When he’s not on stage, Billy Strings is at home on a fishing boat. During his downtime, the Bluegrass music singer will trade a guitar for a rod and reel.
Recently, Strings, whose real name is William Apostol, hauled an impressive catch. While fishing on a waterway in Tennessee, the singer almost called it quits after not getting any bites. But his perseverance paid off when caught a large bass.
Strings recorded his massive haul and shared his accomplishment with fishing aficionados everywhere. On Instagram, he wrote, “Out here for hours .. thought about calling it quits. Glad we didn’t.”
For those worried about the fish, Strings is very much a catch-and-release fisherman. After posing momentarily with the bass for a photo, he let the little guy go along its way free of harm. The artist has spent part of the pandemic coasting the waterways in Tennessee.
Billy Strings Is One of Bluegrass Music’s Rising Stars
Many may not be familiar with Strings just yet. But they may have heard his music. The 28-year-old musician has been playing bluegrass since before he could drive. He first learned the art of strings and guitar from his father. Since then, he’s carving a name for himself in the industry.
Recently, Strings’ 2019 album “Home” was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album. Should he win, it will be a crowning achievement for a decade of work and perseverance. Because as he mentioned in his Instagram post, Strings doesn’t call it quits.
In 2012, he partnered with Don Julin, a mandolin player. Together they produced an album and EP together before going their separate ways. Since then, Strings has been on stage with some pretty big names including Widespread Panic and Dierks Bentley. He’s often mentioned in the same conversation as Tyler Childers or Sturgill Simpson.
But if he ever retires from music, Strings might want to consider a career in fishing.
