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Billy Strings Makes Long-Awaited Tiny Desk Debut With Four-Song ‘Highway Prayers’ Showcase

The intimate office performance spotlights his Grammy-nominated Highway Prayers after a yearslong wait to play the series.

Overview

  • Strings and his band delivered a concise four-song set at NPR’s Tiny Desk, marking his first appearance on the series.
  • The performance opened with “Red Daisy” from 2021’s Renewal, then moved to “My Alice,” “Malfunction Junction,” and “Gild the Lily” from Highway Prayers.
  • He was joined by regular collaborators Royal Masat on bass, Billy Failing on banjo, Jarrod Walker on mandolin, and Alex Hargreaves on fiddle.
  • Between songs he recalled submitting a past audition and joked it took about 12 years to get here, describing the room as a special place.
  • Highway Prayers is currently nominated for Best Bluegrass Album at the Grammys, and Billboard reports Strings leads its 2025 year-end Bluegrass Artists chart.