer Sam Bush. Those without an Apple Music subscription can still enjoy the in-studio performance video for “Gild the Lily”. The stripped-back performance peels away Jon Brion‘s lush production on the glittering standout, emphasizing the rich acoustic harmony at the root of the song’s structure.
All of the musicians on the Nashville Sessions have some prior connection with Strings. Henry, Carter, and Smith appear on Highway Prayers, and all of them have performed live with Strings. Smith and Dick also arrived as a package deal when Billy staged his dutiful tribute to MTV Unplugged at Ryman Auditorium last year, and Carter sat in with Strings when he returned to Nashville this year for a pair of shows at Bridgestone Arena.
Henry, meanwhile, boasts one of the most unique collaborations with Strings, joining the bluegrass guitarist alongside mandolinist Chris Thile at The 65th Street Sessions for a concert that pushed the acoustic musicians far beyond their bluegrass boundaries. Of course, little of this progressive bluegrass would have been possible without the foundation laid by Sam Bush and his groundbreaking work with New Grass Revival. Strings has shared the stage many times with the elder statesman of newgrass, as far back as 2018 and as recently as March of this year for David Grisman‘s all-star 80th birthday celebration.
Stream the new Billy Strings Nashville Sessions EP exclusively on Apple Music and check out the video for “Guild the Lily”. Billy is out on tour this month, making stops in North Dakota, Montana, British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon. Find tickets and tour dates here and on his website. The entire tour is also available to stream live and on demand via nugs. [Editor’s note: Live For Live Music is a nugs affiliate. Ordering your subscription via the links on this page helps to support our work covering the world of live music. Thank you for reading!]
Billy Strings, Nat Smith, Jamie Dick — “Gild The Lily” (Apple Music Nashville Sessions)
Billy Strings — Apple Music Nashville Sessions
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