Billy Strings Returns to The Signal with Full Band, Welcomes Mountain Grass Unit’s Luke Black

Photo: Stevo Rood

On Wednesday evening, Billy Strings returned to The Signal in Chattanooga, Tenn. The musician’s second night at the venue accounted for a full band return, coming off a series of trio shows centered around the chemistry between the namesake above and his bluegrass protege, Bryan Sutton, and bassist Royal Masat. During last night’s gig, Strings welcomed Mountain Grass Unit member, the flat picker, Luke Black, to sit in during the final sequence of songs. 

The concert started with Strings, Masat, Billy Failing, Jarrod Walker, and Alex Hargreaves reviving Larry Sparks’ “These Old Blues” for the first time since February. For their next move, the group opted for one of their own bank of originals, the Highway Prayer feature, “Seven Weeks in County.” Follow-up “Ernest T. Grass” sank into “The Fire On My Tongue” without pause, and set up the band’s entry into “Rock Salt & Nails” performed in the style of J.D. Crowe and The New South. Its arrival ended a 140-show gap, last played on November 7, 2023. 

The remainder of the first set featured nods to traditionals and showcased their own unique archive. Returning for the concert’s second half, a solo Strings took the stage and delivered “Catch and Release,” and Jamey Johnson released “Lonely at the Top.” The intimate performance swelled with the arrival of Walker, the pair shared the traditional, “Feast Here Tonight (Rabbit In A Log).” The other players returned, assisting in full band sweeps through “Fire Line,” “Taking Water,” “Bronzeback,” and “Be Your Man.” The latter kicked off with Tommy Walker’s “Charge” before shifting over to Strings’ own number. 

Another stack of material separated the arrival of the evening’s guest. Black emerged on Red Allen and The Kentuckians’ released “Hello, City Limit,” before paying tribute to bluegrass great Bill Monroe on “Big Mon,” which ran into a cover of “Sitting on Top of the World,” in the arrangement of Doc Watson. The song, which also holds an association with the Grateful Dead’s songbook, arrived for the first time since April 13, 2023, ending a 203-show gap. 

The band and their guest referenced the namesake track off Strings’ 2017 solo studio debut. 

For their final move, the fivesome nodded to The Stanley Brothers and The Clinch Mountain Boys’ “How Mountain Girls Can Love.” Next up, Strings will participate in Farm Aid 40. His previous collaborator, Bob Dylan, signed on to the event last night and will join the charitable concert giveback on Saturday, September 20. 

For more information, visit www.billystrings.com/tour. 

Billy Strings 

The Signal – Chattanooga, Tenn. 

Sept. 17, 2025 

Set I: These Old Blues1 Seven Weeks in County Ernest T. Grass The Fire On My Tongue Rock Salt & Nails2 Seney Stretch Slow Train John Deere Tractor Hide and Seek Must Be Seven My Sweet Blue Eyed Darling

Set II: Catch and Release3 Lonely At The Top3 Feast Here Tonight (Rabbit In A Log)4 Fire Line Taking Water Bronzeback Be Your Man5 In the Clear Sally Johnson Wait a Minute My Alice Highway Hypnosis Hello, City Limits6 Big Mon6,7 Sitting On Top Of The World6,8 Turmoil & Tinfoil6 How Mountain Girls Can Love6

Notes: 

1. Last Time Played 2025-02-08 | 58 show gap
2. Last Time Played 2023-11-07 | 140 show gap
3. Billy Strings solo
4. Duet w/ Billy Strings & Jarrod Waker
5. “Charge” (Tommy Walker) intro
6. w/ Luke Black (Mountain Grass Unit) on guitar
7. Last Time Played 2025-02-16 | 55 show gap
8. Last Time Played 2023-04-13 | 203 show gap

Setlist and notes via billybase.net.