“Sette settimane in prigione,” reads the opening credits to Billy Strings‘ new music video for “Seven Weeks in County”. Italian for “seven weeks in prison,” the intro sets up a spaghetti Western motif for the third single off Strings’ highly anticipated fourth original studio album, Highway Prayers, out September 27th.
Directed by Bryan Schlam (Tyler Childers’ “In Your Love“), the music video casts Strings alongside veteran actor Todd Jenkins in a tale of redemption and revenge in the Old West. Similar to the subgenre of Italian-made Western films from the 1960s—particularly the works of Sergio Leone and synonymous with Clint Eastwood‘s “Man with No Name” trilogy—”Seven Weeks in County” tells its story through action rather than dialogue. After serving his titular sentence, Strings narrowly cheats the hangman with the help of an unexpected ally. Together, they fight off danger through a barrage of bullets before Strings returns to town to take back what was already his.
“Seven Weeks in County” follows previously released Highway Prayers singles “Stratosphere Blues / I Believe in You” and “Leadfoot” and continues Strings’ upward trajectory in the cinematic quality of his music videos. After donning prosthetics for the vengeful “Leadfoot” video and wandering through space in “Stratosphere Blues”, Strings has ventured into genre homages in his most involved music video yet. The video’s heightened quality is indicative of Strings’ ever-rising status, as he fills arenas around the country and readies his first studio release for Warner Bros. subsidiary Reprise Records.
Strings recorded the 20-song collection, his first original studio release in three years, with veteran producer Jon Brion (Fionna Apple, Mac Miller). Just as he did with his last album, 2021’s Renewal, Billy will celebrate the new album’s release with his sold-out two-day curated Renewal festival in Buena Vista, CO on September 27th and 28th.
Check out Billy Strings’ music video for “Seven Weeks in County” below and pre-order Highway Prayers here. After Renewal, Strings and his band will hit the road for a brief fall run of arenas and amphitheaters including a two-night Halloween engagement in Baltimore, culminating with a three-night New Year’s celebration in New Orleans. Find tickets and a full list of tour dates on his website.
Billy Strings — “Seven Weeks In County” [Official Video]