Highway Prayers, the highly anticipated new studio album from Billy Strings, will be released September 27 on Reprise Records (pre-order here starting August 2). Produced by Strings and Jon Brion (Fiona Apple, Mac Miller, Aimee Mann), the album includes 20 original songs including the first single, “Leadfoot,” which is out today. Written by Strings, the song features Strings on vocals, banjo, bass, steel guitar, EBow electric guitar and 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle along with Matt Chamberlain on drums. Watch the song’s official video, conceived of by Strings and directed by Ryen McPherson, below..
Recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville, the album features Strings and his longtime band—Billy Failing (banjo, vocals), Royal Masat (bass, vocals), Jarrod Walker (mandolin, vocals) and Alex Hargraves (fiddle)—as well as additional contributions from Brion (bass, drums, percussion), Chamberlain (drums), Jerry Douglas (dobro), Jason Carter (fiddle), Lindsay Lou (backing vocals), Nathaniel Smith (cello), Taneka Samone (backing vocals), Cory Henry (piano), Peter “Madcat” Ruth (harmonica, jaw harp) and Victor Furtado (clawhammer banjo).
Strings and his band will tour throughout this year including three nights at New Orleans’ UNO Lakefront Arena on December 29, 30 and 31. Tickets for the New Year’s Eve run will be available for pre-sale starting Wednesday, August 14 with general on-sale following Friday, August 16. Additional upcoming tour stops include Clarkston, MI’s Pine Knob Music Theatre, Indianapolis’ Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Huntsville’s Orion Amphitheater, Baltimore’s CFG Bank Arena, Memphis’ FedEx Forum and Austin’s Moody Center. Additionally, Strings will return with his annual Renewal weekend in Buena Vista, CO on September 27 and 28, which has once again sold out. Ticket details can be found at www.billystrings.com/tour.
HIGHWAY PRAYERS TRACK LIST
1. Leaning on a Travelin’ Song
2. In the Clear
3. Escanaba
4. Gild the Lily
5. Seven Weeks In County
6. Stratosphere Blues / I Believe in You
7. Cabin Song
8. Don’t Be Calling Me (at 4AM)
9. Malfunction Junction
10. Catch and Release
11. Be Your Man
12. Gone a Long Time
13. It Ain’t Before
14. My Alice
15. Seney Stretch
16. MORBUD4ME
17. Leadfoot
18. Happy Hollow
19. The Beginning of the End
20. Richard Petty
BILLY STRINGS CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
BOLD on-sale Friday, August 16
August 2—State College, PA—Bryce Jordan Center
August 3—State College, PA—Bryce Jordan Center
August 10—Quincy, WA—Outlaw Music Festival
August 17—Berkeley, CA—Greek Theatre at U.C. Berkeley (SOLD OUT)
August 18—Berkeley, CA—Greek Theatre at U.C. Berkeley
August 23—Inglewood, CA—Kia Forum
August 24—Inglewood, CA—Kia Forum
September 27—Buena Vista, CO—Renewal (SOLD OUT)
September 28—Buena Vista, CO—Renewal (SOLD OUT)
October 4—Clarkston, MI—Pine Knob Music Theatre
October 5—Clarkston, MI—Pine Knob Music Theatre
October 11—Indianapolis, IN—Gainbridge Fieldhouse
October 12—Indianapolis, IN—Gainbridge Fieldhouse
October 18—Huntsville, AL—Orion Amphitheater
October 19—Huntsville, AL—Orion Amphitheater
October 31—Baltimore, MD—CFG Bank Arena
November 1—Baltimore, MD—CFG Bank Arena
December 6—Memphis, TN—FedEx Forum
December 7—Memphis, TN—FedEx Forum
December 10—Tulsa, OK—BOK Center
December 12—Fort Worth, TX—Dickies Arena
December 13—Austin, TX—ACL Live at the Moody Theater
December 14—Austin, TX—Moody Center
December 29—New Orleans, LA—UNO Lakefront Arena
December 30—New Orleans, LA—UNO Lakefront Arena
December 31—New Orleans, LA—UNO Lakefront Arena
