Billy Strings performed an emotional tribute set on Friday night in Lexington, Kentucky, just hours after the passing of his mother, Debra Apostol.
Taking the stage at the beginning of the night donning a jean jacket and his orange camo hat, the bluegrass star set the tone right away, telling the crowd, “This is probably going to be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done… How tonight’s gonna turn out is kinda up in the air, it depends on how much strength I can muster and how much I can lean on y’all.”
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He then explained that after playing in Michigan the night before, he and his crew drove straight to Lexington, and he finally fell asleep around 5 a.m. Later that morning, as Strings reported, his wife woke him up and “told me that my beautiful mother, Debra Apostol, had passed away in her sleep.”
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Strings continued to say that after receiving the news he “put my shoes on and started walking” until he encountered an “old country church,” where a “kind lady” let him in. “She stayed with me and prayed with me for a while, and eventually gave me a ride back to where I was staying,” he said.
From there, Strings clarified that he made the decision to proceed with the Lexington concert “because that’s what my mom would’ve wanted me to do.”
“She really loved this group of people,” he said directly to the crowd. “She loved y’all so much. The last couple years were some of her happiest because of a lot of you folks right here. Y’all became some of her best friends, and I really want to thank you for that… The reason I decided not to go home and be with my family right now is because I already am.”
He concluded his speech by asking the crowd to make noise for his departed mother — which they did — while he visibly cried. He then welcomed his band to the stage, and they launched into a rendition of “I’ve Just Seen the Rock of Ages” so emotionally-charged that it’s nearly surreal, with Strings delivering the lyrics about saying goodbye to your mother as she’s crossing “the river Jordan” to be “homeward bound.”
The show itself was livestreamed, and professional video has since been uploaded to YouTube. Watch the clip of Strings speaking to the audience, as well as some clips of the performance itself, below.
Meanwhile, Strings will play another show in Lexington tonight, followed by dates in Australia and New Zealand next month, and another US leg of tour dates kicking off in August. Get tickets here.
Holy shit this is heavy as fuck. Billy’s mom passed away last night and this home boy just owns it and just comes out and lets it go. Some incredible stuff. Wow.
RIP mama strings.. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/u2TqWTC7ca— chuck the wöök (@wook_chuck) June 21, 2025
