A master of the guitar, banjo, and mandolin, Strings is a singer and instrumentalist whose music starts with the sound and speed of bluegrass and folds in elements of rock, jazz, and psychedelia. Strings deals in acoustic music, but his lyrics are rooted in contemporary issues ("Dust in a Baggie" sounds like a classic bluegrass breakdown, but the lyrics deal with crystal meth addiction), and the music reinforces this fusion of past and present, melding modern melodic frameworks with fiddles and banjos. Strings's music was presented in its most traditional form on his 2016 self-titled EP, 2019's Grammy-winning Home added a more rock-oriented production style and extended jams to his formula, and 2021's Renewal featured some of his most personal songwriting and ambitious music to date.
Born in Lansing, Michigan, his family relocated to Morehead, Kentucky, for a spell before later settling in Muir, a small town in Michigan. Billy's father and uncle were both accomplished musicians, and the youngster was surrounded by acoustic music practically from birth. At the age of four, Billy asked his father for a guitar, and he was soon learning to play a second-hand instrument that cost 25 dollars. By the time he was six, he was good enough to join his dad for bluegrass picking parties, and his aunt nicknamed him Billy Strings. By the time he was in middle school, he had picked up an electric guitar and was playing in a heavy metal band. However, it led him into a circle of friends who were abusing drugs, and Strings believed it was leading him into a dark place.
Determined to find a better path, Strings returned to playing bluegrass, and after completing high school, he moved to Traverse City, a city in Northern Michigan with a lively music and art scene. When Strings performed at an open-mike night at a club called the Hayloft, local pickers were impressed with his skills, and he soon found a mentor and picking partner in mandolinist Don Julin, who recorded a duo album with Strings titled Rock of Ages. (Strings also independently released a home-brewed solo album in 2014, Fiddle Tune X.) He also played with a bluegrass combo called M-23 Strings, and earned a reputation as one of the most promising talents in the Mitten State.
In early 2016, Strings left Traverse City for Nashville, where the talented newcomer did not go unnoticed. In September 2017, he released Turmoil & Tinfoil, an effort that found him adding a wider variety of sounds and influences to his music. The album was produced by Glenn Brown, who had previously worked with Greensky Bluegrass and Luke Winslow-King. After landing a deal with roots music specialists Rounder Records, Strings returned in 2019 with his second solo outing, Home. It won a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album. Due to the COVID-19 shutdown of 2020, Strings had more time to devote to his songwriting, and 2021's Renewal found him exploring darker and more personal themes as well as broadening the instrumental palette of his band.
Biography by Mark Deming
Love Like Me
Billy Strings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You could swim the deepest sea
You could walk that lonesome valley
And never find a love like me
All the thorny roses blooming
All the leaves upon the vine
All of natures fairest treasures
Darlin if you'll walk beside me
I will be a steady hand
If you need a rock to stand on
Honey I will be your man
If the sun refused to shine dear
And the clouds held back their rain
If the world should turn upon you
Don′t forget you know my name
You could climb the highest mountain
You could swim the deepest sea
You could walk that lonesome valley
And never find a love like me
The lyrics to Billy Strings's song Love Like Me convey a message of unconditional love and loyalty. The singer presents himself as a unique and valuable partner and promises to be there for his beloved through any hardship. The opening lines of the song set the stage for this message by listing seemingly impossible achievements: climbing the highest mountain, swimming the deepest sea, and walking the lonesome valley. The message is clear - no matter how far one searches or how difficult the journey is, the love the singer is offering cannot be matched by anyone else.
The second stanza focuses on nature and its beauty, suggesting that the singer is willing to appreciate and love every aspect of his partner. However, this appreciation won't be complete unless the partner reciprocates the singer's feelings. The last two stanzas are perhaps the most impactful, as the singer vows to be a steady hand and a rock to stand on for his beloved, regardless of what the world throws their way. The use of repetition in the chorus drives the point home that there is no greater love than the one the singer is offering.
Overall, Love Like Me is a song about the strength and uniqueness of true love. No matter how far one searches or how hard the journey is, the love the singer is offering cannot be matched by anyone else. The song is a testament to the power of unconditional love, and it serves as a reminder of how much we should value and cherish our significant others.
Line by Line Meaning
You could climb the highest mountain
Even if you achieve the most difficult tasks, you will still not find love like mine.
You could swim the deepest sea
You could search the entire ocean, but you won't find a love like mine.
You could walk that lonesome valley
If you travel through the loneliest places, you still cannot find any love like mine.
And never find a love like me
No matter how much you search, you will never find a love as unique and special as mine.
All the thorny roses blooming
Even the most beautiful and dangerous things won't compare to the love I offer.
All the leaves upon the vine
The beauty of the natural world cannot match the beauty of what I can offer through my love.
All of natures fairest treasures
Even the most valuable natural resources won't come close to what I can offer through the love I have for you.
I′ll not know till you are mine
I will never discover the full beauty of this world until you are in my life.
Darlin if you'll walk beside me
If you choose to join me in my journey through life, I will be a dependable partner by your side always.
I will be a steady hand
I will provide a constant and solid presence in your life as we navigate different life experiences together.
If you need a rock to stand on
If you need a strong and immovable foundation to support you, I will be that foundation that helps you stay grounded.
Honey I will be your man
I will provide a loving and protective presence in your life, and you can depend on me always.
If the sun refused to shine dear
Even if we face hardships and difficult times, my love for you will never falter or fade.
And the clouds held back their rain
Even if it seems like trouble and problems are raining down on us, I will be there for you every step of the way.
If the world should turn upon you
Even if the world is against us, my love for you will always be there, unwavering and steadfast.
Don′t forget you know my name
Even in moments of uncertainty, remember that you can always count on me because you know who I am and how much I care for you.
Writer(s): John Weisberger, William Apostol
Contributed by Zachary J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@brettlazor8219
My fiancée and I are getting married in June and we picked this as our song. Thank you Billy, it means more to us than you’ll ever know.
@ThePinnacleSFA
My fiancé and I also got married this month and this was our first dance! A man of culture, I wish you both a long and fruitful marriage. Cheers
@brettlazor8219
ThePinnacleSFA such a beautiful song for a beautiful moment. I wish the same to you!
@averagesteel9666
Well then happy late anniversaries to the both of you!
@Krim138
Id love to play this at my wedding! since i can play guitar obvi not as good as billy but still its a beautiful song to learn and play.
@Steve-si8hx
Still together ?
@matthewbasinger11
I honestly don't know where my life would be right now if I had not found the music of Billy Strings!!!
@jessicabakken3863
I agree
@shiner421
True Legends dont come around often, and we are watching one in the making!
@carolineb234
Without a doubt Billy has already made history and crown bearing in his masterful art..Your music is bittersweet only because my best friend of 40 years who passed in March who was a great guitarist and trained Luther would have danced in jubilation and been on cloud nine to have discovered you!! He would have been your greatest disciple.