The Birthplace of Country Music Kicks Off a Summer of Performances, Camps and Workshops

BRISTOL, TN/VA – On the heels of the highly-anticipated Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion lineup announcement, The Birthplace of Country Music events are heating up in June with performances by Lillie Mae and The Royal Hounds, a children’s camp, and a workshop exploring the birth and influence of ballads.

These events spotlight a landmark calendar year for the Birthplace of Country Music, the parent organization of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival, and Radio Bristol, as BCM celebrates the 90th anniversary of the 1927 Bristol Sessions recordings.

Radio Bristol presents Farm and Fun Time, a revival of WCYB’s radio show from the 1940s to 1950s, airing live June 8 at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum before a studio audience with guest performances by Lillie Mae and The Royal Hounds. Radio Bristol breathes new life into the classic program with a fun, energetic show. Hosted by Radio Bristol producer and house band-leader Kris Truelsen, Farm and Fun Time is an event the whole family can enjoy in-studio or when gathered around their radios.

As part of The Crooked Road’s Mountains of Music Homecoming, a ballads workshop will be moderated by museum director Jessica Turner on June 11 at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. The workshop will explore English-language balladry, an influential music tradition dating back hundreds of years. Featuring prominent balladeers Scottish Traditional Hall of Fame inductee Archie Fisher, NEA National Heritage Fellow Sheila Kay Adams, and old-time musician Elizabeth LaPrelle, the workshop will explore the interpretations of traditional and contemporary ballads.

The Birthplace of Country Music Museum will offer several sessions of Pick Along Summer Camp June 19-July 21. Children ages 8-14 will learn about Bristol’s important role in country music history and its lasting influence, and receive instruction on stringed instruments. No previous musical experience is required for Pick Along Summer Camps, only an interest in music and a desire to learn and have fun! This camp is designed for beginners and anyone interested in our musical heritage.

BCM recently announced the lineup for the 17th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival, slated for Sept. 15-17. The eclectic list includes headliners such as Dwight Yoakam, Judah and The Lion, and Jerry Douglas Presents Earls of Leicester. To view the entire 2017 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion artist lineup, visit www.BristolRhythm.com. 

About Birthplace of Country Music, Inc. 

The Birthplace of Country Music, Inc. was established to honor the famed 1927 Bristol Sessions that were immortalized when Ralph Peer – a record executive from Victor Talking Machine Company in Camden, New Jersey – traveled to Bristol, the twin cities that straddle the Tennessee and Virginia border. Setting up a portable recording studio in the Taylor-Christian Hat Company building, Peer recorded 76 songs by 19 different acts, including The Carter Family, known as “The First Family of Country Music,” Jimmie Rodgers, known as “The Father of Country Music,” and Ernest “Pop” Stoneman. These recordings are revered as the keystone sessions of country music. In 1998 Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia was recognized as the official birthplace of country music by the U.S. Congress; the 1927 Bristol Sessions were also recognized by the Library of Congress as one of the 50 most significant sound recording events of all time. 

In 2001 the award-winning Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion began taking place in Historic Downtown Bristol. The annual three-day music festival showcases the very best in roots music – including Americana, folk-rock, bluegrass, old-time, and Piedmont blues. Approximately 50,000 music enthusiasts gather for the event to see more than 130 acts perform on 20 stages each September. 

In 2014 the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, opened its doors in Bristol’s downtown. The Museum tells the story of the 1927 Bristol Sessions recordings, explores how evolving sound technology shaped their success, and highlights how this rich musical heritage lives on in today’s music. Through multiple theater experiences, interactive displays, and text and artifacts, along with a variety of educational programs, music performances, and community events, the exciting story of these recording sessions and their far-reaching influence comes alive.    

In 2015 BCM began broadcasting Radio Bristol live from the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. Radio Bristol features a low power FM broadcast in the Bristol area, three audio channels streaming different but related genres of music, and one channel streaming video. Stream stations can be accessed online or by using the free Radio Bristol app on mobile devices.

For more information, visit www.birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.

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