Billy Strings and Willie Nelson Commit to Going ‘California Sober’ in Duet Released for Willie’s Birthday
Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic What’s 420 divided by 90? While you ponder that, take in the news that, on the eve of Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday, he and Billy Strings have released their own birthday present to the world — a surprise collaboration called “California Sober,” which, as you might be able to guess from the title, celebrates weed as its own form of moderation. It’s the first song to come out under Strings’ new deal with Reprise Records, after a long run with Rounder. The music video portrays the two collaborators and band members recording their parts individually, although a framing device has Strings getting on a bus — presumably Nelson’s — that is emitting a prolific amount of smoke by the time he exits at the end. Strings, a young neo-bluegrass picker who now sells out shows across the country, is seen with a joint hanging out of his mouth as he pulls off one of the acoustic solos he’s famous for, while wearing a shirt that rhymes “doobie” with “Scooby.” Nelson is not so demonstrative in his choice of cannabis, having reportedly given up smoking for edibles and other lung-protecting variations some years back.