The Birthplace of Country Music

Weekly Music Lessons with JAM Kids at the Museum!
2025-12-20 10:30 - 11:30, 2025-12-27 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-01-03 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-01-10 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-01-17 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-01-24 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-02-07 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-02-14 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York) and 6 more dates | VA
Date: Weekly on Saturdays
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. ET
Location: The Learning Center, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: $5 per class or $45 for 10 lessons
Through a new partnership with Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM), the Birthplace of Country Music Museum is a new affiliate location for the program, offering weekly music lessons at the museum for children grades 4-8 and beyond. JAM Kids introduces music through small group instruction on acoustic instruments common to the Appalachian region, such as guitar, banjo, and fiddle. Students may bring their own instruments, or they can be provided as a loan while your child is participating in the program. Other instruments may be introduced as to be determined by instructors. Weekly classes will be held throughout the year, and students can join the program at any point in the year.
Registration is required to participate in this program. You can download the Registration Forms and bring it with you when you drop off your child for their first lesson or complete it at the museum’s front desk upon arrival. Each week, lessons will be filled based on arrival and capped at 30 students. Registration allows you to participate but does not guarantee your spot each week.
We do not offer online registration or spot reservations for this program. Lessons can be purchased as-you-go for $5 or as a bundle of ten pre-paid lessons for $45. The bundle is a discounted rate and will expedite your check-in process, but does not guarantee your spot each week. The class will be closed if capacity is reached before your arrival. Scholarships are available upon request. For more information about signing up for JAM or to inquire about scholarships, email Erika Barker at ebarker@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.
Registration Forms: Please bring all three forms with you when you arrive for your first lesson.

Registration Form
Student Contract
Media Release Form

Junior Appalachian Musicians is a non-profit and the parent organization for 50+ after-school programs for children in grades 4 – 8. We provide communities with the tools and support they need to teach children to play and dance to traditional old-time and bluegrass music. JAM introduces music through small group instruction on instruments common to the Appalachian region, such as fiddle, banjo and guitar. Each JAM program is individually operated and funded. By affiliating with the JAM organization, each program is eligible to receive support and resources for free and is licensed to use “Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM)” to identify their traditional music education program.
Be sure to check out JAM Kids on Facebook and Instagram!

The JAM Program Model
JAM is an after-school program for children in grades 4 – 8 and beyond that introduces music through small group instruction on instruments common to the Appalachian region, such as fiddle, banjo and guitar. Each JAM program is individually operated and funded. By affiliating with the JAM organization, each program is eligible to receive support and resources for free, and is licensed to use “Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM)” to identify their traditional music education program.
Junior Appalachian Musicians ® is a registered trademark of Junior Appalachian Musicians, Inc.
In JAM, instrument instruction is often augmented by dance and vocal instruction as well as string band classes and group enrichment lessons, which introduce children to additional Appalachian culture and history. The JAM program model provides children with opportunities to not only learn traditional music, but to also perform in small and large groups. Field trips, visiting artists and an introduction to the rich history of music unique to each local community further supplement program offerings. Each JAM program is encouraged to foster musical traditions by teaching local styles of traditional mountain music and dance to children. Instructors are also encouraged to teach students to learn music by ear, as to preserve oral traditions as much as possible. Other teaching methodologies and instructional skills are covered in regional professional development and training sessions held multiple times per year and hosted by JAM. JAM also encourages student engagement across programs with regional performance and learning activities throughout the year. For a full list of benefits to affiliates, click here.
JAM believes that all children should have access to traditional old time and bluegrass music. It is recommended that each program provide financial assistance through scholarships to children in need. The program model bases tuition fees on student lunch status: $10/week for full pay children, and $5/week for reduced pay children.
Class sizes typically have a student teacher ratio of 8:1 or less. JAM mandates that each affiliated program conduct criminal background checks on their instructors, directors, and other staff members and volunteers. Programs must be held in public facilities accessible to the community. Junior Appalachian Musicians, Inc prohibits discrimination against any persons on the bases of race, color, national origin, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, political beliefs, familial or parental status, and sexual orientation.
For a full listing of affiliation requirements, click here.
History of JAM
Realizing the need to preserve a vital aspect of mountain culture as well as the need for positive activities to underserved youth, Helen White, then a guidance counselor at Sparta Elementary School, founded the first JAM program in Alleghany County, NC in the spring of 2000 with help from other local musicians and educators. Interest in the program spread rapidly with assistance from the National Endowment for the Arts, NC State Arts Council, Blue Ridge National Heritage Area and “The Crooked Road – Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail.”
In 2007, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation provided funding to allow the development of a regional infrastructure. The Dana Foundation, Virginia Commission for Arts, the Virginia Foundation for Humanities, the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Harris and Frances Block Foundation and the Tides Foundation have provided funding for materials development.
“Junior Appalachian Musicians” was incorporated in 2008 as a non-profit 501(c)3 tax exempt corporation to promote a shared vision of JAM and to provide an umbrella through which to offer resources, training materials and activities to benefit programs individually and collectively. Currently in nearly 30 locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, JAM affiliates are providing access to the joy of music to thousands of youth while instilling renewed interest and pride in their heritage.
Interested in learning more about JAM? Click here.

Monthly Bluegrass Jam
2025-12-27 15:00 - 17:00, 2026-02-28 15:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-28 15:00 - 17:00 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum, in partnership with the East Tennessee Bluegrass Association, hosts a monthly gathering of local musicians for a bluegrass jam session. The jam events are intended to provide a space for local musicians to gather and pick, collaborate, share their experiences, and—most importantly—to have fun. The jams are acoustic and only feature traditional bluegrass instruments: acoustic guitar, upright bass, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and dobro.
The jams are free and open to the public. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Those just interested in joining as a spectator are welcome at no charge.
Bluegrass Jams will be held every fourth Saturday of the month from 3-5 p.m., serving as a great warm-up for Saturday night gigs. Musicians are asked to bring their own instruments.
The sessions will be held in the Learning Center at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.
For more information call 423-573-1927.

Speaker Sessions: Tina McDaniel with William Isom II on Local African-American History
2026-01-20 19:00 - 20:30 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Join us on Tuesday, January 20 for a Speaker Session with Tina McDaniel and William Isom II for a presentation on local African-American History. This event honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday with a moderated conversation hosted by the Birthplace of Country Music Museum featuring local Bristolian Tina McDaniel and William Isom II of Black in Appalachia. The discussion will highlight projects, oral story collections, and marker installations—along with fascinating and largely unknown nuggets that reveal the depth, resilience, and cultural impact of Bristol’s African American community.

REGISTER TO ATTEND IN PERSON HERE

Date: Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Time: 7 p.m. ET

Location: In-person at the Birthplace of Country Music, Performance Theatre and streamed on Radio Bristol’s YouTube Channel

Cost: Free and open to the public

Tina D. McDaniel is a retired corporate professional who has spent the last few years working in the nonprofit space. She is particularly proud of her work and the partnership forged with Black in Appalachia to bring visibility to the neglected history of Bristol’s African American community. Most recently, Tina led the Bristol Community Remembrance Project Coalition, a partnership with the Equal Justice Initiative (Montgomery, Ala.) to bring education/awareness, and to memorialize the lynching of Mr. Robert Clark in Bristol, Va. Tina is active in the community and serves on several boards. In 2025 Tina was awarded a grant from Virginia Humanities and the Worrell Foundation for “The Souls of Bristol’s Black Bottom,” a project that will highlight Bristol’s Black business district, which existed from the late 1890s to the mid-1960s, when it was later removed as part of urban renewal efforts. Tina resides in Bristol, Tenn, with her husband and son.
William Isom is a East Tennessee native and the director of Black in Appalachia. He coordinates the project’s research, community data base development, documentary film and photography production, oral history collection and educational events with residents.

Monthly Bluegrass Jam
2026-01-24 15:00 - 17:00 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
CANCELED DUE TO THE FORECAST OF INCLEMENT WEATHER. The Birthplace of Country Music Museum, in partnership with the East Tennessee Bluegrass Association, hosts a monthly gathering of local musicians for a bluegrass jam session. The jam events are intended to provide a space for local musicians to gather and pick, collaborate, share their experiences, and—most importantly—to have fun. The jams are acoustic and only feature traditional bluegrass instruments: acoustic guitar, upright bass, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and dobro.
The jams are free and open to the public. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Those just interested in joining as a spectator are welcome at no charge.
Bluegrass Jams will be held every fourth Saturday of the month from 3-5 p.m., serving as a great warm-up for Saturday night gigs. Musicians are asked to bring their own instruments.
The sessions will be held in the Learning Center at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.
For more information call 423-573-1927.

CANCELED: Jan. 31, JAM Kids at the Museum!
2026-01-31 10:30 - 11:30 | VA

Museum Story Time - Letters & Love
2026-02-06 10:30 - 11:30 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Friday, February 6, 2026
Time: 10:30 a.m. EST
Location: The Learning Center, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: Free and open to the public
Theme: Letters & Love: “The stories stamped with love, tucked into envelopes, and carried by postal workers through snow, rain, and song.”
Craft: Making Valentine mailboxes
Join us in the museum’s Learning Center for our monthly Museum Story Time program. Aimed at toddler-age children and their grown-ups, we will gather on the first Friday of each month for a music- or Appalachia-related storybooks, a tune or two by WBCM Radio Bristol show host Ella Patrick, and a related activity or coloring sheet.
Books that will be featured at Story Time include:

The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bon
Special Delivery by Philip C. Stead

Speaker Sessions: Lisa Sorrell & The Malpass Brothers on Boots, Costumes & Creative Expression
2026-02-10 19:00 - 20:30 | https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/WRiwd3DgRd-mSGciE0jdXw#/registration
Join us on Tuesday, February 10 for a Speaker Session with Lisa Sorrell and The Malpass Brothers for a discussion about the inspiration and innovation behind bootmaking and the creativity that artists express through their songs and stage wear, including boots. This Speaker Sessions is complementary programming for our current special exhibit Boot Scootin’ History: The Craft & Stories of Cowboy Boots on display through April 6.

REGISTER TO ATTEND VIRTUALLY HERE

Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Time: 7 p.m. ET

Location: Virtual via Zoom; registration is required

Cost: Free and open to the public

About Lisa Sorrell
Lisa Sorrell established Sorrell Custom Boots in 1996 in historic Guthrie, Oklahoma. Lisa is a master bootmaker and fine artist whose canvas is the cowboy boot. Every boot she builds is custom fit and handcrafted for each client. Inspired by the art of the cowboy boot, its heritage and tradition, Lisa’s work has been featured in several books, numerous magazines, and the PBS series Craft in America. Distinguished by intricate leather inlay, overlay and topstitching, Sorrell Custom Boots has a reputation of pleasing the most discerning clients with boots that invite investigation and tell a great story.
Lisa Sorrell Recent Awards:

Lifetime Achievement Award, Boot and Saddle Maker’s Roundup, Wichita Falls, Texas
First Place, Master Category, Boot and Saddle Maker’s Roundup, Wichita Falls, Texas

About The Malpass Brothers
In their youth, Chris and Taylor Malpass studied the brother-harmony bluegrass duos of Jim & Jesse, the Louvin and Wilburn Brothers and bathed in the sounds of Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell, Charlie Pride, Merle Haggard after finding their grandfather’s LP collection. It was musical Manna to the boys—there was nothing in the marketplace that fed The Malpass Brothers’ soul more than the music of this bygone era–and they would stay true to it.
Best known as modern-day troubadours who carry the torch for traditional country music, The Malpass Brothers began singing and playing together professionally at a very young age. Alongside their dad, Chris Malpass Sr., the siblings performed at churches all over the southeast, but they continued to hone their traditional sound by working alongside and amongst the legends.
While Taylor finished high school, Chris began honing his songwriting skills, and working with steel guitar legend, Don Helms—an original member of the Drifting Cowboys. A few years later, he found himself on Merle Haggard’s bus, singing and performing for Merle on his 000 Martin guitar. Taylor, in the meantime, played lead guitar in a local band, and upon graduation, flew out to Redding, CA to join his brother as the opening act for Merle Haggard for the next seven years.
In 2011, Haggard produced The Malpass Brothers’ debut album, Memory That Bad on Hag Records. The title track hit number 6 on the CMT Pure Country 12-Pack Countdown and remained in the charts for several weeks. In 2015, Bluegrass Hall of Fame inductee Doyle Lawson picked up the gauntlet and produced their sophomore, self-titled album on Organic Records, and in 2017, The Malpass Brothers released Live at the Paramount, which captures the energy and excitement of their highly polished, traditional country music show.
However, their latest album, Lonely Street (2023), also produced by Lawson alongside Ben Isaacs (of the multi-Dove Award-winning/Grammy nominated group The Isaacs), may be their strongest project to date. Notably engineered by the late Grammy Award-winning Mark Capps under the oversight of Executive Producer and longstanding Malpass manager, Dan Mann, this 12-song album teems with brand new, traditional country music that sounds as if it were curated from a 50s/60s/70s smoke-filled, classic country jukebox. Chris Malpass wrote the majority of the songs, including co-writes by Dickey Lee, Shawn Camp, Conrad Fisher and Taylor Dunn. The album also includes cover nods like “Love Slips Away” by Merle Haggard and Jeannie Seely’s “We Don’t.”

Songwriters Circle
2026-02-14 14:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-14 14:00 - 17:00 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
2026 Dates: Monthly, every 2nd Saturday

January 10
February 14
March 14
April 11 (SHOWCASE)
May 9
June 13
July 12
August 8
September 12 (TBD)
October 11
November 14 (SHOWCASE)
December 12

Time: 2-5 p.m. ET
Location: The Learning Center, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: Free and open to the public, donations encouraged at quarterly showcases
In partnership with Songwriters of Highlands Appalachia, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum will host a monthly Songwriters Circle every 2nd Saturday, 2-5 p.m. ET, in the Learning Center. Beginners, experienced songwriters, and aspiring songwriters are invited to share songs, brainstorm ideas, and encourage each other to keep writing. There is no fee to participate.
At the end of each session, the group will choose three prompts to inspire ideas for the following month. The prompts may be objects, phrases, feelings, colors, senses, or any other topic. Writers may use those topics to help them write a song or two to share for the following session. Songwriters do not have to play an instrument in order to participate.
Songwriters Circle is an opportunity to perform, workshop, and network with other artists, with an emphasis on clarity and telling a story. The goals of the group are to encourage songwriting, introduce songwriting shows to audiences in the region, and enlighten the public about the craft of songwriting and its value as an art form.
Fans of music and songwriting are welcome to sit in for a listen at no cost.

About Songwriters of Highlands Appalachia

Songwriters of Highlands Appalachia is led by Mary Munsey, a local musician and educator, recently retired from Virginia Highlands Community College. The program offers a great deal of flexibility in its format for attendees, with varied songwriting interests and abilities. Some of the attendees play instruments and some are curious about songwriting and the process. Lyrics can sometimes only pare up with others that play instruments and put music with the words. Some writers don’t sing, but enjoy hearing others perform their songs. Some of the performances can be a cappella. Some members of the group write one to three songs between sessions and some write more. Sometimes as busy as life gets, writers don’t get to write new material between meetings. We don’t pressure anyone to write, and we don’t criticize anyone. We treat each other with respect. We don’t discuss politics, use profanity, or write antagonistic lyrics.

The focus is not on the beauty of the voice or skill of the instrumentation, but the clearness of the pronunciation and the effect of the song. We work on making sure the audience can hear every word. We are not professional musicians but we are creators of musical stories and that is the beauty of it. The sessions are open to anyone visiting the museum. Genres are not specified. Songs can be instrumental, folk, country, bluegrass, Americana, blues, humorous, jazz, R&B, electronic, and even pop, to name a few. Writers are allowed to bring CDs for sale and to accept tips after performances.
As an extension of this program, each quarter we invite songwriters to attend “Writers-in-the-Round” or WITR concerts. WITR consists of three to five writers together in a circle or on stage. Each writer introduces themselves, gives the title of their song, and then sings it with or without accompaniment. Discussion will follow concerning the origins of the song, how they wrote it, and the song’s inspiration, along with any questions from the audience.

To learn more about Songwriters of Highlands Appalachia, visit the website at HighlandsAppalachia.org.

Museum Volunteer Orientation
2026-02-21 10:00 - 12:00 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
We want YOU to join our wonderful team of volunteers at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum!
Dates: Every other month on a Saturday

February 21, 2026
April 18, 2026
June 20, 2026
August 15, 2026
October 17, 2026
December 19, 2026

Time: 10 a.m.-Noon
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Learning Center
If you have a passion for Bristol and its musical legacy and love helping others, our museum volunteer program is the perfect fit for you!
Museum volunteers play a vital role in a number of key areas behind the scenes and on the front lines, such as working as a gallery assistant or docent, helping out in The Museum Store, working with the public at events, concerts, and programs, assisting with behind the scenes administrative or collections work and so much more! Our Museum Volunteer Orientation session gets you acquainted with every aspect of the museum to help you find your area of interest. Volunteer schedules are flexible and fun!
If you are interested in coming to our Museum Volunteer Training, call 423-573-1927 or email volunteercoordinator@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.

1927 Society Concert Series: Hogslop String Band
2026-02-27 18:00 - 21:00 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
The Birthplace of Country Music proudly presents the intimate 1927 Concert Series experience featuring live music by Hogslop String Band.
Date: Friday, February 27, 2025
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Location: Performance Theater, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $119.57
GET TICKETS
—Presale for 1927 Society Members starts on Thursday, December 4
Check email for Access Code
—Public Onsale starts on Thursday, December 11

The 1927 Concert Series is an intimate concert experience set in the “acoustically perfect” performance theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. It’s more than a night of music, it’s a very personal event with some of the most renowned roots music artists performing today. Guests are asked to arrive promptly at 6 p.m. to enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and an open bar before the show (ages 21+ with valid ID), food and drinks included with ticket. Music begins at 7 p.m.
Members of the Birthplace of Country Music’s 1927 Society are given access to exclusive ticket pre-sales to the 1927 Concert Series before they go on sale to the public. To learn more about becoming a member of the 1927 Society and all its advantages, click here.
About Hogslop String Band
Staying true to tradition while maintaining a bold irreverence is something that rarely goes hand-in-hand, but Hogslop String Band manages to walk that line. With their roots in old-time string band music, and their energy based in wild rock- and-roll; you could almost call them punk purists.
It’s an unlikely combination, but given the talents of singer and fiddler Kevin Martin; guitarist, harmonica player and singer Gabriel Kelley; banjo player and singer Daniel Binkley, and bassist and all-round entertainer Pickle, they pull it off with natural ease. The name alone hints at their wacky ways, but catching them live will give you a true sense of these bizarre, seemingly contradictory descriptions.
They thrive on crossing genres, casting off the confines of straight old-time and bluegrass, delving into a deep repertoire of rock, folk, psychedelic, and original numbers that can only be described as,”The Hogslop Sound.” It’s clear that these guys are going places, and they’ve quickly become one of the most unique and exhilarating outfits in live music today. After making their Opry Debut in 2022, Hogslop String Band has begun to cross the lines of more than genre.
www.hogslopstringband.com
1927 Society Concert Underwriting Support Provided By Meade Tractor

Museum Story Time - From Seed to Song
2026-03-06 10:30 - 11:30 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Friday, March 6, 2026
Time: 10:30 a.m. EST
Location: The Learning Center, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: Free and open to the public
Theme: From Seed to Song: “The stories we carry in our hearts and our history, planted in soil and song.”
Join us in the museum’s Learning Center for our monthly Museum Storytime program. Aimed at toddler-age children and their grown-ups, we will gather on the first Friday of each month for a music- or Appalachia-related storybooks, a tune or two by WBCM Radio Bristol show host Ella Patrick, and a related activity or coloring sheet.
Books that will be featured at Story Time include:

Grandpa’s Garden by Stella Fry
Up, Down, and Around by Katherine Ayres

Boot Scootin' Trivia Night at LUMAC
2026-03-06 18:00 - 20:00 | The Bristol Hotel, LUMAC Rooftop Bar, 115 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Calling all trivia buffs!
Get your team together and join the Birthplace of Country Music Museum and the Bristol Hotel on Friday, March 6, 6-8 p.m. for a Boot Scootin’ Trivia Night! We’ll gather at LUMAC Rooftop Bar for several rounds of cowpoke-adjacent trivia – from famous cowboys/cowgirls and westerns in film, TV, and books to music, animals, cowboy boots, and more! There will be a prize for the winning and runner-up teams.

Date: Friday, March 6, 2026

Time: 6-8 p.m. ET

Location: The Bristol Hotel, LUMAC Rooftop Bar

Cost: Free and open to the public
REGISTER TO ATTEND HERE

There is no charge to participate in this event though a suggested donation of $10 per team is encouraged as a way to support the museum’s free and low-cost public and educational programming. Lumac has a wide variety of food and drink available for purchase so be sure to get there early to order. This event goes along with the museum’s current special exhibit – Boot Scootin’ History: The Craft & Stories of Cowboy Boots – and trivia participants are invited to check out the exhibit any time between 4-6 p.m. on March 6 for free (it might even help you with some of the questions!).
Please register if you plan to join us!

Cardboard Dulcimer-Building Workshop
2026-03-21 13:00 - 16:00 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Dates: Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22, 2026 (Two-Day Event)
Time: 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST
Location: The Learning Center, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: $30, open to the public (recommended age of 16 and up)
REGISTER TO ATTEND HERE
Join us at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum on Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22, 1-4 p.m. for a cardboard dulcimer-building workshop! Class size is limited to 15 people and recommended for ages 16 and up; registration fee is $37.47 including all taxes, fees and materials. The class occurs in two sessions to finish the project.
Led by dulcimer player and instructor Roxanne McDaniel, participants will have the opportunity to build their own dulcimer from cardboard using simple tools. Introduced in the early 19th century by Scots-Irish immigrants, the dulcimer has a prominent history in Appalachian music. Participants in the workshop will learn more about that history and the importance of keeping this uniquely Appalachian instrument relevant for younger generations. The dulcimer is also among the most accessible of stringed instruments, making it especially suitable for beginners. This is the perfect opportunity for anyone who wants to learn an instrument, from experienced musicians to complete beginners. The workshop will also introduce participants to a number of simple playing techniques and beginner-friendly dulcimer tunes.
Roxanne is based in Johnson City and is a graduate of East Tennessee State University’s Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music Studies program. She has a passion for the dulcimer and for teaching others about its importance in Appalachian culture. McDaniel leads classes, hosts dulcimer workshops, and incorporates the instrument heavily in her own music. She is also a Radio Bristol DJ, hosting her show Outside the Box on Thursdays at 2 p.m.
Special thanks to Berea Appalachian Fund’s Folk Arts & Cultures Initiative for support of this project.

Boot Scootin' Block Party
2026-03-27 17:00 - 20:00 | Axe and Ale House, 155 Moore Street, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Saturday, March 27, 2026
Time: 5 – 8 p.m. EST
Location: Special Exhibits Gallery, Birthplace of Country Music Museum, and Axe and Ale House Dance Tent
Cost: FREE but any donations at the door will support the museum.

Celebrate the last week of the Boot Scootin’ History: The Craft and Stories of Cowboy Boots Special Exhibit with a Boot Scootin’ Block party! Bring out your best boots for the Cowboy Boot Contest, explore the Special Exhibit for free to learn about the history of cowboy boots and what it takes to make boots by hand from one of the best bootmakers in the business, and boogie the night away Line Dancing with Carla at the Dance Tent outside Axe and Ale House!

This event is open to all ages and no experience is necessary.

Food and drinks are available for purchase inside Axe and Ale House and can be consumed at the Dance Tent. No food or drinks are allowed inside the Special Exhibit.

Cowboy Boot Contest

Sign up for the contest at the registration table by the Dance Tent. Registration ends at 6:15 p.m. or when the 20-person limit is reached. The contest starts at 6:30 p.m. Each contestant will be called up to strike a pose, do a jig, or otherwise show off your boots in the best way you know how. Once all contestants have displayed their boots, three guest judges will choose the top three boots of the evening.

1st Place – 2 tickets to Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion
2nd Place – 2 tickets to Farm and Fun Time and an Axe and Ale House Giftcard
3rd Place – 2 tickets to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, a Boot Scootin’ History exhibit poster, Boot Card Deck, and swag from Axe and Ale House.
