He may not be a native son of Traverse City, but famed bluegrass star Billy Strings represents his former home of northern Michigan on his new album. Highway Prayers. The album, released today (Friday), names Traverse City in two of its 20 songs.

Born William Apostol in Lansing in 1992, Strings were once a fixture in the Traverse City music scene. Although he grew up in the Ionia area, he moved north after graduating high school in 2011 and eventually joined the local mandolinist (and author of “.”). Mandolin for Dummies), Don Julin. For four years, the two – along with bassist Kevin Gills – worked together to carve out a niche in northern Michigan for their bluegrass sound. Locals could catch Strings every Thursday night at Little Bohemia or hear him play regularly at other area venues such as Union Street Station, Left Foot Charley, Inside Out Gallery and even Horizon Books.

Since moving to Nashville in 2016, Strings has enjoyed a meteoric rise. In 2021 he won the Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album for his LP Home. These days, he’s headlining amphitheaters across the country, including Michigan’s Pine Knob Music Theater in Clarkston, where he’ll play two mostly sold-out shows next Friday and Saturday. He has 2.94 million monthly listeners on Spotify and is an increasingly popular collaborator with major artists including Willie Nelson, Dierks Bentley, Bela Fleck and Zach Bryan. Just last month, Strings joined pop star Post Malone for a track on his new country album F-1 trillionwhich exceeded the top billboard Diagrams.

Strings has returned to Northern Michigan on occasion: In 2020, he and his father-in-law played a show at the City Opera House — and sat down with him ticker Sister publication Northern Express for an interview.

On his newly released album Highway PrayersIn two different songs, Strings mentions his former stomping grounds in northern Michigan. First, he mentions TC in the opening track “Leaning on a Travelin’ Song” in the context of his vagabond touring musician lifestyle. “I can’t remember the last ten miles/Standing still feels like I’m flying/This old moon is shining bright/Keep her steady, lord keep it right,” he sings. “Cross the city to Santa Fe/Sacramento and on down to Tampa Bay/Cruise through the early dawn/Lean on a travel song.”

Touring is also the theme of “Gone a Long Time,” the other one Highway Prayers Track that contains a reference to Cherry Capital. “Jaybird saw a little worm wiggling on the ground/I guess there’s nowhere to hide, no matter where I’m found/Just came from Traverse City, now I’m on my way to Withlacoochee/I’m going away for a long time “Be,” Strings sings in the song’s third verse.

Highway Prayers is now available to purchase or stream wherever music can be purchased or streamed.