Béla Fleck has released a live take on the bluegrass staple “Tennessee” featuring Billy Strings from his forthcoming album, Live Heart: My Bluegrass Heart at the Ryman. The 3LP/2CD set will be available October 16 via Béla Fleck Productions/Thirty Tigers.
“In my opinion, Béla Fleck is one of the most important musicians of all time,” Strings said in a statement. “He bridges the gap between bluegrass, classical, jazz, world music and everything in between. It seems like there’s no limit to what he can achieve on the banjo.”
“As a New York City kid who fell in love with Davy Crockett and had my own coonskin cap and fringe jacket, this song called out to me when I first heard Jimmy Martin’s classic version,” Fleck added. “I even moved to Tennessee and have lived there longer than my NYC days. There’s an amazing sense of closure to playing it live with Billy Strings taking Jimmy’s lead roll, and the top players in the biz bringing their talent and depth of understanding of bluegrass to the table.”
Live Heart: My Bluegrass Heart at the Ryman captures Fleck’s January 8, 2022, gig at the famed Nashville venue known as the Mother Church, celebrating his all-star record My Bluegrass Heart. Sam Bush, Michael Cleveland, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Sierra Hull, Edgar Meyer, Justin Moses, Mark Schatz, Billy Strings, Bryan Sutton, Tony Trischka and Molly Tuttle all took part in the sold-out show, which was held during a major East Coast blizzard that prevented Chris Thile from making it in from New York.
“We somehow managed to take and own the stage that night,” Fleck said. “My amazing peers, friends, and iconic performers really brought the fire—I’m very proud to bring you this fantastic live performance.”
Fleck’s My Bluegrass Heart band will be touring throughout 2026, including a special performance with Renée Fleming in support of their 2026 collaborative album, The Fiddle and the Drum, at New York’s Carnegie Hall on December 3. Fleming will be backed by Fleck and the My Bluegrass Heart Band at the special event, with guest vocalist Aoife O’Donovan joining in as well.
My Bluegrass Heart Tour Dates
Oct 8 Clarksville, TN Austin Peay State University
Oct 9 Livingston, KY The Moonshiner’s Ball
Oct 10 St. Louis, MO Sheldon Concert Hall
Oct 11 Eureka Springs, AR Hillberry Music Festival
Oct 13 Columbus, GA River Center PAC
Oct 14 Gainesville, FL University of Florida PAC
Oct 15 Birmingham, AL Alys Robinson Stephens PAC
Nov 3 Stoughton, WI Stoughton Opera House
Nov 4 Evanston, IL Cahn Auditorium
Nov 5 Grand Rapids, MI St. Cecilia Music Hall
Nov 6 Brookfield, WI Wilson Center
Nov 10 Kent, OH The Kent Stage
Nov 11 Indianapolis, IN Clowes Memorial Hall
Nov 12 Royal Oak, MI Royal Oak Music Theatre
Nov 13 Toronto, ON Koerner Hall at the Royal Conservatory of Music
Nov 14 Philadelphia, PA Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Nov 15 Old Saybrook, CT The Kate
Dec 1 Charlottesville, VA The Paramount Theater
Dec 2 Northampton, MA Academy of Music Theatre
Dec 3 New York, NY Carnegie Hall, featuring Renée Fleming and Aoife O’Donovan
Dec 4 Concord, NH Capitol Theatre
Dec 5 Stowe, VT Spruce Peak PAC
Dec 6 Ithaca, NY State Theater of Ithaca
Dec 7 Munhall, PA Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall
Dec 10 Puerto Morelos, QR Strings & Sol
