Billy Strings Wins Breakthrough Artist of the Pandemic at 2021 Pollstar Awards
Known for his electric live shows, Strings will continue his extensive headline tour into the fall
By: Sarah Jae Leiber Jun. 17, 2021
Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and musician Billy Strings won Breakthrough Artist of the Pandemic at last night's 2021 Pollstar Awards.
The award celebrates a landmark year for Strings, who continued to perform consistently throughout the pandemic both in-person with socially distanced shows as well as virtually, including his six-night "Déjà Vu Experiment"-a one-of-a-kind livestream event broadcast from Port Chester, NY's The Capitol Theatre. Reflecting on his recent performances, Pollstar declares, "The hottest hand in jamgrass mastered pandemic touring...in a fraught year, Strings and those around him parlayed that fervor into the rare pandemic success story, blazing trails in livestreaming, drive-in touring and socially distanced podded shows while remaining true to their core values of authenticity and fan engagement." Additionally, Relix featured Strings on the cover of their April/May issue praising, "Strings' exuberance speaks to the boundless, resourceful spirit of his music...beyond his technical mastery, it's his authenticity that continues to animate his music and, in turn, the fans who are drawn to that music." Furthering his recent success, Strings also debuted his new song, "Wargasm" featuring special guest RMR, earlier this month. Listen/share HERE.
Known for his electric live shows, Strings will continue his extensive headline tour into the fall including upcoming stops at Pittsburgh's Stage AE, Denver's Mission Ballroom (three nights, all sold-out), Las Vegas' Event Lawn at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas (two nights), Los Angeles' The Belasco (sold out), Oakland's Fox Theater (two nights), Portland's McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater, Seattle's King County's Marymoor Park, Missoula's KettleHouse Amphitheater and Wichita's Wave among many others. See below for complete tour itinerary.
Adding to an already triumphant career, Strings won Best Bluegrass Album at the 63rd GRAMMY Awards for hisacclaimed 2019 record, Home. Released on Rounder Records, Home was produced by Glenn Brown and furthers Strings' reputation as "one of string music's most dynamic young stars" (Rolling Stone). Of the album, The Associated Press proclaims, "it is his creative musical storytelling, paired with solid vocals on Home that should seal the deal, pleasing fans of the genre and creating some new ones...the perfect blend of pure talent and pluck," while The Wall Street Journalpraises, "Billy Strings has clearly emerged as a premier guitar flatpicker of this era." Moreover, Strings and the album topped Billboard's 2020 year-end chart in both Bluegrass categories: Top Bluegrass Artists and Top Bluegrass Albums.
Michigan-born and now Nashville-based, Strings arrived on the music scene as one of the most compelling new artists with the release of his 2017 debut LP, Turmoil & Tinfoil. Since his debut, Strings has been awarded Guitar Player of the Year and New Artist of the Year at the 2019 International Bluegrass Music Awards, selected as one of Rolling Stone's 2017 "New Country Artists to Know" and performed on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and PBS' "Bluegrass Underground." Often playing over 200 shows per year, Strings keeps the improvisational tradition of bluegrass alive while incorporating elements of several diverse genres. WXPN's World Café declares, "a bona fide phenom...with his virtuosic guitar playing front and center, Strings fuses bluegrass to psych rock, country and jam music, without fussing over what bluegrass should be."
BILLY STRINGS CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
June 18-Oshkosh, WI-Leach Amphitheater
June 19-Oshkosh, WI-Leach Amphitheater
June 25-Thornville, OH-Legend Valley (SOLD OUT)
June 26-Thornville, OH-Legend Valley (SOLD OUT)
July 12-Morrison, CO-Red Rocks Amphitheatre*
July 13-Morrison, CO-Red Rocks Amphitheatre* (SOLD OUT)
July 16-Whitefish, MT-Under the Big Sky Festival (SOLD OUT)
July 22-Floyd, VA-FloydFest (SOLD OUT)
July 25-Newport, RI-Newport Folk Festival (SOLD OUT)
July 26-Newport, RI-Newport Folk Festival (SOLD OUT)
July 29-Lafayette, NY-Apple Valley Park
July 30-Lafayette, NY-Apple Valley Park (SOLD OUT)
July 31-Gilford, NH-Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
August 1-Gilford, NH-Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
August 3-Essex Junction, VT-Ben & Jerry's Concerts on the Midway Lawn
August 5-Asbury Park, NJ-Stone Pony Summer Stage
August 6-New Haven, CT-Westville Music Bowl
August 7-New Haven, CT-Westville Music Bowl
August 11-Pittsburgh, PA-Stage AE
August 13-14-Wellston, MI-Hoxeyville 2021
August 20-Chillicothe, IL-Summer Camp Music Festival
August 21-Indianapolis, IN-MacAllister Amphitheater at Garfield Park
August 28-Lexington, KY-Railbird Music Festival
September 3-Las Vegas, NV-Event Lawn at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
September 4-Las Vegas, NV-Event Lawn at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
September 8-Los Angeles, CA-The Belasco (SOLD OUT)
September 9-Oakland, CA-Fox Theater
September 10-Oakland, CA-Fox Theater
September 11-Stateline, NV-Montbleu Resort & Casino
September 12-Stateline, NV-Montbleu Resort & Casino
September 16-Spokane, WA-Spokane Pavilion at Riverfront
September 17-Portland, OR-McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater
September 18-Seattle, WA-King County's Marymoor Park
September 19-Missoula, MT-KettleHouse Amphitheater
September 28-Wichita, KS-Wave
September 29-Oklahoma City, OK-The Jones Assembly
October 1-Memphis, TN-Mempho Music Fest
October 2-Bentonville, AR-Freshgrass Festival
October 14-Denver, CO-The Mission Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
October 15-Denver, CO-The Mission Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
October 16-Denver, CO-The Mission Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
October 29-Asheville, NC-ExploreAsheville.com Arena (SOLD OUT)
October 30-Asheville, NC-ExploreAsheville.com Arena (SOLD OUT)
October 31-Asheville, NC-ExploreAsheville.com Arena (SOLD OUT)
*with Bill Kreutzmann's Billy & The Kids
Photo Credit: Jesse Faatz
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