In seemingly no time, bluegrass singer-songwriter Billy Strings has become one of music’s most formidable guitarists.
“Strings’ solos go anywhere he feels in the moment, but always seem to land in the right place,” raved No Depression earlier this year.
“Billy Strings knows how to control a crowd, and not just by whipping his fans into a frenzy with his fantastically frenetic bluegrass guitar work,” concurred liveforlivemusic.com a month later.
That kinetic, generational and Grammy-winning talent will descend upon Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena on Dec. 12, as the Nashville-based Strings tours behind his latest record, Highway Prayers.
As a tune-up for his sure-to-be-dazzling performance, here, in no particular order, are five more contemporary guitarists — the new school of guitar gods, if you will — who all but demand that you crank it up and play it loud.
Molly Tuttle
California singer-songwriter Tuttle counts Strings among her pals, and even with a cursory listen, it’s clear they share similar sensibilities. Bringing bluegrass into the 21st century by deftly ignoring its traditional boundaries, there are flickers of icons like Alison Krauss and Hazel Dickens in her sound alongside a propulsive fretboard inventiveness all her own.
Jack White
It might seem odd to single out White, who’s been a working musician for the better part of the past 25 years, as part of any new class of guitarists, but even with all he’s accomplished, it still feels like his awe-inspiring skills are somehow taken for granted. There are just very few modern guitar players who can match his blend of attack, melody and creativity.
St. Vincent
Much like White, the Dallas-raised musician Annie Clark, who performs as St. Vincent, has been at the forefront of guitar innovation from the earliest days of her solo career. She’s paired that focus on fretboard fireworks with a relentlessly curated aesthetic — every note is intentional, although Clark, when the mood strikes, can play the kind of incendiary solo you can’t shake.
Derek Trucks
Southern-born or -bred rockers have long been fond of six string soliloquies, and the Jacksonville, Fla. native Derek Trucks is no exception. Whether under his own name, or as a member of the Allman Brothers Band, or later, the Tedeschi Trucks Band he formed with his wife, singer-guitarist Susan Tedeschi, the long-haired Trucks has excelled at wringing soulful, bluesy licks from his guitars.
H.E.R.
At seemingly any event of consequence in the last five years, whether it’s the Grammy Awards or the Super Bowl, singer-songwriter Gabriella Wilson (better known as H.E.R.) has been on hand to dole out eye-popping guitar pyrotechnics, often matched by her exquisite, smoky vocals. Oh, and she’s a pretty solid drummer too. At only 27 years old, it’s incredible to think she’s only scratched the surface.
Billy Strings at Dickies Arena, Fort Worth. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12. Tickets are $59.50-$69.50.
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at [email protected] or find him on X (@prestonjones). Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.
