Long Journey Home (Live @City Opera House 2020) · Billy Strings & His Dad Terry Barber
Fans loved not only their music but also how real they seemed together on stage. People were quick to praise them: “Can we just take a moment to appreciate anyone who gets to bond over what you love doing with ur dad (or your mom)?” and “This is officially the coolest father son music video ever.”
So, Who is Billy Strings? Well, his actual name is William Lee Apostol and is a bluegrass musician from Lansing, Michigan, who has started to get a lot of recognition in the US. He’s known for his fantastic guitar playing and his unique bluegrass style. His aunt gave him the title “Billy Strings” after seeing his awesome guitar skills. His first album, Turmoil & Tinfoil (2017), reached number three on the US Bluegrass chart. He didn’t stop there — he put out three additional albums, and his latest, Renewal (2021), even hit number eighty-two on the Billboard 200. That’s pretty impressive!
Billy Strings & his father, Terry Barber doing an Impromtu Jam
Now, lets discuss Terry Barber, Billy’s father. Terry’s not Billy’s biological father, but he was that man in spirit. Terry loves bluegrass music and has played amateur music since the 1990s. He guided Billy toward his love for music and became the most critical person in Billy’s life when it came to music. You can hear their respect and admiration for each other’s music when they play together.
Their collaboration did not stop with “Long Journey Home.” Billy performed an impromptu jam session with Terry in 2013, a video that also found its way to YouTube. It’s not just the show of how talented they are on their own but how they meld into each other as a collective to make beautiful sounds.
Billy Strings – California Sober (Feat. Willie Nelson)
The most surprising part is that Billy Strings’ sit-in with Terry Barber isn’t simply about them playing music together. It’s an original tribute to a family and music as a glue. The combination of their acoustic guitars and voices is smooth and firm. That’s what live music is meant to do — bring people together to share what they care about and how they feel.
This is the beauty of musical collaboration and connections. Well done. Here at Viral Music, we love to show people excellent performances like this! The Billy Strings and Terry Barber duet is a quintessential example of a masterful commune between two different generations that ignites a torch that looks to burn bright in future generations.
So, what are you waiting for? For more from this incredible duo, visit YouTube to subscribe to Billy Strings’ page. For updates as well, follow him on Facebook and Instagram to hear more of Terry Barber’s moving collaborations, check out his official site. And let me tell you, you don’t want to miss out on this!