Doing something for the first time only ever happens once. Honest. We first met and saw guitar sensation Billy Strings perform live on day 3 of the 4-day 2017 Bluegrass Island Festival in Roanoke Island Festival Park of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Although it’s less than three years ago now, we’re pretty sure he’s a bit of a bigger deal now than he was back then; playing now to sold-out venues and headlining major festivals, his rise has seemingly been as rapid as his flatpickin’ as he continues to push boundaries, straddle genres, shred strings, and dazzle all who witness his sets.

The above is a 12-minute-plus video we captured of his set that evening on the Outer Banks. It may not be as watchable as videos found elsewhere (no surprise, Billy is all over the YouTubes), but it is unique in that it is our video. But, and as luck would have it, it is not the only video on YouTube of his set that day. Check out the following from the treasure trove of live bluegrass footage that is YouTube’s awesome Lovin’ Bluegrass by Carol McDuffie channel. ‘Brown’s Ferry Blues’ is a good place to start; Billy is introduced to the Bluegrass Island Festival crowd and quickly gets their attention before being joined by the rest of his band. The next 90-plus minutes just flies by.