Two flatpicking masters join forces
Written by Dan Miller
Photo by Joshua Black Wilkins
When Bryan Sutton joined Ricky Skaggs’ band in 1995, at the age of 22, he impressed everyone who loved bluegrass and flatpicking. Now, 30 years later, Sutton has been that force, and then some. Every aspiring flatpicker that has come along over the past three decades has spent time studying Sutton’s playing.
Close to 15 years after Sutton burst on the bluegrass scene, a young picker named William Apostol started to step out and make a name for himself. That young man, who had been given the nickname “Billy Strings” by his mother’s best friend, started to gain attention while he was touring with mandolinist Don Julin.
Now Sutton and Strings have recorded a live album together — Billy Strings & Bryan Sutton Live at the Legion — and are going out on the road for a short tour in September 2025.
Sutton meets Strings
Sutton’s history with Strings dates back to watching a YouTube video.
“There was a YouTube video of Billy at, I think, a Folk Alliance conference putting on a showcase in a hotel room,” Sutton said. “He was doing ‘Freeborn Man.’ He was doing his thing and bringing a bunch of attitude and fire, but also tons of great playing. He demonstrated heavy facility on the guitar.”
Strings was shocked when he first heard Sutton’s skills on display.
“When Bryan was with Ricky Skaggs they put that record out called Bluegrass Rules,” Strings said. “Bryan played a guitar solo on the track, ‘Get Up, John,’ and it was just like, ‘Who is that!?’”
Eventually, Sutton and Strings got to pick together.
“We finally got to sit down one year at Merlefest, just the two of us,” Sutton said. “When you play with somebody else, you sort of get this sense like you are having a conversation with them. It either takes off and feels very comfortable or it feels like you are struggling to think of things to talk about. With Billy it was never any struggle. It didn’t feel like either of us was trying to elbow for space in the musical conversation. It just flowed really naturally.”
Strings can still recall that first picking session.
“I look up to Bryan,” he said. “He is about the best flatpicker in the world. I was just an aspiring guitar picker back then and really eager. We started picking a few tunes and we have been friends ever since.”
Sutton as Mentor
Sutton has taken a deep dive into all aspects of music, including the “mental side” of playing.
“Billy and I would chat, and we got into a lot of deeper conversations about the mental side of playing and tension awareness,” Sutton said. “We have always had a good connection on that front as far as sharing our experience as performers and being on stage and trying to be the best players that we could. He was always working on trying to be a better player, so there were a lot of conversations around that.”
Strings added, “There is a lot of stuff that goes into playing, and one of the things that I really envy about Bryan and Béla Fleck and Chris Thile is like they have this Zen thing. To me, Bryan is like a Zen master and I am in training. I still have all this tension. Somebody like Bryan is loose and fluid when he is playing. He lets the motif carry him. It is hard to explain, but it is like a Zen thing.”
Sutton is a flatpicking guitar player who is somewhat of a bridge between the legends and the younger players. He knew, performed with, and recorded with the true flatpicking heroes. However, not one of those legends was able to fill an arena night after night. I asked Bryan to comment on Strings’ success.
“I completely appreciate it and support it,” he said. “I think it is awesome. I applaud his willingness, upon reaching that kind of status and that level of selling out an arena three nights in a row, and not feel like, ‘I need to now change.’ What makes him what he is, is that he is maintaining uniqueness, and there is a draw to that. When I go to his shows I see kids, older folks and everything in between. He is not just playing to dudes in their thirties. It is broader than that.”
Live at the Legion
Sutton recalled how the idea of recording a live show came together.
“We got together the day before and worked through a pile of tunes,” he said. “Billy has such an encyclopedic knowledge of tunes by Mac Wiseman, Larry Sparks, Jim Eanes, the Delmore Brothers… and the ability to just pull them out. So, we sat around and played and, for instance, he had just worked up this Blaze Foley song and we said, ‘That feels good, let’s put it on the list.’ We went through songs and made a list. It was easy.”
Strings said that when he performs with Sutton, he feels comfortable and relaxed.
“So, I’m able to play some of those things that happen in my head. Or, just by following Bryan, maybe some kind of magic thing will happen,” Strings said. “There were a couple of moments on the record, like on ‘Ground Hog,’ where we just went off and started jamming, and we really got into some beautiful stuff. Neither of us knew what we were doing, we were just listening to each other.”
Sutton spoke about looking forward to the tour.
“What I like about continuing to play with Billy is that we love to play these old tunes, but we are also going to be very improvisational and conversational in the moment,” he said. “If that means that we kind of take quick little left turns and get silly or crazy, we are both very willing to go there. I think that shows up on the record, too.”
Strings agreed.
“Bryan is one of those players that makes you feel better about yourself,” he said. “He is so good that when you start playing, what he is playing underneath you picks you up and lifts you. It is almost like somebody gives you a push. He lifts other players up so high. It is so much fun to play with him because of that. It is very conversational and there are a lot of musical jokes that happen back and forth. It can turn on a dime. We really just listen to each other and have a conversation. Anything can happen. It is a lot of fun.” OL
