Post Malone is one of the biggest names in pop but there was one bluegrass picker that Post was STOKED to get the chance to play with on this Johnny Cash classic. And when you see the way Billy Strings shredded up his acoustic like an old time master on “Cocaine Blues”, it’s easy to understand why. The boys were just so happy to share this chemistry on stage together, despite being from completely different worlds musically. And can we just say, as an artist who broke through as a hip hop guy, Post has some serious chops as a country crooner with some gorgeous grit!
Strings was tearing through his second set at The Observatory in Santa Ana when Post stepped out and sent the venue wild with an unannounced appearance. Strings appeared ready to take the lead vocal at first, before he stepped back and let Post work his magic. The New York hitmaker delivered an loose and playful vocal on the tune, while rizzing up the audience with his easy magnetism.
Post laid down an acoustic rhythm guitar groove while Strings and his stellar band pushed the tempo. Banjo player Billy Failing, mandolinist Jarrod Walker, and bassist Royal Masat backed the singer with razor-sharp precision, with guitar, mandolin and banjo taking turns on blistering instrumental breaks between verses. At 1:22, Post even paused to check with Strings before putting out his cigarette on stage, showing an easygoing courtesy that proved to fans that the hitmaker was all class.
The musical chemistry between the dynamic duo was far from accidental. Their friendship dated back to at least 2020, when they spent pandemic downtime jamming on classic country tracks at Post’s house in Utah. Strings was already a Grammy-winning powerhouse reshaping modern bluegrass, and he had even performed a cover of Post’s hit “Circles” alongside Sierra Hull in Nashville. Rather than a calculated publicity stunt, the Santa Ana sit-in revealed a genuine shared language built on a mutual love for traditional American songwriting. You can watch that earlier Nashville performance as Strings and Hull teamed up for an acoustic take on “Circles.”
Fan footage of the Santa Ana cover has found a large audience, gathering more than 5.5 million views online. Fans added comments such as “Guys like Post Malone are living proof that great music is not bounded by a genre” and “Billy Strings’ band is full of masters. It’s really unbelievable. I’m sure Post was thrilled to get onstage with them.”
That night in Santa Ana offered an early glimpse into Post’s expanding musical horizons. The partnership between the two musicians continued to evolve, eventually leading to Strings joining Post at Bonnaroo in 2024 to play acoustic guitar on “Rockstar” and “Stay.” Later that summer, Strings added his touch to “M-E-X-I-C-O” on Post’s country album, F-1 Trillion.