On Wednesday, December 10, 2025, Billy Strings stepped into the intimate NPR Tiny Desk studio for his first-ever Tiny Desk performance — a milestone he described as the realization of a long-held dream.

Between songs, Strings reflected on the moment’s significance. “We kind of, like, grew up on this,” he said, recalling the years he spent admiring Tiny Desk sets and even submitting an audition tape. “I remember back in the day, too, submitting my audition to be on here … It only took like, I don’t know, 12 more years or something.”

Strings was joined by Jarrod Walker (mandolin), Royal Masat (bass), Billy Failing (banjo) and Alex Hargreaves (fiddle). The band opened with “Red Daisy” from Strings’ 2021 album Renewal, and performed three selections from his 2024 release Highway Prayers: “My Alice,” “Malfunction Junction” and “Gild the Lily.”

Speaking to the room’s unique atmosphere, Strings said, “We’ve all watched so many of these and we’ve always wanted to do this. I’ve seen so many amazing performances that have happened right here. I kind of believe that love and spirit kind of soaks into this environment, so even just standing here feels like a special thing.”

The appearance arrived amid a banner year for Strings: he tops Billboard’s 2025 Year-End Bluegrass Artists chart, and he placed three projects among the top 15 on Billboard’s 2025 Year-End Bluegrass Albums list. Highway Prayers holds the No. 1 spot, Home sits at No. 10, and Renewal is at No. 15.

Watch Billy Strings’ full Tiny Desk Concert below:

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