Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on 2026-09-02
Photo: Courtesy of Full Cord
Michigan bluegrass band Full Cord and Billy Strings brought years of friendship and shared musical history to the stage in Ionia, Michigan, last weekend, performing for a crowd of 28,000 and spotlighting a collaboration rooted in the state’s bluegrass community.
The relationship between Full Cord and Strings stretches back long before sold-out arenas and international touring. The musicians crossed paths for years through Michigan jam circles, festivals, picking sessions, and small-town stages, building a friendship that eventually found its way onto record.
That connection is at the heart of “Hubris Came To Town”, a Full Cord original featuring Strings on guitar. The song was released to radio earlier this year and pairs Full Cord’s bluegrass approach with Strings’ distinctive guitar work.
“This song captures the grit, spirit, and chemistry that can only come from decades of shared stages, late-night picking sessions, and a mutual love for Michigan’s rich musical tradition,” the band said of the collaboration.
At the Ionia gathering, Full Cord and Strings had the chance to bring that music to a massive hometown-state audience.
Full Cord also used the opportunity to share the stage with another Michigan player, inviting 16-year-old guitarist Peter Cavanaugh of Rockford to join them for a cover of Wyatt Rice & Santa Cruz’s “Picture In A Tear.”
For Full Cord mandolinist and songwriter Brian Oberlin, “Hubris Came To Town” was designed to push at the edges of bluegrass while remaining rooted in the form.
“Hubris Came to Town is a song that has many inspirations,” Oberlin said. “This is the kind of music I like to write for bluegrass in an effort to put my own stamp on the genre with primarily harmonic interest and edgy lyrics. With Billy Strings and the band absolutely ripping throughout the entire song, it now has the aggressive demeanor I intended.”
Strings joins Full Cord guitarist Eric Langejans on the track, with Oberlin on mandolin and vocals, Todd Kirchner on bass, Max Allard on banjo, and Chase Potter on fiddle and vocals. Glenn Brown contributed Buchla and produced the recording in Lansing, Michigan.
The collaboration extends to a second original, “How A Muse Gets By,” released August 7.
The song began as an instrumental fiddle tune titled “Chasing the Nines,” inspired by Johnny Gimble, before lyrics took the piece in a different direction.
“Loping bluegrass rhythms with joyful, seductive lyrics and an ethereal-toned jam session” frame the track, with Strings contributing a guitar solo alongside Full Cord.
Oberlin said the song’s central idea grew from a question: what do muses do when they are not inspiring someone?
“The answers are endless but in this case the moon, universe, Michigan beaches and a lovely lady are prevalent,” he said.
The two collaborations were paired on a special 7-inch vinyl release issued August 28 in conjunction with the Ionia Freak Fair.
For Full Cord, the project is as much about shared history as it is about the songs themselves. The recordings connect musicians who came up through the same Michigan musical world and continued crossing paths as their careers developed.
That made the Ionia performance a particularly fitting moment: longtime friends returning to a Michigan stage together, this time in front of tens of thousands of people.
FULL CORD
Brian Oberlin – Mandolin / Vocals
Todd Kirchner – Bass
Eric Langejans – Guitar / Vocals
Max Allard – Banjo
Chase Potter – Fiddle / Vocals
FULL CORD UPCOMING DATES
Sept 9 - Grand Rapids, MI - Trio Album Release Party & Bluegrass Jam - Free
Sept 18 - Michigan City, IN
Sept 19 - Baldwin, MI
Sept 25 - Chelsea, MI
Sept 26 - Leelanau, MI - Free
Oct 7 - Roanoke, VA
Oct 8 - Hagerstown, MD
Oct 9 - Oberlin, OH
Oct 10 - Kokomo, IN
Oct 11 - Columbus, OH
Oct 28 - Wilmington, NC
Oct 29 - Charlotte, NC - TBA
Oct 30 - Black Mountain, NC
Oct 31 - Savannah, GA - Halloween
Nov 20 - Melvindale, MI - TBA
Nov 21 - Holland, MI
Feb 6, 2027 - Brooksville, FL - TBA
Tickets and RSVP information are available at FullCord.net.
