Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Announces Full 2021 Lineup

Bristol, Tenn./Va. - March 31, 2021 - The Birthplace of Country Music (BCM) has announced its full roster of talent slated to appear at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion this September, including Philadelphia indie-rock stalwart Dr. Dog, who will join Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, Tanya Tucker, Blackberry Smoke, Yola, The SteelDrivers, Rhonda Vincent, and Hayes Carll as headlining acts for the 20th anniversary event. The Steel Woods, Son Little, the Lonesome River Band, Ian Noe, and Charley Crockett are but a few of the acts announced today.

BCM was forced to cancel the festival in 2020 due to the pandemic, but are hopeful the event will happen as planned in Historic Downtown Bristol this year.

"We worked hard to keep our lineup as consistent as we could with the lineup we had hoped to have at last year's cancelled event, but the pandemic forced us to make some difficult decisions," said Leah Ross, BCM Executive Director. BCM is the parent nonprofit organization of Bristol Rhythm, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum and Radio Bristol.

The Festival has approximately 100 bands on the roster for this year's three-day Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, an event which draws more than 40,000 people to Historic Downtown Bristol each year. An independent study of Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion in 2015 revealed that the festival pumps more than $16 million into the region's economy.

"The music and tourism industries have been hit hard by COVID-19, and our Downtown businesses are struggling to survive," added Ross. "We hope our festival provides a boost to Bristol's economy to help get us back on track."

BCM has also extended the deadline for food and craft vendors to turn in applications if they want to be considered for this year's Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. They now have until April 30 to fill out the online form at BristolRhythm.com. Vendors who were accepted for last year's cancelled event will need to re-apply this year. Vendors will be notified no later than May 15 of their status.

Scheduled for September 10-12, 2021 in Historic Downtown Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is a celebration of the legendary 1927 Bristol Sessions recordings, the music that brought country music, The Carter Family, and Jimmie Rodgers to the mainstream and created what scholars now refer to as the "big bang" of country music.

"We are ready to welcome our friends and family back to Bristol. We are ready for live music to make a comeback on State Street!"

The entire Bristol Rhythm 2021 lineup is listed at the end of this press release. 

Weekend passes to the 20th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival are on sale now for $100 plus tax and fees, with a simple payment plan that gives guests the option of purchasing in monthly installments. For more information visit BristolRhythm.com.

About Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion

Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia is heralded as the birthplace of country music, home to the 1927 Bristol Sessions recordings. The award-winning Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is a celebration of that great legacy and is renowned for its diverse headliners, established touring acts, up-and-coming artists, and some of the Appalachian regions finest music across a wide variety of roots genres. It is also noted for its unique downtown setting along State Street, where Virginia and Tennessee meet to form the twin cities of Bristol. The festival hosts an estimated 40,000 attendees across 13 outdoor stages and indoor venues with more than 100 acts of live music over the course of the 3-day weekend. For more information about Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion visit BristolRhythm.com.

About the Birthplace of Country Music

Located in Bristol, Virginia-Tennessee, the Birthplace of Country Music (BCM) is the parent nonprofit organization of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival, and WBCM Radio Bristol. It is the mission of BCM to perpetuate, promote, and celebrate Bristol’s rich music heritage; to educate and engage audiences worldwide regarding the history, impact, and legacy of the 1927 Bristol Sessions from which BCM derives its name; and to create recognition, opportunities, and economic benefit for BCM’s local and regional communities. BCM accomplishes this mission through each of its primary branches (museum, festival, and radio station), special projects and events, and a multitude of community and educational outreach programs. Visit BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org for more information.