New York, NY (Top40 Charts) September is definitely the month to plan a visit to Bristol, the Birthplace of Country Music, as the calendar is packed with concerts, songwriting workshops, two film screenings, and the award-winning 17th annual Bristol Rhythm &
Roots Reunion. In addition, patrons will also get to experience free activities and admission to the Birthplace of Country
Music Museum during the 13th annual Smithsonian magazine's Museum Day Live!
"September is always an exciting time to be in Bristol," said Leah Ross, Executive
Director of the nonprofit Birthplace of Country Music, the parent organization of the Birthplace of Country
Music Museum, Bristol Rhythm &
Roots Reunion, and
Radio Bristol. "This year will mark the 17th annual Bristol Rhythm &
Roots Reunion, and we are so proud to host this incredible lineup of headliners and rising talent here in Bristol. In addition, there are a series of 'must-see' events at the museum this month. If you are thinking about a visit to the Birthplace of Country Music, this is the month to make the journey to Bristol, where you can dance in two states at once!"
Bristol Rhythm &
Roots Reunion
September 15-17
This
September 15-17 more than 130 acts will perform across 20 stages around
State Street in Historic Downtown, Bristol, TN/VA. A customizable schedule of performing artists can be viewed by clicking here. Throughout the three-day festival, you'll experience performances from the following acts: Dwight Yoakam, Judah and the Lion, Jerry
Douglas Presents The Earls of Leicester, Son Volt,
Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Deer Tick, Will Hoge, The Infamous Stringdusters, Chris Knight, Lonesome River Band, The Dustbowl Revival, Mandolin Orange,
Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys, Mark O'Connor ft. the O'Connor Band,
Amanda Shires, The SteelDrivers, Folk Soul Revival, Amythyst Kiah, and many others. Attendees will also be presented with a 90th Anniversary Celebration performance honoring the 1927 Bristol Sessions on Sunday,
September 17. Screenings of Born In Bristol, the docudrama starring Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Eric Church, Emmylou Harris, Doyle
Lawson & Quicksilver, and more, will be held at the Birthplace of Country
Music Museum during the festival. The film tells the story of the 1927 Bristol Sessions and its vast influence on the soundtrack of today. Considered the most influential country music recordings in history, the 1927 Bristol Sessions are listed among the 50 most significant sound recording events of all time by the Library of Congress. In addition,
Radio Bristol will host its Farm and Fun Time live variety show with house band Bill and the Belles and special guests The Earls of Leicester and The Cactus Blossoms.
Three-day festival passes are currently $85 with day passes starting at $40. To purchase tickets, click here.
Friends of 1927 Concert featuring Mike Farris
September 7 at 7:30 PM ET
Birthplace of Country
Music Museum
520 Birthplace of Country
Music Way, Bristol, VA. The
September Friends of 1927 Concert Series features the Grammy Award-winning artist Mike Farris. In 2015, Farris became the first artist to receive a Grammy Award for "Best
Roots Gospel Album" for his release
Shine for All the People. Known as a powerhouse vocalist with blue-eyed soul, he has also earned Americana
Music Awards and Dove Awards. This
Friends of 1927 Concert is a unique concert experience where fans have the opportunity to interact with the artists in a relaxed setting over drinks and hors d'oeuvres, all included in the ticket price. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
Songs Come Apart: A Workshop with Ed Snodderly
September 9, 10 AM—2 PM ET
Birthplace of Country
Music Museum
520 Birthplace of Country
Music Way, Bristol, VA. During the Songs Come Apart workshop, renowned songwriter Ed Snodderly will pull apart one of his songs to delve deep into the songwriting craft - looking at the ways lyrics come together, the harmony of the words used, and the way a song changes from inception to final cut. To really get the full benefit of the workshop, participants are encouraged (but not required) to bring their own works in progress, giving you the opportunity to take apart your song and put it back together with Snodderly's guidance. Places are limited to 16 people. To purchase a ticket, click here.
Film Screening: May It Last: A Portrait of The Avett Brothers
September 12 at 7 PM ET
Marquee Cinemas - Pinnacle 12
680 Pinnacle Parkway, Bristol, TN. From longtime fans Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio and filmed with extraordinary access over the course of more than two years, May It Last is an intimate portrait of the acclaimed North Carolina band The Avett Brothers. The film charts their decade-and-a-half rise while chronicling their present-day collaboration with famed producer Rick Rubin on the multi-Grammy-nominated album True Sadness, which was released on American Recordings/Republic Records. With the recording process as a backdrop, the film depicts a lifelong bond and unique creative partnership, as band members undergo marriage, divorce, parenthood, illness, and the challenges of the music business. To purchase tickets, click here.
Museum Day Live! featuring a Screening of American Experience: Tesla
Screening at 1 PM ET
520 Birthplace of Country
Music Way, Bristol, VA
The Birthplace of Country
Music Museum will open its doors free of charge on Saturday,
September 23 as part of Smithsonian magazine's 13th annual Museum Day Live! Participating museums across the United States emulate the spirit of the Smithsonian Institution's Washington DC-based facilities, which offer free admission every day, and open their doors for free to those who download a Museum Day Live! ticket. To download free tickets, click here.
The PBS Documentary American Experience:
Tesla takes a look at Nikola
Tesla who came to be seen by many as a tragic figure. This visionary engineer died impoverished and largely forgotten, eclipsed by names such as Edison and Marconi. A tireless inventor who registered numerous patents and developed many working prototypes,
Tesla would become most famous for dazzling demonstrations of his innovation and creativity. His technology helped drive the electrical age in the 20th century, and his vision imagined the wireless world of today. American Experience:
Tesla chronicles the life of a man whose ideas revolutionized his time, and ours. This free film screening is companion programming for the current special exhibit Things Come Apart. Reserve your seats by clicking here.
Things Come Apart Special Exhibit
Now through October 8, 2017
Birthplace of Country
Music Museum
520 Birthplace of Country
Music Way, Bristol, VA
Through extraordinary photographs, disassembled objects and fascinating videos, the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service's Things Come Apart exhibit reveals the inner workings of common, everyday possessions. Images of dozens of objects explore how things are designed and made and how technology has evolved over time.
Things Come Apart embraces key STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) concepts and provides an ideal environment for hands-on experimentation, tinkering, and creative makerspaces. Through support from the Smithsonian Women's Committee, the exhibition includes three hands-on Activity Kits created by the Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation's SparkLab.
Things Come Apart is an exhibition organized by Todd McLellan and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES).
More information on these events and the Birthplace of Country
Music can be found below.
Event Details
September 7 -
Friends of 1927 Concert Series: Mike Farris
September 9 - Songs Come Apart: A Workshop with Ed Snodderly
September 12 - May It Last: A Portrait of The Avett Brothers
September 15-17 - Bristol Rhythm &
Roots Reunion
September 23 - Museum Day Live! featuring a screening of American Experience: Tesla
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, 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 music festival began in Historic Downtown Bristol. The annual three-day event 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, and it is a must-see stop on the Americana
Music Triangle. The Museum tells the story of the 1927 Bristol Sessions recordings, explores how evolving sound technology shaped their success, and highlights how this rich music heritage lives on today. 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. The streaming stations can be accessed online or by using the free
Radio Bristol app on mobile devices.
Website: www.birthplaceofcountrymusic.org
