Billy Strings Blazes Full Speed Ahead With New Studio Album ‘Highway Prayers’

Billy Strings is clearly in the fast lane when it comes to releasing new music this year.

At midnight he announced a new album, Highway Prayers, via social media. Coming Sept. 27, the album appears to have a car theme, from the Instagram post’s vintage magazine car ad vibe to some of the song titles, including “Leadfoot,” “Richard Petty,” and “Seney Stretch,” a reference to a stick-straight stretch of road through swampland in the Upper Peninsula of Strings’ native Michigan.

 

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The first single from the album, produced by Strings and Jon Brion, is “Leadfoot,” complete with quite a journey of a video starring a 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle:

Strings also announced tour dates taking him through the end of 2024, including his annual New Years Eve run of shows for three nights in New Orleans.

Strings released his first live album, Live Vol. 1 (ND review), on July 12. Like Highway Prayers, it was on Reprise Records. Highway Prayers was recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville featuring Strings’ usual band — Billy Failing, Royal Masat, Jarrod Walker, and Alex Hargreaves — as well as guest contributions from Jerry Douglas on dobro, Jason Carter on fiddle, and Lindsay Lou on vocals.

Here’s the track list for Highway Prayers:

The cover of “Highway Prayers”

SIDE A
Leaning on a Travelin’ Song
In the Clear
Escanaba
Gild the Lily
Seven Weeks in County

SIDE B
Stratosphere Blues/I Believe in You
Cabin Song
Don’t Be Calling Me (At 4 AM)
Malfunction Junction

SIDE C
Catch and Release
Be Your Man
Gone a Long Time
It Ain’t Before
My Alice

SIDE D
Seney Stretch
MORBUD4ME
Leadfoot
Happy Hollow
The Beginning of the End
Richard Petty