Grammy Winner Billy Strings Adopts A Michigan Highway

One of Michigan's most prominent artists has found a unique way to give back to the state, and he announced it in one of the coolest ways possible. Billy Strings, the Grammy-winning bluegrass musician and Muir native, spends much of his life on the road. So it makes sense that he has chosen to help "Keep Michigan Beautiful" by adopting a mile of highway just outside Grand Rapids. 

Billy Strings' One Beautiful Mile

Billy Strings posted an animated short on Instagram featuring his song "Leadfoot," which plays while a driver is driving down the road, throwing trash out of the window. It shows how it affects various wildlife living in the area. An opposum is hit by a lighter, a gas can blows up a rat, and a raccoon has a to-go box land on it.

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It references the "Leadfoot" music video and shows Billy making Leadfoot throw away his trash, showing that he protects the stretch of highway. According to the post, Billy adopted a mile of highway "just east of the Grand Rapids airport on Route 96."

The Adopt-a-Highway program began in 1990 and is a voluntary service where participants claim responsibility for keeping both sides of a designated highway section clean. This means Billy and his team will make a conscious effort to keep one section of I-96 free of trash.

Billy's Conservation Efforts

Billy is known for his conservation work, having donated his song "Watch it Fall" to the National Wildlife Federation for their campaign against the Line 5 oil pipeline back in 2021.

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Additionally, Billy's Renewal concert in 2024 featured a token system that allowed attendees who used their own plates and utensils at food vendors to exchange tokens for entries into a prize drawing. His commitment to picking up trash along the highway is similar to his dedication to picking up trash while fishing.

Earlier this year, Billy Strings had two sold-out shows at the Van Andel Arena, which drew fans who camped outside the venue, sold bootleg merchandise, and had a great time together. It's a testament to Billy's relationship with his community and his roots that he's chosen to help keep a stretch of Pure Michigan, well, pure.