Billy Strings Misses His Own Hall of Fame Induction, So His Hall of Famer Dad Steps In

At just 33 years old, Billy Strings has produced a discography stacked with hits. Just to name a few, there were “Dust in a Baggie,” Taking Water,” and “Meet Me at the Creek.” Add that to the Grammy he won for Best Bluegrass Album, and the hitmaker was on his way to becoming a country icon. Although not finished sharing his talents with the world, Strings recently crossed a major milestone when inducted into the Michigan Country Music Hall of Fame. While excited, his father needed to step in when the musician missed the event. 

Over the weekend, fans packed the Charlotte Performing Arts Center to celebrate the ongoing career of Strings. With Donah Hyland on hand, she was thrilled to be introducing Strings. But when she learned that Strings wasn’t going to be present, she admitted, “I’ve been crying all day after I found out that Billy can’t be here.” 

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Terry Barber Has The Perfect Spot For Billy Strings’ Award

Not the news she wanted to share, Hyland explained how the organization turned to his father, Terry Barber. “I talked to Terry, his dad, and Terry was good enough to drive a couple of hours to be here and fill in for his son. Billy is a 3-time Grammy winner, he’s got an Entertainer of the Year award, he’s a very, very nice person… I’m very sorry that he can’t be here, but I hope he’s having a great day wherever he’s at.”

While Strings often discussed gaining influence from stars like Doc Watson and Black Sabbath, he grew up with a talented musician as a father. Having navigated the music world long before Strings first took the stage, Barber helped introduce his son to bluegrass and fostered his love for the genre. He was also a member of the Michigan Country Music Hall of Fame. 

With Strings unable to attend the ceremony, it seemed only fitting that Barber would accept the award on his behalf. Barber even joked, “I think I’ll put that right next to mine on the wall… Thank you all so much. I’m proud to be here, for me and my boy that didn’t make it.”

And for those wondering what caused Strings to miss the event, Barber only stated, “He’s with his family.” 

(Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)