Billy Strings was born William Lee Apostol on October 3, 1992, in Lansing, Michigan.
His father died of a heroin overdose when he was two and his mother remarried Terry Barber, an accomplished amateur bluegrass musician. Billy regards Barber as his father. The family moved to Morehead, Kentucky, then to Muir, Michigan.
While he was still a pre-teen his parents became addicted to methamphetamine. He left the family home at the age of thirteen and went through a period of hard-drug usage. His family eventually achieved sobriety; Billy stopped using hard drugs and drinking alcohol.
In 2012, Don Julin, a mandolin player from Traverse City, Michigan, and author of Mandolin For Dummies, asked Strings to join him on a paying gig.
The partnership lasted for the next four years.
Rolling Stone magazine named Strings one of the Top Ten New Country Artists to Know in 2017. And the rest, as they say, is history.
What: Billy Strings
When: Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Where: Van Andel Arena (Grand Rapids, MI)
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Buy tix
https://www.vanandelarena.com/events/2023/billy-strings
FB event
https://www.facebook.com/events/1058017878918698
