Billy Strings’ Mother Dies. He Gives Heartfelt Speech Before Show

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Billy Strings is definitely a unique human being, and it’s not just his other-worldly musical talents that have put him at the pinnacle of roots music and guitar playing. One of the things that often makes someone so open to the energies of the universe is a level of empathy and awareness that allows them to commune with forces greater than any individual soul. This attribute often renders itself as both a gift and a curse.

And despite all of Billy’s overwhelming success in taking bluegrass to arenas where nobody ever envisioned it would reach, he’s always put family first. That is why he recorded an album with his father Terry Barber called Me/And/Dad in 2022, making sure he did it before the inevitable. Well unfortunately for Strings, the inevitable transpired on Friday evening, June 20th. It was not Billy’s father who passed, but his mother, Debra Apostol, who died in her sleep.

It just happened to be that the universe had brought Billy Strings back to his home state of Michigan right before his mother’s passing. Though he’s used to playing to massive arena crowds, Strings had decided to return to the relatively tiny Charlotte Bluegrass Festival to perform on June 19th in Charlotte, Michigan. The festival is about 45 minutes from Muir, Michigan where Billy Strings grew up.

The Charlotte Bluegrass Festival was the first place Strings heard bluegrass outside of his home, and it’s where he was inspired to become a bluegrass musician. His mother and father took him there for the first time in 1997 when he was just four. It would later become an annual event for the family. The fact that Strings performed there, and that his mother passed away in her sleep just a few hours later is quite the remarkable, full circle moment.

On Friday, June 20th, Strings was scheduled to perform at the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. As opposed to cancelling the event to remain with his family in Michigan, Strings decided to go forward with the event. He gave a teary-eyed speech about his mother’s passing, and why he decided to go forward with the show.

After our set we drove through the night and I finally fell asleep when we got parked here in Lexington, probably about 5:40 this morning or so. I might have got three hours of sleep and I was in a deep sleep. 

My wife woke me up this morning and told me that my beautiful mother, Debra Apostol, had passed away in her sleep. And I just put my shoes on and started walking. And I walked until I saw an old country church, and it was like a beacon. I went and knocked on the door, and this kind lady let me in, and she stayed with me and prayed with me for a while. And eventually she gave me a ride back to where I was staying.

It was my decision to carry on with tonight’s show because that is what my mom would’ve wanted me to do. She really loved this group of people, she loved y’all so much, and the last couple of years were some of her happiest because a lot of you folks, right here. You all became some of her best friends, and I really want to thank you for that. You all showed her a lot of kindness, whether she was out in the lot and bopping around here at the shows, you know.

The reason I decided not to go home and be with my family right now is because I already am. I spent most of today in a daze, and I just wanted you to know that I’m going to do my best to do tonight’s show. And also if you’re just casually coming to tonight’s show and are like, What the fu– is going on right now?’ I’m sorry, but we’re a family here. And if you’re going through some sh–, I’m going through it too, and tonight I need you.

So please, instead of a moment of silence, can you please make as much noise right now for my mom?

(The crowd obviously complied)


Bluegrass is not like other forms of music. It starts with family and community, is played first on back porches, around campfires, and in small local festivals for people entertaining themselves with little or no audience. It just happens to be that some are so gifted, they can take the time-honored traditions of bluegrass to audiences of millions. This is the gift Billy Strings has given to bluegrass. And in turn, bluegrass has given the gift of family back to Billy Strings.

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