Photo by Ant Braaten via Daniel Donato‘s Instagram

Last night, the live music scene was set ablaze in Vermont as two guitar virtuosos, Billy Strings and Daniel Donato, united for an electrifying sit-in performance at the Double E Performance Center in Essex. The eagerly awaited collaboration showcased the tenacity and unbridled creativity of the skillful and improvisational musicians who both wear the heart of Nashville, Tenn., on their respective sleeves.

Held just hours after Strings’ performance at Champlain Valley Expo’s Midway Lawn, the after-party at the Double E Performance Center witnessed a surprise appearance by Strings, joining forces with Donato’s Cosmic Country backing band. Fueled by the chemistry between the two guitar wizards, the jam-packed show delivered a series of captivating performances, leaving the audience in awe.

Setting aside the expected Grateful Dead or Phish tributes, the bolstered band treated the crowd to an array of traditional American songs spiced with a touch of Donato’s originality and Strings’ rock star presence. Strings seamlessly transitioned from acoustic guitar to electric, complementing Donato’s chicken pickin’ format perfectly. Together, they paid tribute to country icon Waylon Jennings with a soulful rendition of “Ain’t Living Long Like This” and dazzled with the American pop standard “Alabama Jubilee.”

Strings continued to showcase his remarkable versatility by performing Donato’s original “Luck of the Draw,” leading the band into the timeless classic “Sugar Leg Rag” recorded by Red Foley. The seamless blend of their styles resulted in a mind-blowing 20-minute sit-in, leaving the audience mesmerized by their musical prowess and mutual respect.

Although not their first encounter on stage, this collaboration marked a significant milestone. In 2019, during Strings’ second-annual String The Halls concert in Nashville’s Marathon Music Works, an intrepid young Donato, not originally on the guest list, ingeniously texted Strings and ended up performing four songs – the memory of that impromptu performance paved the way for last night’s memorable jam in the Green Mountain State.

Watch a fan-captured clip of the sit-in below.