Cincy Groove

Billy Nershi

Interview and Photos by Scott Preston

From the saloons of Telluride to the some of the most sought after venues in America, Bill Nershi has delighted countless fans as a guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and founding member of the String Cheese Incident. A seasoned veteran of flat-picking and a variety of acoustic styles, Nershi adds a unique, colorful perspective to virtually any musical situation he encounters, and his enthusiasm and playful spirit encourage an interactive, participatory experience for musicians and fans alike. His most recent forays into dobro, bass, and lap steel playing, as well as his accomplished songwriting contributions with the recently-formed Honkytonk Homeslice & the Emmitt-Nershi Band, prove that his musical horizons will only continue to expand.

Cincy Groove: How did you and Drew Emmitt end up meeting?

Billy Nershi: It was at a benefit for the Mark Vann Foundation. We both ended up playing at it. Drew and I played a short set together. We both walked off the stage thinking, “Hey that was a lot of fun, maybe we should put something together where we can tour in the future”. Later on he came out for a short run of shows with String Cheese. We hit some of the ski towns in Colorado and Drew would sit in and play every night, usually about 4-5 songs. That was a lot of fun, I have always been a Drew Emmitt fan. Before I was playing in String Cheese he was playing in Leftover Salmon. I lived in Telluride, CO at the time and Leftover would come through and play there quite often. I would always catch their shows. To be able to come full circle and have a band with Drew is really cool. Read more