Bluegrass virtuoso Billy Strings
Fresh Air

Bluegrass virtuoso Billy Strings

B2Upper-intermediateSeptember 25, 202646 min
  • Interview
  • Music

The Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and guitarist has one foot in traditional bluegrass and another in improvisational jam music. He has a new album, So Much for Goodbyes, inspired by his late mother. He spoke with producer Sam Briger about healing himself through songwriting, performing the day his mom died, and how being a father has changed him as a musician. "I sing now from a place of freedom and joy in my belly," Strings says. He brought his guitar to the interview. Originally broadcast Sept. 8, 2025. Ccritic at large John Powers reviews the new novel The Disappearers by Marlon...

Play episode

Opens the player: the full transcript, every word clickable, with translation and flashcards.

Try it: tap any word

Real sentences from the start of this episode. Every word is marked with its level.

Sentence 3 of 12 · 0:32

Today, singer-songwriter and guitarist Billy Strings. He's one of the younger generation

,

exploratory improvisational jams and the occasional heavy metal guitar riff. He's been celebrated by

Hear this sentence

Tap a word to see its meaning in your language.

Do you know these words?

8 harder words from this episode. Tap one to see what it means, then mark it.

  • B20:32
  • B20:45
  • B28:46
  • B221:04
  • B229:34
  • C133:40
  • C143:54
  • B245:08

Mark a few words and we'll tell you how this episode fits your level.

Is this episode right for you?

B2

B2 · Upper-intermediate

Comfortable if you already follow TV news

A1 38%A2 36%B1 15%B2 11%C1 1%
  • 88% of the words are B1 or easier.
  • 155 words a minute: a natural pace.
  • 155 harder words (B2 and up) in the whole episode.

Transcript

The opening of the episode. The whole transcript is in the player.

0:23

This is Fresh Air. I'm David B. and Cooley. Today, singer-songwriter and guitarist Billy Strings. He's one of the younger generation of musicians carrying the torch for traditional acoustic bluegrass, even as his music incorporates exploratory improvisational jams and the occasional heavy metal guitar riff. He's been celebrated by

0:45

both audiences and the music industry. His concerts fill huge arenas and he's won three Grammys. Highway Prayers, released in 2024, is the first bluegrass album in over 20 years to reach number one on Billboard's all-genre Top 100 album sales chart. That album showcases the songwriting of Billy Strings and his terrific band. He has a new album inspired by the death of his mother last year from an overdose. It's titled So Much for Goodbyes.

1:17

Here's the song Still I Crash, which he wrote about her. Where, where have you flown to? Come home so I can hold you. I'm learning to walk on my own again.

That was the opening. The rest of the episode (45 min) is in the player: every word clickable, with translation, saved words and flashcards.

Continue in the player

Automatically generated from the audio. May contain errors. Audio belongs to its publisher and is played from their feed. Rights holders can request removal — copyright & takedown policy