Billy Strings & Don Julin

Biography

Billy Strings & Don Julin was a virtuosic bluegrass duo from Traverse City, Michigan, pairing the fiery flatpicking guitar of Billy Strings (William Apostol) with the inventive mandolin work of veteran musician Don Julin. Strings, born in 1992 and raised in a musical family, grew up steeped in traditional bluegrass and especially the music of Doc Watson, developing formidable guitar skills from a very young age.[2][3][6] Julin, who began playing mandolin in 1979 after being inspired by the David Grisman Quintet, built a wide‑ranging career in Michigan as a mandolinist, commercial composer, recording engineer, and educator before being drawn more deeply into bluegrass through his partnership with Strings.[1][5]

Around 2011–2012, after Strings moved to Traverse City, Julin sought him out at a local coffeehouse gig, immediately recognizing the young guitarist’s extraordinary command of traditional bluegrass and Doc Watson’s style.[3][5] They soon began playing together, rehearsing Doc Watson tunes and quickly discovering a natural musical chemistry that led to their first local gigs and, shortly thereafter, broader regional touring.[1][3] As a working duo, they stripped bluegrass classics and original material down to guitar and mandolin while injecting extended, jazz‑like improvisations and a subtle rock edge, creating high‑energy performances that felt both traditional and experimental.[1][4] Their collaboration produced recordings such as “Rock of Ages” (2013) and “Fiddle Tune X” (2014), helping launch Billy Strings onto the national bluegrass scene while giving Julin a widely visible platform for his boundary‑pushing mandolin style.[1][5]

Musically, Billy Strings & Don Julin balanced deep respect for first‑generation bluegrass with a willingness to stretch the form. Critics and festival programmers noted how they honored figures like Doc Watson while incorporating elements drawn from jazz, rock, and broader Americana, particularly in their extended solos and improvisational interplay.[1][3][4][5] Their time together, which lasted roughly four years, coincided with Strings’ transition from a regional “guitar‑slinger kid” to a rising bluegrass star, a period during which Julin also introduced him to artists such as John Hartford, Tom Waits, and Sun Ra and exposed him to the professional side of the acoustic music circuit.[2][3] Although both later continued on separate paths—Strings as a Grammy‑winning headliner and Julin as a respected mandolin teacher, author, and recording artist—the duo is often credited with helping redefine modern bluegrass duos and with playing a pivotal role in launching one of contemporary bluegrass’s most influential guitarists.[2][3][5][6]

Fun Facts

• Don Julin first sought out Billy Strings after hearing rumors about a young “guitar‑slinger kid” in Traverse City; he brought his laptop to a coffeehouse gig, listened to a set, and invited Strings to play together that same night.[3]
• Early in their partnership, Billy Strings impressed Julin by producing what Julin called the largest collection of Doc Watson LPs he had ever seen, and the two spent the evening playing Doc Watson tunes together.[3]
• In live shows, the duo routinely departed from traditional bluegrass norms by launching into five‑minute or longer guitar and mandolin solos, an approach Julin explicitly traced to jazz rather than bluegrass.[1]
• Their success as a hard‑touring two‑piece eventually landed them a booking deal with the same agency that handled bluegrass heavyweights like Del McCoury and Hot Rize, a significant step up from their early coffeehouse gigs.[1]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Doc Watson - Foundational stylistic influence on Billy Strings; the duo bonded over Watson’s repertoire and sound, with Strings described as channeling Doc Watson and knowing his style better than anyone Julin had played with. (Numerous Doc Watson tunes performed live; early duo rehearsals centered on Doc Watson LPs.) [Lifelong influence on Billy Strings; especially central in their early collaboration circa 2011–2014.[3][5]]
• David Grisman - Primary mandolin inspiration for Don Julin; hearing the first David Grisman Quintet album in 1979 led Julin to take up the mandolin and shaped his jazz‑inflected approach within the duo. (First David Grisman Quintet (DGQ) album as catalytic influence; later personal connection at Mandolin Symposium.) [From 1979 onward; continues as a core influence throughout Julin’s career.[5]]
• John Hartford, Tom Waits, Sun Ra - Artists that Don Julin specifically introduced to Billy Strings, broadening his listening beyond core bluegrass and informing the duo’s adventurous stylistic palette. (Various recordings by these artists used as listening and reference material rather than specific co‑credited projects.) [Early 2010s, during the formative years of the Billy Strings & Don Julin duo.[3]]

Key Collaborators

• Billy Strings - Guitarist, singer, and songwriting partner; half of the Billy Strings & Don Julin duo, with tightly interlocked guitar–mandolin interplay and shared arranging duties. (Albums “Rock of Ages” (2013) and “Fiddle Tune X” (2014), extensive touring across Michigan and regional festivals.) [Approximately 2012–2016, with active regional and conference appearances during that span.[1][2][3]]
• Don Julin - Mandolinist, arranger, and senior collaborator; provided professional guidance, booked showcases (IBMA, Folk Alliance), and helped frame the duo’s sound and career path. (Albums “Rock of Ages” (2013) and “Fiddle Tune X” (2014), showcase performances at IBMA and Folk Alliance, numerous club and festival dates.) [Approximately 2012–2016 as an ongoing working duo.[1][2][3]]

Artists Influenced

• Emerging bluegrass and acoustic students in Don Julin’s orbit - Julin’s high‑profile work with Billy Strings increased his visibility as a mandolin educator; he now mentors hundreds of students online and at camps, transmitting techniques and repertoire refined during the duo years. (Instructional platforms such as “Mandolins Heal The World” and multi‑week online mandolin workshops that often draw on bluegrass and improvisational approaches showcased with Billy Strings.) [Mid‑2010s onward, particularly after the duo helped raise his national profile.[1][3]]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia