Updated September 4, 2026 at 2:00 PM EDT
Billy Strings' late mother, Debra Apostol, introduced the three-time Grammy award-winning musician to alternative music early in his life.
"I remember her playing [The Beatles'] White Album backwards for me when I was 7 years old, or something," Strings said in an interview with Morning Edition.
Apostol died due to an overdose while Strings was on tour last year — with Strings using his latest album, So Much for Goodbyes, to honor her and help him process his grief.
"It was a rough thing, losing my mom, and my guitar has always been that kind of friend – where I can lean on it to deal with all these feelings," Strings said.
Strings, who has also struggled with addiction, added that his 2-year-old son is an important part of his sobriety.
"My goal is to be there for him, forever," Strings said. His drug of choice is now coffee.
So Much for Goodbyes spans from mournful ballads to fast-paced finger-plucked barnburners. When Strings joined NPR's A Martinez for the interview, he was practicing death metal guitar for a performance with the influential metal band Cryptopsy at Strings' inaugural music festival, Freak Fair, in Ionia, Mich.
He's not abandoning country music, though. Strings told NPR that he wants to "stay in his lane," and be the best bluegrass guitarist he can be.
Strings described himself as "the real nostalgic, sentimental type," and still feels a strong tie to the rural Michigan village where he was raised, about seven miles outside of Ionia.
In his song "One of Those," Strings revisits the small world he left behind as a teenager, when he began work as a touring musician.
"It's just about driving through your old hometown and seeing the ghosts walk down the sidewalk," Strings said.
Listen to the full interview by clicking on the blue play button above.
This interview was produced by Barry Gordemer. The digital version was edited by Treye Green.
Copyright 2026 NPR
