Billy Strings Announces Winter Tour, Revives Setlist with Bryan Sutton During Night One in Chattanooga

Photo credit: Christopher Morley

After closing out his time at the Ryman with special guests Bela Fleck [Sept. 14] and Sam Bush [Sept. 15], Billy Strings shared a new series of Winter Tour dates, slated to begin over two nights on the Akin Ford Arena stage in Athens, Ga. The tight series of live appearances will continue on Feb. 10-14, at the ExploreAsheville.com Arena in Asheville, N.C., before a two-venue sweep of Nashville, Tenn. 

Strings followed up from yesterday’s tour news by taking the stage at The Signal in Chattanooga, Tenn., for the first of two nights at this particular location with Bryan Sutton and Royal Masat. The acoustic trio revived their setlist with first-time covers and a heavy offering of bust-outs, which favored traditional numbers that served the bluegrass tradition. 

From the jump, Sutton took the lead on “Way Downtown,” before passing duties to Strings, who retrieved “Shady Grove.” The pattern continued with Sutton’s steer of the A.P. Carter-penned “Solid Gold,” followed by Strings’ retrieval of “Bill Cheatham,” which lingered into “Big Sandy River.” The Doc and Merle Watson-associated “Look Down That Lonesome Road” came before the debut of Merle Travis with Cowboy Band’s “Three Times Seven.” 

For their next move, the threesome selected a classic from Live at the Legion, Strings and Sutton’s LP, which was released back in April, settling into the murder ballad, “Tom Dooley.” The concert’s initial frame turned up the first cover of John D. Loudermilk’s “Windy & Warm” since March 1, 2020, ending a lengthy 461-show performance gap. 

The latter half of the concert found a solo Strings return to the stage and break into the Watson-associated “Otto Wood The Bandit.” He continued his independent stage time with the second-ever performance of “Intoxicated Rat.” The song, also arranged by Watson, represented a return for Strings, who hadn’t revived the number since April 12, 2012. Its placement effectively ended a 1,444-show gap. 

As has been the case for this run, Strings and Sutton broke into a series of songs delivered as duets, and taking shape as “Give The Fiddler a Dram,” “Whistling Rufus,” and “Ragtime Annie.” Like set one, the group saved space for a debut during the latter half of the night, performing the traditional “I Saw A Man At The Close Of Day.” 

More traditionals and cover songs entertained the crowd through the encore, which took shape as Watson-released “Sleep, Baby, Sleep,” “Hold That Woodpile Down,” the first “Down Yonder” in 67 shows, and “New River Train,” to wrap the night. Following night one at The Signal, the trio will return tonight for another sold-out concert in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Billy Strings Winter Tour: 

Feb. 6-7 – Akins Ford Arena – Athens, Ga. 

Feb. 10, 11, 13, 14 – ExploreAsheville.com Arena – Asheville, N.C.

Feb. 20-2 – Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, Tenn. 

Feb 22 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, Tenn. 

Billy Strings, Bryan Sutton with Royal Masat 

The Signal – Chattanooga, Tenn.

Sept. 16, 2025

Set I: Way Downtown1 Shady Grove Solid Gone1 Bill Cheatham Big Sandy River Look Up, Look Down That Lonesome Road Three Times Seven1, 2 Tom Dooley3 If I Needed You1 Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette Windy & Warm4 Darling Corey1 We Shall All Be Reunited

Set II: Otto Wood The Bandit5 Intoxicated Rat5, 6 Little Sadie7 Give The Fiddler A Dram8 Whistling Rufus8 Ragtime Annie8 South Coast Little Darling Pal Of Mine1 Red Rocking Chair (Doc and Merle version) I Saw A Man At The Close Of Day9 Talking to Casey Poor Boy Blues Beaumont Rag Froggie Went A-Courtin’ The Old Home1 The House Carpenter The Train That Carried My Girl From Town1 Black Mountain Rag

Notes: 

1. Bryan Sutton on lead vocals
2. FTP – Merle Travis with Cowboy Band
3. Last Time Played 2024-12-13 | 67 show gap
4. Last Time Played 2020-03-01 | 461 show gap
5. Billy Strings solo
6. Last Time Played 2012-04-12 | 1444 show gap
7. Bryan Sutton solo
8. Duet w/ Billy Strings & Bryan Sutton on guitar
9. FTP – Traditional
10. Last Time Played 2024-12-13 | 67 show gap

Setlist and notes via billybase.net.