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Billy Strings Puts On A Bluegrass Clinic For NPR Tiny Desk Debut
The NPR Tiny Desk Concert we actually needed.
This week, bluegrass wizard himself, Billy Strings, finally got his chance to do his own episode of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series
Part of making it big in the music industry is getting invited to participate in the series, and while it can be a little gimmicky, many artists and bands see it as an honor to play the Tiny Desk venue. People like Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Post Malone and many others have taken their talents to the Tiny Desk to play intimate sets that are later posted by NPR.
I think they can really be interesting because you get to hear artists who are typically selling out very large venues in a very small, intimate setting, and they give their songs a totally different sound that is much more raw and simple, which I typically prefer.
Especially when t comes to country and bluegrass artists, this kind of setting just lends itself so well, and you know that Strings and his band absolutely crushed it…
Billy says it was a very special moment in his career to be able to do his own Tiny Desk show:
“We’ve been lucky to play a lot of cool venues. But this one’s different. It has that same soul to it because — I’ve seen so many amazing performances that happened right here and I kind of believe that love and spirit kind of soaks into this environment, so just standing here feels like a special thing.”
Strings and his band played through four songs in “Red Daisy,” “My Alice,” “Malfunction Junction” and “Gild the Lily,” which was epic and you get a very close-up look at his incredible guitar work, as well as the musicianship of everyone in his band.
They’re just incredible, and if this doesn’t make you want to see him live in person, I don’t know what will… he is one of the most talented people in the music industry, and this is one of the best Tiny Desk shows they’ve ever done.
I’m just in awe every time I watch him perform:
I still haven’t made it to see him live, I’m sure you’ll want to after seeing that video, and you’re in luck, because he has an extensive list of 2026 tour dates already announced, which you can check out below.
BILLY STRINGS CONFIRMED TOUR DATES:
December 5—Louisville, KY—KFC Yum! Center (SOLD OUT)
December 6—Louisville, KY—KFC Yum! Center (SOLD OUT)
December 10—Tulsa, OK—BOK Center
December 12—Fort Worth, TX—Dickies Arena
December 13—Austin, TX—Moody Center
December 14—Austin, TX—ACL Live at the Moody Theater (SOLD OUT)
February 6—Athens, GA—Akins Ford Arena (SOLD OUT)
February 7—Athens, GA—Akins Ford Arena (SOLD OUT)
February 10—Asheville, NC—ExploreAsheville.com Arena (SOLD OUT)
February 11—Asheville, NC—ExploreAsheville.com Arena (SOLD OUT)
February 13—Asheville, NC—ExploreAsheville.com Arena (SOLD OUT)
February 14—Asheville, NC—ExploreAsheville.com Arena (SOLD OUT)
February 20—Nashville, TN—Bridgestone Arena
February 21—Nashville, TN—Bridgestone Arena
February 22—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium (SOLD OUT)
April 2—St. Augustine, FL—St. Augustine Amphitheatre
April 3—St. Augustine, FL—St. Augustine Amphitheatre
April 4—St. Augustine, FL—St. Augustine Amphitheatre
April 8—Tampa, FL—Benchmark International Arena
April 10—Savannah, GA—Enmarket Arena
April 11—Savannah, GA—Enmarket Arena
April 14—Greensboro, NC—First Horizon Coliseum
April 17—Charlottesville, VA—John Paul Jones Arena
April 18—Charlottesville, VA—John Paul Jones Arena
April 22—Charleston, WV—Charleston Coliseum
April 24— Fishers, IN—Fishers Event Center
April 25—Fishers, IN—Fishers Event CenterThe post Billy Strings Puts On A Bluegrass Clinic For NPR Tiny Desk Debut first appeared on Whiskey Riff.