Farm and Fun Time at Paramount Bristol!
2022-07-21 19:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Paramount Bristol, 518 State St, Bristol, TN, TN, 37620, United States
Date: Thursday, July 21, 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST (Doors open at 6:00 p.m.)
Location: Paramount Bristol, 518 State Street, Bristol, TN 37620
Tickets: $35 – $82 plus fees and taxes.
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Join us for a very special edition of Farm and Fun Time, live from the historic stage at Paramount Bristol – with musical guests Rhonda Vincent and the Rage and Lauren Morrow, plus Roni Stoneman with host band Bill and the Belles – celebrating the 95th anniversary of the 1927 Bristol Sessions.
Birthplace of Country Music has joined forces with Paramount Bristol to bring the program to the opulent venue quarterly as part of a new initiative to expand WBCM Radio Bristol’s flagship program to wider audiences.
Hosted by Radio Bristol Program Director Kris Truelsen and his band Bill and the Belles, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. The original Farm and Fun Time played a major role in the careers of legendary acts from the Appalachian region including The Stanley Brothers, Flatt & Scruggs, Jim & Jesse McReynolds and many more.
Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, through the station’s online media center at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
About Rhonda Vincent
Rhonda Vincent is a firecracker of talent that powers one of the hottest bands in any genre of music today. From humble beginnings in the tiny town of Greentop, Missouri, Rhonda’s musical heritage traces back 5 generations of the Vincent family. Her dad would pick her up from school each day, and they would sing and play till dinner. After dinner, friends came over, and they would sing and play till bedtime. She began her professional music career singing in her family’s band The Sally Mountain Show. It was an immediate “on the job training,” as they had a TV show, radio show, and made their first recording when Rhonda was 5 years old. She picked up the mandolin at eight, the fiddle at twelve, and learned a valuable life lesson as a teenager performing with her family at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. While they were playing in the pouring rain to empty seats, and what they thought, no one listening — a week later they received a call from Hal Durham, general manager of the Grand Ole Opry at the time, and who just happened to be listening with his family around the corner. Mr. Durham loved what he heard and invited the Vincent family to appear on the Opry.
Rhonda’s life of music evolved into a successful career in bluegrass music; after being discovered by Grand Ole Opry Star “Jim Ed Brown,” and later spending what she calls her musical college years recording for Giant Records; and learning about the music business from Nashville’s best like James Stroud, Jack McFadden, and Stan Barnett.
It was her pivotal bluegrass album “Back Home Again” that transformed Rhonda Vincent into the All American Bluegrass Girl, and crowned the New Queen of Bluegrass by “The Wall Street Journal” in 2000.
A multi-award winner, with a 2017 Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album, an Entertainer of the Year 2001, Song of the Year 2004, and unprecedented 7 consecutive Female Vocalist of the Year awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association 2000 – 2006 and an 8th win of IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year in 2015.
Her lifelong dream came true when she was invited to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry on February 28, 2020. Rhonda waited an unprecedented 345 days and was officially inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry on February 6, 2021.
Her powerful vocal style transcends the boundaries of bluegrass music, as evidenced in her collaboration with Dolly Parton on the Elton John / Bernie Taupin Tribute Project “Restoration” 2018.
About Lauren Morrow
After over a decade as the centerpiece of popular Americana band The Whiskey Gentry, Lauren Morrow packed her bags, her dogs, her cats, and husband and moved to Nashville to pursue a career as a solo artist and grow her craft as a songwriter and performer. Within months, she released her first solo EP to widespread critical acclaim and landed on many Best Of year ends lists from Rolling Stone to Garden & Gun, quickly launching her already budding career and sending it into hyperdrive. Over the next year, Morrow filmed an episode for PBS’ Bluegrass Underground and toured the US playing festivals such as Pickathon and Bristol Rhythm & Roots to name a few. Morrow recently wrapped recording her first solo, full-length album at the legendary Nashville studio, Sound Emporium. Mixed by Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White, Phish) and Jaquire King (Kings of Leon, Tom Waits, Shania Twain) set to release in 2022, Morrow’s new album showcases her flawless vocals and intricate songwriting, but also her willingness to take risks — an edge that makes her stand out from the Nashville norm. Whether she’s singing an alternative/indie rock banger, a classic-country cooner, or a traditional lovesick ballad, there’s a unique impression she leaves that lingers and is unlike anything you’ve heard before.
About Roni Stoneman
Virtuoso bluegrass banjoist Roni Stoneman is known best for her role on the popular country music variety show Hee Haw. Roni is the second-youngest of Ernest “Pop” Stoneman and wife Hattie’s 23 children. Roni performed with her siblings and parents in The Stoneman Family band and were a popular touring act. The Stonemans performed at the White House, the Smithsonian, and the Grand Ole Opry and hosted their own TV series, Those Stonemans, from 1966 to 1968 and won the Country Music Association’s (CMA) for Vocal Group of the Year in 1967.

Radio Bristol's Farm and Fun Time
2022-08-11 19:00 - 20:30 | VA
Date: Thursday, August 11, 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; audience asked to be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Performance Theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $35
BUY TICKETS HERE
Join us in the intimate performance theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum for WBCM Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time live variety show with special guests Fireside Collective, Larry Bellorin and Joe Troop.
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on PBS stations across the South. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.

About Fireside Collective
A quintet who cheerfully disregard every kind of one-dimensional label that might be attached to their music, Fireside Collective has been on a roll since emerging seven years ago from the fertile roots music scene of Asheville, North Carolina. In quick order, the progressive bluegrass group released its debut album, won the 2016 Band Contest at MerleFest, earned an International Bluegrass Music Association Momentum Band of the Year nomination and embarked on an ambitious touring schedule that’s earned an enthusiastic reception from traditional bluegrass to wide-ranging, eclectic music festival audiences alike.
​Blending the characteristic interplay of bluegrass instrumentation and harmonies with strong original material and exuberant energy, Fireside Collective has drawn on folk, blues, funk and a wide variety of bluegrass sounds to create a distinctive body of work that’s all their own.

About Larry Bellorin and Joe Troop
Larry Bellorín & Joe Troop were destined to make music together. Larry hails from Monagas, Venezuela and is a legend of Llanera music. Joe is from North Carolina and is a GRAMMY-nominated bluegrass and oldtime musician. Larry was forced into exile and is an asylum seeker in North Carolina. Joe, after a decade in South America, got stranded back in his stomping grounds in the pandemic. Larry works construction to make ends meet. Joe’s acclaimed “latingrass” band Che Apalache was forced into hiatus, and he shifted into action working with asylum seeking migrants.
Currently based in the Triangle of North Carolina, both men are versatile multi-instrumentalists and singer-songwriters on a mission to show that music has no borders. As a duo they perform a fusion of Venezuelan and Appalachian folk music on harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, guitar, maracas and whatever else they decide to throw in the van. The program they offer features a distinct blend of their musical inheritances and traditions as well as storytelling about the ways that music and social movements coalesce.

About Bill and the Belles
Bill and the Belles is a Johnson City, TN-based band known for combining a stringband format with their signature harmonies, candid songwriting, and pop sensibilities. Their delightfully deadpan new album, Happy Again, is full of life, humor, and tongue-in-cheek explorations of love and loss. Bill and the Belles is Kris Truelsen on guitar, fiddler Kalia Yeagle, banjo/banjo-uke player Aidan VanSuetendael, and bassist Andrew Small. The group has a knack for saying sad things with a bit of an ironic smirk, and anyone who’s been to one of their shows can attest that you leave feeling lighter and refreshed. This is a band that revels in the in-between: deeply engaged with the stringband tradition and eager to stretch those influences to a contemporary setting. A timeless place where Jimmie Rodgers and Phil Spector can overlap, and a driving fiddle and banjo tune makes way for a sentimental parlor song. And while Bill and the Belles’ latest chapter offers a bigger, moodier, and more decade-ambiguous sound, they maintain their status as the most refreshing stringband around. Visit the band’s website at BillandtheBelles.com for touring and more information.

Radio Bristol's Farm and Fun Time at Bristol Rhythm
2022-09-10 19:30 - 21:30 | VA
Ticket holders to the annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival will have the opportunity to be part of the “studio” audience for Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time live variety show at Paramount Bristol, featuring special guests Del McCoury Band, Willie Watson, and the Green Grass Cloggers, with host Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles!
Date: September 10, 2022
Time: 7:30 p.m. EDT
Location: Paramount Bristol (518 State Street)
Cost: Free to Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival ticket holders
Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time is a reimagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. The show broadcasts live before a studio audience and is recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. Farm and Fun Time can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
About Del McCoury Band
Even among the pantheon of music’s finest artists, Del McCoury stands alone. From the nascent sound of bluegrass that charmed hardscrabble hillbilly honkytonks, rural schoolhouse stages, and the crowning glory of the Grand Ole Opry to the present-day culture-buzz of viral videos and digital streams, Del is the living link. On primetime and late-night television talk shows, there is Del. From headlining sold-out concerts to music festivals of all genres, including one carrying his namesake, there is Del. Where audiences number in the tens of thousands, and admirers as diverse as country-rock icon Steve Earle and jamband royalty Phish count as two among hundreds, there is Del.
About Willie Watson
For nearly two decades, Willie Watson has made modern folk music rooted in older traditions. He’s a folksinger in the classic sense: a singer, storyteller, and traveler, with a catalog of songs that bridge the gap between the past and present. On Folksinger Vol. 2, he acts as a modern interpreter of older songs, passing along his own version of the music that came long before him.
About Green Grass Cloggers
With feet flying and dresses swishing, the Green Grass Cloggers have been a force in traditional dance for over 50 years. Formed in 1971, they are a high-energy percussive dance team based in North Carolina that has preserved and added to traditional steps and routines reflecting those of folk tradition. Through national and international travel, they have captivated audiences at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center Honors, the Philadelphia Folk Festival and countless other venues. In 2014, the group was inducted into the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame and America’s Clogging Hall of Fame.
About Bill and the Belles
With their enchanting debut album, “Dreamsongs, Etc.,” Bill and the Belles have captured the freewheeling, lighthearted approach to music that has endeared them to listeners of every generation. With a spirited sound that falls somewhere between old-time country and vaudeville, the group puts its own spin on a golden era of music, specifically the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s.

Radio Bristol's Farm and Fun Time
2022-10-13 19:00 - 20:30 | VA
Date: Thursday, October 13, 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; audience asked to be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Performance Theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $35
SOLD OUT!
Join us in the intimate performance theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum for WBCM Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time live variety show with special guests Sunny Sweeney and Ferd.
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on PBS stations across the South. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.

About Sunny Sweeney
Sunny Sweeney, a genre-bending, songwriting spitfire who has spent equal time in the rich musical traditions of Texas and Tennessee, returns with Married Alone, the celebrated singer-songwriter’s fifth studio album and the follow-up to 2017’s critically acclaimed Trophy. Co-produced by beloved Texas musician and larger-than-life personality Paul Cauthen and the Texas Gentlemen’s multi-hyphenate Beau Bedford, Married Alone is Sweeney’s finest work yet, bringing together confessional songwriting, image-rich narratives and no shortage of sonic surprises for a loosely conceptual album about loss and healing.

About FERD
Ferd is a man and a band creating a fresh and vibrant interpretation of American music. Ferd is set to release their first album, Feelin’ Like the Wind, in 2022. The album is a musical journey into the toils of joy we all find while stumbling our way to forgiveness.
Ferd Moyse the man was raised in the Mississippi Delta. Born in the land of the Blues, he was exposed to music from the beginning. Sometimes his parents might take him to parties where the likes of Sam Chatman may have been playing, but when he was old enough to be left alone, his job was staying home flipping cassette tapes for his father’s weekly ritual of recording a Mississippi Public Radio show called, “Grass Roots.” The 3-hour show was young Ferd’s introduction into bluegrass and old time music.
At the same time, music was all over the Delta and he would see things from Son Thomas playing at his church or John Hartford at an old high school auditorium. Ferd began playing guitar at an early age and began performing with various blues bands around Mississippi. A chance encounter with a Doc and Merle Watson CD turned his attention to acoustic music and into Appalachia. He moved to western North Carolina and crossed paths with the fiddle, eventually becoming fiddler and singer with the Virginia based Hackensaw Boys.The band was turning heads making original music with a punk-rock spirit. With the Hackensaw Boys, Ferd traveled nationally and internationally playing every festival and club stage they could find, creating an unpretentious version of our folk music. They eventually released albums for Netwerk and Free Dirt Record labels and even working with grammy-winning producer Larry Campbell. Ferd is also know all over by his work with the New York based bard, Morgan O’kane. Together, Ferd and O’kane have traveled extensively busking and playing stages from Brazil to Belfast.

About Bill and the Belles
Bill and the Belles is a Johnson City, TN-based band known for combining a stringband format with their signature harmonies, candid songwriting, and pop sensibilities. Their delightfully deadpan new album, Happy Again, is full of life, humor, and tongue-in-cheek explorations of love and loss. Bill and the Belles is Kris Truelsen on guitar, fiddler Kalia Yeagle, banjo/banjo-uke player Aidan VanSuetendael, and bassist Andrew Small. The group has a knack for saying sad things with a bit of an ironic smirk, and anyone who’s been to one of their shows can attest that you leave feeling lighter and refreshed. This is a band that revels in the in-between: deeply engaged with the stringband tradition and eager to stretch those influences to a contemporary setting. A timeless place where Jimmie Rodgers and Phil Spector can overlap, and a driving fiddle and banjo tune makes way for a sentimental parlor song. And while Bill and the Belles’ latest chapter offers a bigger, moodier, and more decade-ambiguous sound, they maintain their status as the most refreshing stringband around. Visit the band’s website at BillandtheBelles.com for touring and more information.

Farm and Fun Time: Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast, Adam Bolt
2022-11-10 19:00 - 21:00 | VA
Date: Thursday, November 10, 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST (Guests are asked to be seated in the performance theater by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $40
BUY TICKETS
Join us in the intimate performance theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum for WBCM Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time live variety show with special guests Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast and Adam Bolt.
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on PBS stations across the South. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
About Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast

Known for her soaring vocal performances, Caitlin Krisko and The Broadcast is a powerhouse soul rock band hailing from Asheville, North Carolina. Established in 2021, Krisko’s electrified and unforgettable performances led to her working with members of Tedeschi Trucks Band and David Bowie’s Blackstar Band on the band’s newest studio album Lost My Sight. Krisko captivates her audiences, bringing the perfect blend of power and vulnerability throughout her shows. With a mix of soul rock arrangements with dashes of blues and pop, Caitlin Krisko and The Broadcast has shared stages with Mavis Staples, the late Charles Bradley, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Marcus King, The String Cheese Incident, Bettye Layette, and Gregg Allman’s Buffalo Mountain Jam among others.
About Adam Bolt

Adam Bolt is an award winning Songwriter, and self-proclaimed troubadour of Abingdon. Adam says his songs are Cynical, Sensationalized, and Seasoned in the key of Country. His detailed observations of the natural world are hidden throughout his music. By day, Adam is a grape farmer in which mundane labor allows for a void in his brain to think about things. These things turn into songs and then the songs are garnished with stories. He is a student of Todd Snider, Tom T. Hall, Roger Miller, and John Prine, and many more.
About Bill and the Belles

Bill and the Belles is a Johnson City, TN-based band known for combining a stringband format with their signature harmonies, candid songwriting, and pop sensibilities. Their delightfully deadpan new album, Happy Again, is full of life, humor, and tongue-in-cheek explorations of love and loss. Bill and the Belles is Kris Truelsen on guitar, fiddler Kalia Yeagle, banjo/banjo-uke player Aidan VanSuetendael, and bassist Andrew Small. The group has a knack for saying sad things with a bit of an ironic smirk, and anyone who’s been to one of their shows can attest that you leave feeling lighter and refreshed. This is a band that revels in the in-between: deeply engaged with the stringband tradition and eager to stretch those influences to a contemporary setting. A timeless place where Jimmie Rodgers and Phil Spector can overlap, and a driving fiddle and banjo tune makes way for a sentimental parlor song. And while Bill and the Belles’ latest chapter offers a bigger, moodier, and more decade-ambiguous sound, they maintain their status as the most refreshing stringband around.

A BCM Christmas with Riders in the Sky
2022-12-02 18:00 - 21:00 | VA
Tickets now on sale to the public!
Date: Friday, December 2, 2022
Time 6:00 p.m. EST
Location: Performance Theater, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $100
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Join us for a very special BCM Christmas special with Riders in the Sky, which includes dinner and a cash bar, hosted by WBCM Radio Bristol.
Click here to learn more about the benefits of becoming a member of our 1927 Society so that you may receive exclusive, first-access to concert tickets and more.
About Riders in the Sky

40 years ago there were no laptops, no cellular phones, no Google, no downloads, no Skype, no Tweets, no Apple, no Microsoft, no texting, no electric cars, no Uber. A different world. But there were three young men with drive and wit who wanted to keep a special music alive. They believed in preserving the heritage of Western Music and presenting it to a new generation. They believed in entertaining, and they did so… entertaining themselves as well as the audience! And they believed in creating original Western Music to continue the tradition, not just seal it in amber as a museum piece.
The quartet has slowed up very little and the numbers begin to add up: an astonishing 7,200+ appearances, 35 years on the Grand Ole Opry, 40 records albums (well, now CDs,) and tours of all 50 states and all over the world.
Honors accumulated as well. In addition to the two GRAMMY Awards, Riders received numerous awards from the Western Music Association, including the highest: membership in the Western Music Hall of Fame; numerous Wrangler awards from the Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Museum; awards from the Academy of Western Artists; enshrinement in the Walkway of Western Stars, and more. What began as a celebration of classic Western Music and an evening of hilarity has become a career, and that career has become a legend, one which, 40 years on, shows no signs of stopping or even slowing down much.
Ranger Doug, Too Slim, Woody Paul and Joey the Cowpolka King… 44 years on, “The Cowboy Way.”

Farm and Fun Time featuring Darrell Scott, John Long
2022-12-08 19:00 - 21:00 | VA
Be part of the live studio audience for WBCM Radio Bristol’s variety show hosted by Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles.
Date: Thursday, December 8, 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST (Doors open at 6:30 p.m., audience is asked to be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Performance Theater, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $40
BUY TICKETS
Join us in the intimate performance theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum for WBCM Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time live variety show with special guests Darrell Scott and John Long.
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
About Darrell Scott

Darrell Scott “mines and cultivates the everyday moment, taking the rote, menial, mundane, and allowing it to be surreal, ever poignant, and candidly honest, lilting, blooming, and resonating. The words he fosters allow us to make sense of the world, what is at stake here, and our place in it. And ultimately, Darrell knows the sole truth of life is that love is all that matters, that we don’t always get it right, but that’s the instinctive and requisite circuitous allure of things, why we forever chase it, and why it is held sacred.
2017 and 2018 Darrell opened for and performing with the Zac Brown Band, these days find him roaming his Tennessee wilderness acreage hiking along the small river, playing music, or sharing each day with the woman he loves, also an artist in her own right. He often leads songwriting workshops to help people tell their own truths with their stories, and is as busy as always writing, producing, performing, and just plain fully immersing himself at the hips in life.
​If one really opens their eyes and sees how incomparably varied in surreal depth and breadth the musical territory he is both delving into and setting the high water mark with, it leaves the rest in a bewildered wash of gravel road dust and fading taillights. For good luck finding that two-legged soul who walks around among us who can keep up with him─ain’t gonna happen.”
~ Nathaniel Riverhorse Nakadate
About John Long

Delta blues man John Long is a native of St. Louis, but his love of the blues took hold in Chicago. He moved to Denver in the mid-1970s and soon became known as “Colorado’s own Bluesman,” and has had the opportunity to open shows for many and varied names in the blues, and also folk music artists, many of whom he also got the chance to play with. A few of these included, along with Homesick, Muddy Waters, John Hammond, B.B. King, Snooky Pryor, John Lee Hooker, the Fabulous Thunderbirds (Stevie Ray & brother Jimmy), Odetta, Big Mama Thornton, George Thorogood, Phoebe Snow, Steve Goodman, John Prine, and Big Walter Horton. Long has played internationally, in Europe, Canada, Austria and Germany, as well as coast to coast in the United States.
About Bill and the Belles

Bill and the Belles is a Johnson City, TN-based band known for combining a stringband format with their signature harmonies, candid songwriting, and pop sensibilities. Their delightfully deadpan new album, Happy Again, is full of life, humor, and tongue-in-cheek explorations of love and loss. Bill and the Belles is Kris Truelsen on guitar, fiddler Kalia Yeagle, banjo/banjo-uke player Aidan VanSuetendael, and bassist Andrew Small. The group has a knack for saying sad things with a bit of an ironic smirk, and anyone who’s been to one of their shows can attest that you leave feeling lighter and refreshed. This is a band that revels in the in-between: deeply engaged with the stringband tradition and eager to stretch those influences to a contemporary setting. A timeless place where Jimmie Rodgers and Phil Spector can overlap, and a driving fiddle and banjo tune makes way for a sentimental parlor song. And while Bill and the Belles’ latest chapter offers a bigger, moodier, and more decade-ambiguous sound, they maintain their status as the most refreshing stringband around.

Farm and Fun Time featuring The Deslondes, Erika Lewis
2023-01-12 19:00 - 21:00 | VA
Be part of the live studio audience for WBCM Radio Bristol’s variety show hosted by Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles.
Date: January 12, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST (Doors open at 6:30 p.m., audience is asked to be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Performance Theater, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $40
BUY TICKETS
Join us in the intimate performance theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum for WBCM Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time live variety show with special guests The Deslondes and Erika Lewis.
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
About The Deslondes

The Deslondes revealed their self-titled debut to widespread tastemaker applause during 2015. However, they really hit their stride on “Hurry Home” in 2017. Right out of the gate, Noisey proclaimed, “The Deslondes have found a comfortable sound to create art in, and it serves them well,” while Rolling Stone noted, “The Deslondes’ take on country relies on gritty, grimy mix of early rock ‘n’ roll and lo-fi R&B.” In addition to praise from American Songwriter, Paste, The Boot, and more, the record closed out on the year on Uncut‘s “Favorite Albums of 2017.” The band’s latest record, “other side,” might just be its brightest yet.

About Erika Lewis

Known for her lengthy tenure touring and busking with beloved New Orleans jazz band Tuba Skinny, prolific songwriter and singer Erika Lewis has been churning out American originals all her own for the past several years. From classic country to cosmic Americana to dreamy indie folk, Lewis continues to dip her toes more deeply into an every expanding pool of roots music styles. Her new record, “A Walk Around the Sun,” was produced by John James Tourville of The Deslondes and is a testament to Lewis’ songwriting prowess and exceptional vocal ability.

About Bill and the Belles

Bill and the Belles is a Johnson City, TN-based band known for combining a stringband format with their signature harmonies, candid songwriting, and pop sensibilities. Their delightfully deadpan new album, Happy Again, is full of life, humor, and tongue-in-cheek explorations of love and loss. Bill and the Belles is Kris Truelsen on guitar, fiddler Kalia Yeagle, banjo/banjo-uke player Aidan VanSuetendael, and bassist Andrew Small. The group has a knack for saying sad things with a bit of an ironic smirk, and anyone who’s been to one of their shows can attest that you leave feeling lighter and refreshed. This is a band that revels in the in-between: deeply engaged with the stringband tradition and eager to stretch those influences to a contemporary setting. A timeless place where Jimmie Rodgers and Phil Spector can overlap, and a driving fiddle and banjo tune makes way for a sentimental parlor song. And while Bill and the Belles’ latest chapter offers a bigger, moodier, and more decade-ambiguous sound, they maintain their status as the most refreshing stringband around.

SOLD OUT! Farm and Fun Time featuring Town Mountain, Anya Hinkle Trio
2023-02-09 19:00 - 21:00 | VA
Sorry, tickets are sold out! Be sure and join us on WBCM Radio Bristol’s Facebook page to view online for free!
Date: Thursday, February 9, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST (Doors open at 6:30 p.m., audience is asked to please be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum Performance Theater
Tickets: SOLD OUT!
Join us in the intimate performance theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum for WBCM Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time live variety show with special guests Town Mountain and Anya Hinkle Trio.
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
About Town Mountain

Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina, Town Mountain is the sum of all its vast and intricate influences — this bastion of alt-country rebellion and honky-tonk attitude pushed through the hardscrabble Southern Appalachian lens of its origin.
“For us, it’s all about the interaction between the audience and the band — doing whatever we can onstage to facilitate that two-way street of energy and emotion,” says mandolinist Phil Barker. “Whether it’s a danceable groove or a particular lyric in a song, we’re projecting what we’re going through in our daily lives, and we feel that other people can attest to that, as well — it’s all about making that connection.”
About Anya Hinkle Trio

With vivid storytelling, vibrant musicianship and arresting honesty, Anya Hinkle and her band explore the beauty of song craft through the lens of the Appalachian string band tradition. Originally from the mountains of Virginia, Anya’s music is steeped in the tones of folk and bluegrass and seasoned by travels across the world. A founding member of Asheville-based bands Dehlia Low (Rebel Records) and Tellico (Organic Records), Anya released the first full-length album under her own name, “Eden And Her Borderlands,” in July 2021 on Organic Records. Hinkle won the MerleFest Chris Austin Songwriting Competition in 2019 for her song “Ballad of Zona Abston” and was runner-up in the International Acoustic Music Awards in 2022 for her song “Hills of Swannanoa.”
Anya tours regionally and nationally in the U.S. as well as Japan and Europe. The Trio includes dobro master Billy Cardine and Mary Lucey on bass and vocals.
Billy Cardine has been recognized as a slide guitar pioneer, taking the dobro with him into unchartered genres. Dobro master Jerry Douglas calls him “…an amazing Dobro player…He is fluent in everything that I do and…everybody that has come before. I couldn’t…pick a better example of where the Dobro is now or what the possibilities are with the instrument.” Billy has performed original compositions at Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, and The Grand Ole Opry. His albums have been awarded Indie Acoustic Music Project’s Roots Album of the Year and Chicago Tribune’s Bluegrass record of the year. His memorable compositions and emotive playing have been featured on Television productions such as The History Channel’s “Our Generation”, BBC World’s “Destination Music”, and PBS’ “RoadTrip Nation”. An internationally featured artist, he tours and teaches in India, Japan, Europe and Canada.
Mary Lucey is a talented vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and performer. She played bass for the The Biscuit Burners, as well as for the all female group, Uncle Earl. Mary has played venues such as The Kennedy Center, Ryman Auditorium and festivals such as Bonnaroo, Merlefest and Rockygrass. Her music has been featured on Mountain Stage and Woodsong’s Radio Hour.
About Bill and the Belles

Bill and the Belles is a Johnson City, TN-based band known for combining a stringband format with their signature harmonies, candid songwriting, and pop sensibilities. Their delightfully deadpan new album, Happy Again, is full of life, humor, and tongue-in-cheek explorations of love and loss. Bill and the Belles is Kris Truelsen on guitar, fiddler Kalia Yeagle, banjo/banjo-uke player Aidan VanSuetendael, and bassist Andrew Small. The group has a knack for saying sad things with a bit of an ironic smirk, and anyone who’s been to one of their shows can attest that you leave feeling lighter and refreshed. This is a band that revels in the in-between: deeply engaged with the stringband tradition and eager to stretch those influences to a contemporary setting. A timeless place where Jimmie Rodgers and Phil Spector can overlap, and a driving fiddle and banjo tune makes way for a sentimental parlor song. And while Bill and the Belles’ latest chapter offers a bigger, moodier, and more decade-ambiguous sound, they maintain their status as the most refreshing stringband around.

Farm and Fun Time featuring Sam Bush, Annabelle's Curse at the Paramount
2023-03-16 19:00 - 21:00 | VA
Join the audience for a live broadcast of WBCM Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time variety show, featuring special guests Sam Bush and Annabelle’s Curse and hosted by Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles, on the stage of the historic Paramount!
Date: Thursday, March 16, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST (Doors open at 6:00 p.m.)
Location: Paramount Bristol (518 State Street, Bristol, TN)
Tickets: $43.02 – $85.13
BUY TICKETS
Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
About Sam Bush

There was only one prize-winning teenager carrying stones big enough to say thanks, but no thanks to Roy Acuff. Only one son of Kentucky finding a light of inspiration from Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys and catching a fire from Bob Marley and The Wailers. Only one progressive hippie allying with like-minded conspirators, rolling out the New Grass revolution, and then leaving the genre’s torch-bearing band behind as it reached its commercial peak.
There is only one consensus pick of peers and predecessors, of the traditionalists, the rebels, and the next gen devotees. Music’s ultimate inside outsider. Or is it outside insider? There is only one Sam Bush.
He’s released seven albums and a live DVD over the past two decades. In 2009, the Americana Music Association awarded Bush the Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist. Punch Brothers, Steep Canyon Rangers, and Greensky Bluegrass are just a few present-day bluegrass vanguards among so many musicians he’s influenced. His performances are annual highlights of the festival circuit, with Bush’s joyous perennial appearances at the town’s famed bluegrass fest earning him the title, “King of Telluride.”
“With this band I have now I am free to try anything. Looking back at the last 50 years of playing newgrass, with the elements of jazz improvisation and rock-&-roll, jamming, playing with New Grass Revival, Leon, and Emmylou; it’s a culmination of all of that,” says Bush. “I can unapologetically stand onstage and feel I’m representing those songs well.”
About Annabelle’s Curse

“This five-piece alternative folk band from Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia doesn’t seem to be cursed as much as blessed with talent.” – Huffington Post
“Annabelle’s Curse are one of several folk-rock bands that have gone out on a limb to give the classic American genre an engaging revitalization…”
– PopMatters
Farm and Fun Time is made possible by Eastman Credit Union, Toyota of Bristol and Virginia Tourism.

Radio Bristol Fund Drive
2023-04-11 - 2023-04-12 | VA
Please support WBCM Radio Bristol!
Dates: April 11-12, 2023

CLICK HERE TO DONATE
Radio Bristol is proud to lift the voices of our region and offer a multifaceted platform to an internationally spanning and ever-growing audience. As a community station your support is a crucial part of the continued success of this important project. Though our on air fund drive starts April 11th you can donate today and become an active member of the Radio Bristol community.
Consider becoming a sustaining member by donating at the “Radio Bristol Record Breaker” level. By donating just $25 a month or a one time donation of $300 you will receive the following:
– Limited edition T- shirt designed by celebrated regional artist Harry Slater
– Radio Bristol hat
– Limited edition Radio Bristol mug
-One year membership in the 1927 Society including:

Unlimited entry into the Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Name listed in donor display at BCMM and on website
Receive quarterly newsletters on all things BCM
6 Museum passes to share with friends
A Smithsonian membership Opportunity to purchase Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion passes at lowest available price
Donate at: shorturl.at/dqEKP

Radio Bristol is listener supported and your donations help provide funds for staff and programming. Listeners can pledge online during the fund drive by dialing 1-833-I-LUV-Bristol (1-833-458-8274).

Radio Bristol Songwriter Showcase
2023-04-11 13:00 - 16:00 | VA
Kicking off our annual Fund Drive with Radio Bristol DJs in concert!
Date: Tuesday, April 11, 2023
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Performance Theater, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Free event!
CLICK HERE TO DONATE
Join us in celebration of all things Radio Bristol! We have curated a special performance highlighting some of your favorite Radio Bristol DJ and local songwriters during this variety show! Our Radio Bristol Songwriter Showcase coincides with our upcoming Radio Bristol fund drive.
The program will be free and open to the public; donations are encouraged in support of our unique community radio station!
Performers include:
Alli Epperson
Dallas Wayne
Momma Molasses
Chance Lawson
Lightnin’ Charlie
Adam Bolt
Harrison Hunt
Virginia West
Marshall Ballew
JP Parsons
Bill Smith
Jared Bentley
Hosted by Kris Truelsen

Farm and Fun Time featuring Joslyn & The Sweet Compression, Time Sawyer at the Museum
2023-04-12 19:00 - 21:00 | VA
Join us in the intimate performance theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum for WBCM Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time live variety show with special guests Joslyn & The Sweet Compression and Time Sawyer.
Date: Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET (Doors open at 6:30 p.m., audience is asked to please be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum Performance Theater
Tickets: $40
BUY TICKETS
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
About Joslyn & The Sweet Compression

After cultivating her dynamic voice and performance skills in backup roles and stage plays, Joslyn Hampton teamed with her stepfather, Marty Charters (a touring guitarist and songwriter who has shared the stage with legends such as Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, and Van Morrison), to compose a captivating set of tunes and assemble an ace band. Joslyn & The Sweet Compression (Robert Frahm – guitar, Smith Donaldson – bass, Rashawn Fleming – drums, Trevin Little – saxophone, and Isaac Stephens – trumpet) combine to deliver a hook-filled mix of funk and soul on their self-titled debut album, released in 2019. A headlining favorite at regional clubs and music festivals, they are poised to engage fans across the country with widespread touring in 2023.
About Time Sawyer

Time Sawyer’s name reflects the pull between the past and the future. The character Tom Sawyer evokes the rural background and love of home that the band shares. Time is a muse for songwriting; it’s the thread that runs through life, bringing new experiences and giving us a sense of urgency, while still connecting us with our past.
The folk-rock band has performed on the stages of some of the Southeast’s most iconic festivals, including Merlefest, Floydfest, Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion, Albino Skunk Music Festival, and Carolina in the Fall. They’ve shared bills with American Aquarium, John Craigie, Hiss Golden Messenger, Langhorne Slim, John Moreland, Steep Canyon Rangers, The Wood Brothers, Susto, and many more.
About Bill and the Belles

Bill and the Belles is a Johnson City, Tennessee-based band known for combining a stringband format with their signature harmonies, candid songwriting, and pop sensibilities. Their delightfully deadpan new album, Happy Again, is full of life, humor, and tongue-in-cheek explorations of love and loss. Bill and the Belles is Kris Truelsen on guitar, fiddler Kalia Yeagle, banjo/banjo-uke player Aidan VanSuetendael, and bassist Andrew Small. The group has a knack for saying sad things with a bit of an ironic smirk, and anyone who’s been to one of their shows can attest that you leave feeling lighter and refreshed. This is a band that revels in the in-between: deeply engaged with the stringband tradition and eager to stretch those influences to a contemporary setting. A timeless place where Jimmie Rodgers and Phil Spector can overlap, and a driving fiddle and banjo tune makes way for a sentimental parlor song. And while Bill and the Belles’ latest chapter offers a bigger, moodier, and more decade-ambiguous sound, they maintain their status as the most refreshing stringband around.
Farm and Fun Time is made possible by our generous sponsors Eastman Credit Union, Toyota of Bristol and Virginia Tourism.

Farm and Fun Time featuring Jesse Daniel, Compton and Newberry
2023-05-11 19:00 - 21:00 | VA
Date: Thursday, May 11, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET (Doors open at 6:30 p.m., guests are asked to be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Performance Theater, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $40
BUY TICKETS
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
About Jesse Daniel

It’s no secret that Jesse Daniel puts on one heck of a live show. With his top notch band, he’s been touring the country for years and earning fans the old fashioned way – with honest songs played well. The California native is blazing the trail for a new wave of traditional artists, bringing his hardcore country music to stages all of the country. There are many making traditional country music in modern times, but there is no one making it like Daniel. His sound is uniquely his own, while rooted in the tradition of his Bakersfield heroes including Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. Daniel and his band has toured or shared stages with Colter Wall, Tyler Childers, Sierra Ferrell, Charley Crockett, American Aquarium, Turnpike Troubadors, Shane Smith, Mike and the Moonpies, Raul Malo, and many others.
About Compton and Newberry
Mike Compton and Joe Newberry, masters of old-time mandolin and banjo/guitar, dig deep into early country music and blues. Their duet-singing, two-man string band ranges between traditional songs, instrumentals, ‘mother’ ballads and original tunes. It’s not about the number of notes with Compton and Newberry, but telling the truth and respecting the song.
Mike Compton is a Grammy award winner, IBMA Mandolin Player of the Year nominee, a steady sideman for John Hartford from 1994 until Hartford’s death in 2001, and mandolinist for the Nashville Bluegrass Band. Mike is inarguably the world expert on Bill Monroe-style bluegrass mandolin, and is also steeped in old-time fiddle tunes, early string band music and Delta blues.
Known far and wide for his powerful banjo playing, Joe Newberry is a prizewinning guitarist, songwriter, and singer to boot. In addition to his work with Mike, Joe plays with fiddler and step-dancer April Verch. He was a frequent guest on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion, and was a featured singer on the Transatlantic Sessions. He won the songwriting prize for “Gospel Recorded Performance” at the 2012 IBMA Awards for his song, Singing As We Rise, and was co-writer, with Eric Gibson, of the 2013 IBMA Song of the Year for They Called It Music.
About Bill and the Belles

Farm and Fun Time house band Bill and the Belles is a Johnson City, Tennessee-based band known for combining a stringband format with their signature harmonies, candid songwriting, and pop sensibilities. Featuring Farm and Fun Time program host Kris Truelsen on guitar, fiddler Kalia Yeagle, banjo/banjo-uke player Aidan VanSuetendael, and bassist Andrew Small, the group has a knack for saying sad things with a bit of an ironic smirk, and anyone who’s been to one of their shows can attest that you leave feeling lighter and refreshed. This is a band that revels in the in-between: deeply engaged with the stringband tradition and eager to stretch those influences to a contemporary setting. A timeless place where Jimmie Rodgers and Phil Spector can overlap, and a driving fiddle and banjo tune makes way for a sentimental parlor song. And while Bill and the Belles’ latest chapter offers a bigger, moodier, and more decade-ambiguous sound, they maintain their status as the most refreshing stringband around.
Farm and Fun Time is made possible by our generous sponsors Eastman Credit Union, Toyota of Bristol and Virginia Tourism Corporation.

Farm and Fun Time On the Road to ROMP!
2023-06-24 13:00 - 15:00 | VA
Date: Saturday, June 24, 2023
Time: 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. CT / 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. ET
Location: Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum during ROMP Fest in Owensboro, KY
BUY TICKETS TO ROMP
WBCM Radio Bristol‘s Farm and Fun Time, presented by the Birthplace of Country Music (BCM), is taking its live variety show on the road to ROMP Fest in Owensboro, Kentucky, broadcasting from the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum with special guests Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band and The McCrary Sisters. The special two-hour program is free to attend exclusively for ROMP Festival ticket holders. The event is part of a strategic partnership between the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and BCM.
Hosted by Radio Bristol Program Director Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles, Farm and Fun Time is a reimagining of the popular program that aired on WCYB Radio in the 1940s and 1950s. A celebration of Appalachian music and culture, the show gave The Stanley Brothers, Flatt & Scruggs, Jim & Jesse McReynolds, and many more, a big boost to their careers.
The Farm and Fun Time live taping at ROMP will stream simultaneously on WBCM Radio Bristol’s Facebook page and via the station’s free mobile app. The show is also recorded for television syndication on recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina.
About Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band:

The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band consists of outstanding musicians with over 100 years of combined recording and performance experience. Joining guitarist Peter Rowan are Chris Henry (mandolin and vocals), Max Wareham (banjo and vocals), Julian Pinelli (fiddle) and Eric Thorin (bass). The ensemble has graced the stages of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Grey Fox, Merlefest, Rothbury Australia’s National Folk Festival, and numerous other festivals domestically and abroad, entertaining audiences with original and traditional songs executed in vibrant harmony.
About The McCrary Sisters:
The McCrary Sisters sing gospel that melds traditional with contemporary and incorporates their influences of classic soul, Americana, blues, rock, and R&B music. Central to their work and any show is their boundless joy in singing, and a desire to spread hope, love, healing – and dancing.
Daughters of the late Rev. Samuel McCrary – a founding member of the legendary gospel quartet The Fairfield Four – Ann, Regina, Alfreda, and Deborah grew up in Nashville surrounded by music, artists, community and faith. The daughters were raised in harmony, singing at home and at their father’s church. In their formative years, the sisters have many accomplishments – individually and together – sharing in their family legacy performing with artists including Bob Dylan, Elvis, Isaac Hayes and Stevie Wonder.

Farm and Fun Time featuring S.G. Goodman, Viv & Riley
2023-08-10 19:00 - 21:00 | VA
Date: Thursday, August 10, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET (Doors open at 6:30 p.m., guests are asked to be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Performance Theater, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $40
BUY TICKETS
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
About S.G. Goodman

“No one escapes the marks left behind when it comes to love or the absence of it,” says singer-songwriter S.G. Goodman, describing the inspiration behind her sophomore album Teeth Marks. “Not only are we the ones who bear its indentations, but we’re also the ones responsible for placing them on ourselves and others.”
When the Kentucky native released her debut album, Old Time Feeling, she was rightly coined an “untamed rock n roll truth-teller” by Rolling Stone. The roots-inflected rock n’ roll record saw Goodman lending her gritty, haunting vocals to narrate the dual perspectives of her upbringing as the daughter of a crop farmer, and a queer woman coming out in a rural town.
Now with Teeth Marks, co-produced by Drew Vandenberg (Faye Webster, Drive-By Truckers, Of Montreal) in Athens, Georgia, she picks up the threads of Old Time Feeling. But where her critically acclaimed, Jim James-produced debut zeroed in on the South, reframing misconceptions in slough water-soaked tones, her latest album pulses with downtown Velvet Underground electricity, shifting its focus inward – though never losing Goodman’s searing and universal point of view. Teeth Marks is what you might get if Flannery O’Connor and Lou Reed went on a road trip.
Drawing influences from the aforementioned Velvets, as well as Pavement, Karen Dalton, and Chad VanGaalen, Goodman brings 11 powerful vignettes to life, with a sound that ventures deeper into indie rock and punk territory than she ever has before. Though Teeth Marks is a love album, Goodman doesn’t aim her focus on romantic relationships alone. Instead, she analyzes the way love between communities, families, and even one’s self can be influenced by trauma that lingers in the body. Teeth Marks is about what love actually is, love’s psychological and physical imprint, its light, and its darkness. It’s a record about the love we have or don’t have for each other, and perhaps, more significantly, the love we have or don’t have for ourselves.
About Viv & Riley

A bittersweet nostalgia lies at the heart of Imaginary People, the new album from Viv & Riley, coming September 15, 2023 on Free Dirt Records. Over ten tracks, the pair applies an indie roots sheen to newly composed pop gems. Rooted originally in the folk tradition, the pair reframe the production into experimental territory, crafting songs that speak to finding a path forward into adulthood in an uncertain world. Gifted songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, Vivian Leva and Riley Calcagno’s first album under the name Viv & Riley is a subtle masterpiece of thought and reflection. The album brings a reflectiveness to summertime jams that speak of uninhibited joy and creative camaraderie. Coming on the heels of their acclaimed earlier albums that showed preternaturally talented songwriting from such young artists, now the songs have caught up with their lives. Now in their mid-20s, the two are building a life together, creating a supportive community, and looking back on everything they’ve been through. Based out of Durham, North Carolina, they’ve tapped into the area’s eclectic and collaborative music scene, recruiting Alex Bingham of Hiss Golden Messenger to produce the album. Bingham brings a sunny, lush sound to Viv & Riley’s music, moving beyond their earlier country roots and toward a layered sound and sonic experimentation. The songwriting has evolved as well, from the world-weary, stripped-down country songs they’re known for to indie songwriting at turns sweetly sad and gently sardonic. Ultimately, Imaginary People is about carrying and honoring our pasts, about letting that inform our new steps forward. No matter how much we might cling to where we are, sometimes we need to uproot and take a leap of faith, to open ourselves up to new experiences and ideas in order to grow and blossom.
About Bill and the Belles

Farm and Fun Time house band Bill and the Belles is a Johnson City, Tennessee-based band known for combining a stringband format with their signature harmonies, candid songwriting, and pop sensibilities. Featuring Farm and Fun Time program host Kris Truelsen on guitar, fiddler Kalia Yeagle, banjo/banjo-uke player Aidan VanSuetendael, and bassist Andrew Small, the group has a knack for saying sad things with a bit of an ironic smirk, and anyone who’s been to one of their shows can attest that you leave feeling lighter and refreshed. This is a band that revels in the in-between: deeply engaged with the stringband tradition and eager to stretch those influences to a contemporary setting. A timeless place where Jimmie Rodgers and Phil Spector can overlap, and a driving fiddle and banjo tune makes way for a sentimental parlor song. And while Bill and the Belles’ latest chapter offers a bigger, moodier, and more decade-ambiguous sound, they maintain their status as the most refreshing stringband around.
Farm and Fun Time is made possible by our generous sponsors Eastman Credit Union, Toyota of Bristol and Virginia Tourism Corporation.

NEW DATE! Farm and Fun Time featuring Rodney Crowell, Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley at the Paramount
2023-10-19 19:00 - 21:00 | VA
The July 13, 2023 broadcast of WBCM Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time variety show, featuring special guests Rodney Crowell and Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley, has been re-scheduled due to unforeseen circumstances. If you purchased tickets to the show, you may still use them on the re-scheduled date of October 19. If you wish to receive a refund, please call the Paramount Bristol box office at 423-274-8920.
Date: Thursday, October 19, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST (Doors open at 6:00 p.m.)
Location: Paramount Bristol (518 State Street, Bristol, TN)
Tickets: $43.02 – $85.13
BUY TICKETS
Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
About Rodney Crowell

Rodney Crowell is the songwriter’s songwriter and an icon among giants. Native Texan, Crowell is a multi-Grammy Award-winning troubadour with fifteen number one hits. Over the course of his career, Crowell has gracefully blended his own mainstream success as an artist with a prolific catalog of songs cut by the likes of Emmylou Harris, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Keith Urban and more, making him a master among his peers.
With more than 40 years of American roots music under his belt, Crowell has also been cited as the architect of Americana music, extending his genre reach, but owing to the distinctly universal, literary quality of his writing, he has also penned beloved songs for artists as diverse as Bob Seger, Etta James, the Grateful Dead, John Denver, Jimmy Buffett and countless others.
Crowell came up in Nashville’s songwriting heyday alongside Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, and Steve Earle and has continued that legacy of camaraderie and kinship with his peers well into the iconic era of his career. As many say – “your favorite song was probably written by Rodney Crowell.”
About Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley

Take a 15-time IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Dobro Player of the Year and a Tennessee-born guitar prodigy called “Nashville’s hottest young player” by Acoustic Guitar magazine, and you have Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley, a GRAMMY®-nominated powerhouse acoustic duo that has electrified the acoustic music scene around the world. Acoustic Guitar describes their sound as “steel-string bluegrass with all the intensity of rock ‘n’ roll.”
Known for their white-hot picking and world class musicianship as six-string virtuosos, as well as their soulful stone country vocals, Ickes and Hensley cleverly and uniquely meld bluegrass, country, blues, rock, jamgrass, and string band music of all kinds to create a signature blend of music that defies restrictions of genre (as heard on their new record, Living In A Song, released on February 10, 2023). With Living In A Song, Ickes and Hensley made a conscious effort to spotlight their songwriting chops by collaborating with and paying homage to some of Nashville’s finest songwriters. They made a conscious decision to lean the music in a classic country direction, with some elements of Americana and bluegrass thrown in for good measure.
As a duo, Ickes and Hensley have shared the stage or collaborated with Tommy Emmanuel, Taj Mahal, Vince Gill, David Grisman, Jorma Kaukonen, Hot Tuna, Marty Stuart, and Steve Wariner, among many others.
Farm and Fun Time is made possible by Eastman Credit Union, Toyota of Bristol and Virginia Tourism.

Farm and Fun Time featuring Boy Golden, The Resonant Rogues
2023-11-09 19:00 - 21:00 | VA
Date: Thursday, November 9, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET (Doors open at 6:30 p.m., guests are asked to be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Performance Theater, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $40
BUY TICKETS
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
About Boy Golden

Everything becomes fluid when you can pass through time and space like a ghost, a story, a melody. Boy Golden manifests all three on For Jimmy.
When listening to his music, it feels easy to dissolve into the ether. Everything flows. From classic country to psych-folk, Alternative to roadhouse pop to Appalachian bluegrass, Boy Golden’s music is easy, breezy, warm and gritty. And don’t it just feel good to listen to it.
Since releasing his debut album, Church of Better Daze, in 2021, he’s played every summer festival on your list, produced albums with friends, released a dozen videos, curated and directed an art show and music video for “KD & Lunchmeat”, the Seth-Rogenesque hit single that charted to #1 on Alternative Radio, and toured more than 60 venues across North America with The Sheepdogs.
About The Resonant Rogues

Rooted in the mountains of Western North Carolina, The Resonant Rogues are fronted by songwriting duo Sparrow and Keith Josiah Smith, who share a passion for movement and sound. Before meeting, falling in love, and forming the band in 2013, both traveled extensively throughout the U.S.- Keith by hopping freight trains, Sparrow with a circus troupe. In addition to their holler homestead, New Orleans and Nashville are their other musical homes, and the influences of both can be felt on The Resonant Rogues self-titled fourth album. The sounds of Appalachian old-time, classic country, and vintage soul all make appearances in this stunner of an album.
About Bill and the Belles

Farm and Fun Time house band Bill and the Belles is a Johnson City, Tennessee-based band known for combining a stringband format with their signature harmonies, candid songwriting, and pop sensibilities. Featuring Farm and Fun Time program host Kris Truelsen on guitar, fiddler Kalia Yeagle, banjo/banjo-uke player Aidan VanSuetendael, and bassist Andrew Small, the group has a knack for saying sad things with a bit of an ironic smirk, and anyone who’s been to one of their shows can attest that you leave feeling lighter and refreshed. This is a band that revels in the in-between: deeply engaged with the stringband tradition and eager to stretch those influences to a contemporary setting. A timeless place where Jimmie Rodgers and Phil Spector can overlap, and a driving fiddle and banjo tune makes way for a sentimental parlor song. And while Bill and the Belles’ latest chapter offers a bigger, moodier, and more decade-ambiguous sound, they maintain their status as the most refreshing stringband around.
Farm and Fun Time is made possible by our generous sponsors Eastman Credit Union, Toyota of Bristol and Virginia Tourism Corporation.

Farm and Fun Time featuring Bobby Rush, Cole Ritter & The Night Owls
2023-12-14 19:00 - 21:00 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Thursday, December 14, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET (Doors open at 6:30 p.m., guests are asked to be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Performance Theater, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $40
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Hosted by Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
About Bobby Rush

During his renowned stage show Bobby Rush frequently jumps high into the air, arms spread and legs tucked, only to land gracefully and return without a hitch to his dazzling routine. It’s a move you might expect at a contemporary R&B show, but it’s downright shocking when you realize that Rush is in his late 80s.
Rush’s busy schedule includes headlining European festivals with his band and solo programs at venues including Jazz at Lincoln Center, and he just recorded an album of brand new material, All My Love For You, coming out via his own label Deep Rush Records in collaboration with Nashville-based Thirty Tigers. Over the last several years he’s won a second Grammy, re-recorded his 1971 hit Chicken Heads together with his old friend Buddy Guy and young blues star Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, and written a critically acclaimed autobiography, I Ain’t Studdin’ You: My American Blues Story.
That story began in rural Homer/Haynesville, Louisiana, where Rush—born Emmett Ellis, Jr.—grew up on his family’s farm picking cotton, tending to mules and chickens, and living in a home without electricity nor indoor plumbing. He left behind farm work to perform on the road with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, and as “Bobby Rush”—a name he took on out of respect to his father, a minister—he toured the jukes and clubs of Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi before settling in Chicago in the 1950s. Through singles on labels including Chess, ABC and Philadelphia International and relentless touring Rush established an unparalleled reputation as an entertainer, which later led to him being crowned by Rolling Stone magazine as King of the Chitlin’ Circuit, the network of African American clubs that arose during the segregation era.
Based in Jackson, Mississippi since the early ‘80s, Rush began “crossing over” to new audiences several decades ago, featured in the Martin Scorsese-produced documentary The Road to Memphis, appearing alongside Terrence Howard, Snoop Dogg and Mavis Staples in the documentary Take Me to the River, and performing on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon along with Dan Aykroyd. And the eternally youthful Rush was even able to play himself in the 1970s in Netflix’s 2019 hit biopic Dolemite is My Name in a scene with Eddie Murphy. And the recognition keeps coming. In addition to his two Grammy wins (and six nominations), he’s in the Blues Hall of Fame, has won 16 Blues Music Awards (among 56 nominations), and there’s currently a musical in development called Slippin’ Through The Cracks with sights on Broadway, recently co-written by Rush and playwright Stephen Lloyd Helper, who co-wrote the 7x Tony-nominated musical Smokey Joe’s Café celebrating the songs of Lieber and Stoller.
About Cole Ritter & The Night Owls

Founded in 2019, Cole Ritter and The Night Owls have since been pioneering new sonic spaces and finding their very own home-grown sound that is completely new, yet nostalgic. This award-winning band is helmed by ColeRitter, a Nashville Native who has devoted his life to music. Cole Ritter and The Night Owls were chosen as the winner of Belmont’s University’s “Country Showcase” in 2020. Ritter’s songwriting draws inspiration from many genres including country, rock, folk, and the blues.
The Allstar backing band, The Night Owls, features a lineup of some of Nashville’s best and brightest up-and-coming instrumentalists and musicians. The Night Owls are made up of Alex Barcic on Pedal Steel Guitar, Tom Davis on Upright Bass, Christian Starrett on Guitar, and Matt Martirano on drums. Cole Ritter and The Night Owls are quickly rising and can’t wait to share their music with the world!

About Bill and the Belles

Farm and Fun Time house band Bill and the Belles is a Johnson City, Tennessee-based band known for combining a stringband format with their signature harmonies, candid songwriting, and pop sensibilities. Featuring Farm and Fun Time program host Kris Truelsen on guitar, fiddler Kalia Yeagle, banjo/banjo-uke player Aidan VanSuetendael, and bassist Andrew Small, the group has a knack for saying sad things with a bit of an ironic smirk, and anyone who’s been to one of their shows can attest that you leave feeling lighter and refreshed. This is a band that revels in the in-between: deeply engaged with the stringband tradition and eager to stretch those influences to a contemporary setting. A timeless place where Jimmie Rodgers and Phil Spector can overlap, and a driving fiddle and banjo tune makes way for a sentimental parlor song. And while Bill and the Belles’ latest chapter offers a bigger, moodier, and more decade-ambiguous sound, they maintain their status as the most refreshing stringband around.
Farm and Fun Time is made possible by our generous sponsors Eastman Credit Union, Toyota of Bristol and Virginia Tourism Corporation.

CANCELLED: Farm and Fun Time featuring Laurie Lewis, Shay Martin Lovette
2024-01-11 19:00 - 21:00 | VA
Due to circumstances beyond our control, our scheduled Farm and Fun Time with Laurie Lewis and Shay Martin Lovette has been cancelled. Current ticket holders have the option of receiving a refund for their tickets or a roll them over for tickets to our March 14 Farm and Fun Time, artists soon to be announced. The event will be held at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.
Please fill out the electronic form below by January 9. If you do not choose the refund option by that date, your tickets will automatically roll over to the March 14 date.
CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE A REFUND OR ROLLOVER TICKETS
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and his Farm and Fun Time House Band, the program is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. WBCM Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.

Farm and Fun Time featuring St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Sugadaisy at the Paramount
2024-02-20 19:00 - 21:00 | Paramount Bristol, 518 State St, Bristol, TN, TN, 37620, United States
Join us for a live broadcast of WBCM Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time variety show, featuring special guests St. Paul & The Broken Bones and Sugadaisy, on the stage of the historic Paramount Bristol!
Date: Tuesday, February 20, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST (Doors open at 6:00 p.m.)
Location: Paramount Bristol (518 State Street, Bristol, TN)
BUY TICKETS
Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
Farm and Fun Time is made possible by Eastman Credit Union, Toyota of Bristol, and Virginia Tourism Corporation.
About St. Paul & The Broken Bones

Founded in Birmingham, Alabama in 2011, St. Paul & the Broken Bones consists of Paul Janeway (vocals), Jesse Phillips (bass), Browan Lollar (guitar), Kevin Leon (drums), Al Gamble (keyboards), Allen Branstetter (trumpet), Chad Fisher (trombone), and Amari Ansari (saxophone). The eight-piece ensemble burst into the world with their 2014 debut Half the City, establishing a sound that quickly became a calling card and landing the band a slew of major festivals including Lollapalooza, Coachella and Glastonbury. Critical praise from The New York Times, Rolling Stone, SPIN and NPR followed, leading to shared stages with some of the world’s biggest artists—Elton John and The Rolling Stones among them—and launching an impressive run of headlining tours behind what Esquire touted as a “potent live show that knocks audiences on their ass.”
The group has continued to expand their sound with every record, branching out well beyond old-school soul into sleek summertime funk and classic disco on albums like 2018’s Young Sick Camellia. Their forthcoming LP, Angels In Science Fiction, stretches their limbs further afield, building on the shadowy psychedelia and intricate, experimental R&B of 2022’s The Alien Coast.
About Sugadaisy

Established in 2017 in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and currently headquartered in Nashville, Sugadaisy has been making waves in the music scene, captivating audiences with their dynamic performances and electrifying sound. Successfully navigating the highly competitive music industry, the band has secured a distinct position through their unique blend of rock and pop influences.
The hallmark of Sugadaisy’s music lies in powerful vocals, fierce guitar riffs, and infectious melodies that linger in the mind long after the music has faded. Setting themselves apart from their peers, Sugadaisy seamlessly amalgamates various genres, creating a sound that is unmistakably theirs – a blend of familiarity and innovation.
Sugadaisy’s unwavering commitment to their art and genuine passion for music resonate in every note they produce. Their compelling live shows and captivating compositions have cultivated a devoted fan base, and their music continues to resonate with listeners globally.

Farm and Fun Time featuring East Nash Grass, Allison de Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves
2024-03-14 19:00 - 21:00 | VA
Join us for a live broadcast of WBCM Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time variety show, featuring special guests East Nash Grass plus Allison de Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves in the performance theater at the museum!
Date: Thursday, March 14, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; guests are asked to be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $40+ Bristol, VA admission tax/ticket agent fee
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Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
Farm and Fun Time is made possible by Eastman Credit Union, Toyota of Bristol, and Virginia Tourism Corporation.
About East Nash Grass

Bluegrass music may be one of America’s “traditional” styles, but at its heart it has always been wild and spontaneous. The style demands every ounce of facility and intent that each performer can muster— it fires on all cylinders or none at all. Few bands do it as well as East Nash Grass. An ensemble of standout players from a city known for the quality of its musicians, East Nash Grass came by its name and reputation honestly, honing their performance chops night after night on a tiny stage on Music City’s east side. Even now having played many of the biggest stages in bluegrass, East Nash Grass can still be found every Monday night performing in that same east side bar. Dedication to a group’s roots and a commitment to hard work are earmarks of great Nashville bands of all kinds, and East Nash Grass exemplifies what it means to be a bluegrass band from Nashville. For more information, visit the band’s website at EastNashGrass.com.
About Allison de Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves

For master musicians Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves, traditional banjo and fiddle music is a way to interpret our uncertain times, to draw artistic inspiration and power from the sources of meaning in their lives. History, family, literature, live performance, and environmental instability all manifest in the sounds, feelings, and sensations that permeate their music. Their 2022 sophomore album, Hurricane Clarice is a direct infusion of centuries of matrilineal folk wisdom, a fiery breath of apocalyptic energy. The duo creates a sound that is adventurous, masterful, and original, as they expand on the eccentricities of old songs, while never losing sight of what makes them endure. For more information, visit their website at AllisonandTatiana.com.

Radio Bristol Fund Drive
2024-04-10 - 2024-04-11 | VA
Please support WBCM Radio Bristol!
Dates: April 10-11, 2024

CLICK HERE TO DONATE
Radio Bristol is proud to lift the voices of our region and offer a multifaceted platform to an internationally spanning and ever-growing audience. As a community station your support is a crucial part of the continued success of this important project. Though our on air fund drive starts April 10th you can donate today and become an active member of the Radio Bristol community.
Consider becoming a sustaining member by donating at the “Radio Bristol Record Breaker” level. By donating just $25 a month or a one time donation of $300 you will receive the following:
– Limited edition T- shirt
– Radio Bristol hat
– Premium Radio Bristol Sticker
-One year membership in the 1927 Society including:

Unlimited entry into the Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Name listed in donor display at BCMM and on website
Receive quarterly newsletters on all things BCM
6 Museum passes to share with friends
A Smithsonian membership Opportunity to purchase Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion passes at lowest available price
Donate at: shorturl.at/dqEKP

Radio Bristol is listener supported and your donations help provide funds for staff and programming. Listeners can pledge online during the fund drive by dialing 1-833-I-LUV-Bristol (1-833-458-8274).

Farm and Fun Time featuring Pony Bradshaw, Shay Martin Lovette
2024-04-11 19:00 - 21:00 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Thursday, April 11, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET (Doors open at 6:30 p.m., guests are asked to be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Performance Theater, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $40
BUY TICKETS
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and the Farm and Fun Time House Band, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
About Pony Bradshaw

On his new album North Georgia Rounder, Pony Bradshaw leads the listener on an exploration of the woods, rivers, and mountains of Appalachia, more specifically, the area for which the album is named and he’s called home for the past 15 years. “It’s got its hooks in me,” Bradshaw says of North Georgia, and it shows, with songs that quickly establish a setting, much like the one he initiated with the album’s predecessor, Calico Jim. The sonic excursion includes stops along the Conasauga River, visits to the holler, and a few diversions—nearby Knoxville plays a supporting role, as do Louisiana and Arkansas. It’s an impressionistic journey of introspection and connection all at once.
Will Stewart’s tastefully-understated guitar leads and Philippe Bronchtein’s atmospheric pedal steel provide the perfect backdrop for Bradshaw’s impassioned vocals in lead-off track “Foxfire Wine.” Its swampy, bluesy intro makes way for an interesting amalgamation of Sturgill Simpson and The Grateful Dead, serving as the perfect aperitif for “a hell of a heaven and a hell of a show.” From that point on till the album wraps with the aptly titled “Notes on a River Town,” not only do you see and hear North Georgia, you even smell and taste it.
Take, for example, “Safe in the Arms of Vernacular,” a pensive, melancholy track that delights all the senses and is reminiscent of Ray Lamontagne’s mellow side. When Bradshaw sings of the “bonafide gas mask” his Dad brought back from Desert Storm and describes the Saudi Arabian sand as turning to “glass sharp as a sultan’s sword,” one can almost see it. As quickly as it sets the ever-vivid stage, the track shifts its focus to a waitress downtown. “Draped in Bedouin gown, smoking Kent cigarettes in the underground” in an attempt to “escape all those voices,” she naturally drinks white wine—”Riesling room temp from a coffee cup,” to be exact.
A voracious reader, Bradshaw credits his talent for expressing such rich details in his songs not so much to other songwriters but instead to books, fiction, short stories, essays, and literary criticism. With such colorful descriptions as “teeth stained red with Lebanese wine, long hair … in sweeps of oil blacker than a cypress pool,” one might assume he bases the subjects of his songs on real-life people he interacts with in North Georgia; instead, Bradshaw describes them as “nameless characters” compiled from “fragments” he’s collected, pieces that usually start with just a line or two. These fragments all add up to a remarkably cohesive 10-song collection, despite Bradshaw being a self-professed admirer of (and writer of) the non-sequitur. This is thanks in no small part to his own masterful vocal delivery and the expert musicianship of his backing band, one that includes the aforementioned Stewart and Bronchtein with Robert Green on bass, Ryan Moore on drums, and Jenna Mobley on fiddle.
“I really enjoy records that are actual records of time,” he explains. With this in mind, Bradshaw looked to create an album that relied less on innovation and experimentation, aspiring to capture the songs’ live spirit. He and his band did just that, making North Georgia Rounder—vocals, overdubs, and all—in just five days at Jason Weinheimer’s Fellowship Hall Sound in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he had also tracked Calico Jim in 2020.
“Me and balance … we’ve never really worked out,” he confesses, acknowledging the irony of his quest for order and structure despite having chosen a path that is often chaotic. But as he sings in the moody yet catchy “Holler Rose,” “you’ve got to be willing to play the long game.” “If it’s worth it, there’s a beauty in suffering,” he explains. “It’s taken me a long time to realize that, but I’m thankful for all those terrible decisions I’ve made.”
“Every day, I wrestle with the moral consequences of being a touring musician,” he adds. “I’m always finding ways to make it okay to be doing this. I feel irresponsible sometimes,” he professes, “because I basically make my living off the goodwill of others and chance. So I’m always trying to battle those two things.”
“The poet soon stops experimenting and innovating and starts his life’s work,” Bradshaw expounds, citing a quote from one of his favorite writers, Wendell Berry. A single album as a life’s work may seem like a grand, overambitious aspiration. But for Pony Bradshaw, North Georgia Rounder is just that – a life’s work, one that, as he describes it, is a culmination of “sweat and work and joy and pain and anger and patience and restraint.”

About Shay Martin Lovette

The tale of wayfaring songwriter Shay Martin Lovette is shaped by an enduring creative pursuit, an inseparable connection with the natural world, and a deep appreciation of the nonpareil musical voices of the past. The True As They Come EP, a new batch of homespun songs weaving intricate tales of retrospection, self-discovery, and the serene majesty of water will be released on April 26, 2024. Like the winding rivers and tributaries of his Appalachian homeland, Lovette’s music flows with emotional depth, poetically exploring the beautiful melodies of the land and the human soul.
Lovette’s songcraft has elicited high praise from American Songwriter, The Bluegrass Situation, No Depression, Under The Radar Magazine, Glide Magazine, and New Commute. In April of 2022, Lovette and band capped off a tour in support of his album Scatter & Gather with a performance on the esteemed Watson Stage at Merlefest in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
Farm and Fun Time is made possible by our generous sponsors Eastman Credit Union and Toyota of Bristol.

Farm and Fun Time featuring Amy Ray Band, Angela Autumn
2024-05-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Thursday, May 16, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET (Doors open at 6:30 p.m., guests are asked to be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Performance Theater, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $40
BUY TICKETS
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and the Farm and Fun Time House Band, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
About Amy Ray Band

A lot of artists defy categorization. Some do so because they are tirelessly searching for the place they fit, while others are constantly chasing trends. Some, though, are genuinely exploring and expressing their myriad influences. Amy Ray belongs in the latter group. Pulling from every direction — Patty Griffin to Patti Smith, Big Star to Bon Iver — Ray’s music might best be described as folk-rock, though even that would be a tough sell, depending on the song.
Ray’s musical beginnings trace back to her high school days in Atlanta, Georgia, when she and Emily Saliers formed the duo that would become the Indigo Girls. Their story started in 1981 with a basement tape called “Tuesday’s Children” and went on to include a deal with Epic Records in 1988, a Grammy in 1990, and nearly 20 albums over more than 35 years.
Rooted in shared passions for harmony and justice, the Indigo Girls have forged a career that combines artistry and activism to push against every boundary and box anyone tries to put them in. As activists, they have supported as many great causes as they can, from LGBTQ+ rights to voter registration, going so far as to co-found a Native environmental justice organization, Honor the Earth, with Winona LaDuke in 1993. As artists, they have dipped their toes into a similar multitude of waters — folk, rock, country, pop, and more — but the resulting releases are always pure Indigo.
Ray’s seven studio records — and three live albums — have charted even wider seas, from the political punk of 2001’s Stag to the feminist Americana of 2018’s Holler. Each effort seems to lean into her influences in different ways, whether it’s the Allman Brothers or the Carter Family. One album finds the Butchies on full blast, another features Alison Brown on bluegrass banjo.

About Angela Autumn

Angela Autumn is an Appalachian born musician and writer based in Nashville, TN. She grew up playing anything from ska to rock, but now, living in Nashville, she veers towards the indie side of Americana and country. She has released several albums, including ‘Cowboy Jack Clementine’ (2023) which has been praised for its unique blend of folk and country. Her music is heavily influenced by traditional folk music.
Farm and Fun Time is made possible by our generous sponsors Eastman Credit Union and Toyota of Bristol.

SOLD OUT! Farm and Fun Time feat. Sons of the East, Nicholas Edward Williams
2024-07-25 19:00 - 21:00 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Sorry, tickets for this event have now sold out.
Date: Thursday, July 25, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET (Doors open at 6:30 p.m., guests are asked to be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Performance Theater, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $40
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and the Farm and Fun Time House Band, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
About Sons of East

Premiere songwriters and a brilliant live act, Sons Of The East are a remarkable independent success story. Their stellar debut album, Palomar Parade, has already seen over 60 million streams, with sold out shows at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire London, Williamsburg Music Hall New York, Troubadour LA, Razzmatazz Barcelona, Metro Theatre Sydney, Boston, Denver & The Hague to name just a handful.
They have amassed an impressive 300 million streams, 60 million YouTube views, 2 million monthly listeners and sold over 50,000 headline tickets throughout their career, a testament to their growing connection with fans all around the world. A steadfastly independent trio, Sons Of The East continue to defy genre and carve out a unique position amongst their indie folk contemporaries.
About Nicholas Edward Williams

Host of the popular roots music history podcast American Songcatcher, Nicholas Edward Williams is a multi-instrumentalist and storyteller who is dedicated to “playing it forward” by preserving the songs and styles that have shaped our country: ragtime, Piedmont blues, traditional folk, old time and early country. Williams has spent the last 15 years touring around the US, the UK, Western Europe and Australia, blending the roots music spectrum in his own style. He’s opened for Taj Mahal, The Wood Brothers, Dom Flemons, CAAMP, John Paul White, Town Mountain, John Craigie, Rachel Baiman and Lucy Daucus, and has performed at festival stages on three continents. William’s debut record As I Go Ramblin’ Around made the International Folk Radio DJ Charts in 2019 with the #6 Top Album, #7 Top Song. His critically acclaimed sophomore release Folk Songs For Old Times’ Sake unveiled in November of 2021 and has been heralded by the likes of Grammy-winning musician David Holt who said: “With tasteful guitar arrangements and a voice that draws you right in, Nicholas’ recordings roll along like a mountain stream.”
Farm and Fun Time is made possible by our generous sponsors Eastman Credit Union and Toyota of Bristol.

Farm and Fun Time feat. Black Opry Revue, Florencia & The Feeling
2024-08-20 19:00 - 21:00 | VA
Date: Tuesday, August 20, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; guests are asked to be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Performance Theater, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $40
BUY TICKETS
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and the Farm and Fun Time House Band, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
Special thanks to our underwriters at Eastman Credit Union, Toyota of Bristol, and the City of Bristol, Tennessee.
About Black Opry

Black Opry is home for black artists, fans and industry professionals working in country, Americana, blues, and folk music. Country and roots music have been made and loved by black people since their inception. For just as long, black people have been overlooked and disregarded in the genre. Black Opry is changing that.
“Black Opry is so powerful because it reflects not only this generation of artists, but also writers, critics, journalists, and fans who are interested in not just amplifying the work of black country artists and other marginalized communities,” says Dr. Charles L. Hughes, historian and author of “Country Soul, “but also in creating networks and building a sense of community to avoid dealing with racist institutions.” ~ Excerpt from Rolling Stone.
About Florencia & The Feeling

Florencia Rusiñol is a Latin American singer-songwriter from East Tennessee. Her musical style is influenced by her Argentinian roots and her jazz-singing background, and is combined with her love of pop and funk music. Florencia’s first EP is available on all music streaming platforms. Florencia & the Feeling have spent 2021 touring the Southeast. The Feeling is the name given to the group of incredibly talented musicians assembled to play with Florencia. The name refers to the captivating & carefree energy that flows from the stage at each and every concert.

CANCELLED: Farm and Fun Time feat. Summer Dean, Zach Russell
2024-10-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
In the wake of Hurricane Helene and the devastation that has followed we have made the difficult decision to cancel the October 10 Farm and Fun Time featuring Summer Dean and Zach Russell. Ticket buyers have the option to exchange their tickets for December’s Farm and Fun Time feat. Joachim Cooder and Tyler Ramsey show or to get a refund. Ticket purchasers will be contacted by email.
Date: Thursday, October 10, 2024
Location: Performance Theatre, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and the Farm and Fun Time House Band, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and and is recorded for television syndication on PBS television stations nationally. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
Special thanks to our underwriters at Eastman Credit Union, Toyota of Bristol, and the City of Bristol, Tennessee.
About Summer Dean

Summer Dean puts on a hell-of-a show. Armed with three albums, constant tours, and a hot five-piece band behind her, Summer struts onto every stage with the confidence and vulnerability of a songstress that has cemented her place among the top rank Texas tunesmiths. Her live show takes the concert goer on a ride of original songs bleeding bravado, vulnerability, and a novelist’s eye for detail. Whether with her full band or all by herself, listeners and watchers are treated to an authentic, funny, and honest storyteller performing her way into legendary status. Recently named Texas Country Music Awards Female Artist of the Year, Summer has performed with an array of country aces, including Colter Wall, Marty Stuart, Asleep at the Wheel, Hayes Carll, Silverada (Mike and the Moonpies) and Charley Crockett.
There is indeed a rawness and a reality to Dean’s songs which sets her apart as a songwriter of real substance. It’s no wonder Texas legends like Bruce Robison, wanted to produce her album based on the strength of Dean’s simple iphone-recorded demos, calling her work “bracing.”
Her candor is palpable in every syllable and sound of the acclaimed singer-songwriter’s new record, The Biggest Life, a profound, vivid document of the songwriter’s might.
I’m very proud of myself and this record,” Dean says. “It’s the most real and vulnerable I’ve ever been with my writing.”
About Zach Russell

For decades now, musicians and songwriters have flocked to Nashville, Tennessee, in hopes of starting or fortifying their careers in the music industry. Zach Russell, who, subconsciously or not, bucks a number of trends in today’s music world, found the opposite to be true. It wasn’t until moving away from Music City U.S.A. that Russell inked his first record deal with tenacious indie label Thirty Tigers.
For seven years in Nashville, Russell studied how fellow writers and performers were approaching their craft, even spending a stint on the road as Tyler Childers’ merchandise manager. Getting a firsthand look at precisely what it takes to chase down greatness, Russell believed he could achieve it as well. But ultimately, taking a breather from Nashville brought clarity—and lots of songs—to the East Tennessee-based artist, and got the ball rolling on what would become Russell’s debut full-length album, Where The Flowers Meet The Dew, out now!

Farm and Fun Time feat. The Wood Brothers, Lindsay Lou
2024-11-14 19:00 - 21:00 | Paramount Bristol, 518 State St, Bristol, TN, TN, 37620, United States
Date: Thursday, November 14, 2024
Time: 7 p.m. ET (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; guests are asked to be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Paramount Bristol
Tickets: $52.04-$96.50
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Hosted by Kris Truelsen and the Farm and Fun Time House Band, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and recorded for television syndication on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS, and PBS North Carolina. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch through Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
Special thanks to our underwriters at Eastman Credit Union, Toyota of Bristol, and the City of Bristol, Tennessee.
About The Wood Brothers

The Wood Brothers have learned to trust their hearts. For the better part of two decades, they’ve cemented their reputation as freethinking songwriters, road warriors, and community builders, creating a catalog of diverse music and a loyal audience who’ve grown alongside them through the years. That evolution continues with Heart is the Hero, the band’s eighth studio album. Recorded analog to 16-track tape, this latest effort finds its three creators embracing the chemistry of their acclaimed live shows by capturing their performances in real-time direct from the studio floor with nary a computer in sight. An acoustic-driven album that electrifies, Heart is the Hero is stocked with songs that target not only the heart, but the head and hips, too.
“We love records that come from the era of less tracks and more care,” explains co-founder Oliver Wood. “When you use a computer during the tracking process, you have an infinite number of tracks at your disposal, which implies that nothing is permanent, and everything can be fixed. Tape gives you limitations that force you to be creative and intentional. You don’t look at the music on a screen; you listen to it, and you learn to focus on the feeling of the performance.”
Throughout Heart Is The Hero, those performances are matched by the visceral storytelling and songwriting chops that have turned The Wood Brothers into Grammy-nominated leaders of American roots music, even as their music reaches far beyond the genre’s borders.
“There’s still acoustic guitar, upright bass, and percussion on this album — things people use all the time — but we’re always thinking, ‘How can we make this sound like us, but not like something we’ve already done?'” Oliver says. “Sometimes, the only way to do that is to get weird.”
That sense of exploration pumps its way through Heart is the Hero like lifeblood. Arriving on the heels of 2019’s Live at The Fillmore, 2020’s Kingdom In My Mind, and Oliver Wood‘s solo album Always Smilin‘ — all of which were released on Honey Jar Records, the band’s independent label — Heart is the Hero is bold, bright, and singularly creative, a fully realized collective effort ultimately greater than the sum of its parts. Perhaps that’s to be expected from a group whose willingness to experiment has earned acclaim from Rolling Stone and NPR, as well as an annual touring schedule of sold-out music halls and theaters on both sides of the Atlantic. Ask The Wood Brothers, though, and they’ll tell you to expect the unexpected.

About Lindsay Lou

“Guided by life experiences, Lindsay Lou’s sound and songwriting continues to evolve and intertwine her sturdy Bluegrass roots with progressive Americana and Folk.” – PBS
“I saw a literal manifestation of the sacred feminine, and had this profound sense that I was meant to embody it,” recalls celebrated singer-songwriter Lindsay Lou after journeying through a hallucinogenic ritual that would inform the way she processed waves of grief in the sea of change ahead of her. The loss of her grandmother, the end of her marriage, and the overwhelming turmoil of COVID lockdowns found the Nashville-based artist on a spiritual journey of self-knowledge and healing with this gift from the mystic swirl. On her new album Queen of Time, Lou explores that quest across ten tracks of tender, heartbreakingly beautiful music.

Farm and Fun Time feat. Joachim Cooder, Tyler Ramsey
2024-12-12 19:00 - 21:00 | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
Date: Thursday, December 12, 2024
Time: 7 p.m. ET (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; guests are asked to be seated by 6:55 p.m.)
Location: Performance Theater, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $40
BUY TICKETS
Hosted by Kris Truelsen and the Farm and Fun Time House Band, Farm and Fun Time is a re-imagining of the classic WCYB Radio program of the same name that aired in the 1940s and 1950s. Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time broadcasts live before a studio audience and and is recorded for television syndication on more than 70 PBS television stations nationally. It can be accessed on 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, or online at ListenRadioBristol.org and on Radio Bristol’s free mobile app. Viewers may also tune in to watch the show live on Radio Bristol’s Facebook page.
Special thanks to our underwriters at Eastman Credit Union, Toyota of Bristol, Nicewonder Farm & Vineyards, and the City of Bristol, Tennessee.
About Joachim Cooder

Joachim Cooder grew up surrounded by music alongside his father, legendary guitarist Ry Cooder who took him on the road at an early age on the drums, playing both live and in the studio. These touring and recording projects allowed him to share stages and recordings with Johnny Cash, Ali Farka Touré, V. M. Bhatt, Steve Earle, John Lee Hooker, Dr. John, Nick Lowe, and most notably the award winning project The Buena Vista Social Club.
Joachim discovered the joys of playing an electric mbira through a small amp, and the sound that emanated was inspired by the world music that always captivated him, “I’m always hearing some sort of defunct cosmic ice cream truck in my head – that’s the sound I’m after with my mbiras and tank drums and other tuned percussion.”
In 2020 Nonesuch Records released Over That Road I’m Bound, the songs of Uncle Dave Macon and Joachim’s unique and celebrated re-imagining of these early country songs and earning Joachim #1 Most Added at Americana, and a Top 10 Album & Single (US & UK).
About Tyler Ramsey

At the core of any great singer-songwriter lies this inherent trait of stage presence, one where an entire room, no matter the size, is pulled in by this lyrical tractor beam — all eyes, emotions and energies aimed in one direction at a single voice. For Tyler Ramsey, it’s being able to honestly connect with the listener.
Albeit a genuinely humble soul, don’t let Tyler Ramsey fool you. An earthy, poetic singer-songwriter from North Carolina, Ramsey has built a rich catalog rooted in folk and melodic indie rock. The former lead guitarist of Band of Horses, he contributed heavily to their Grammy-nominated album “Infinite Arms” (2010), as well as “Mirage Rock” (2012) and “Why Are You OK” (2016), each of which included Ramsey originals. During that time, he continued to make music on his own, releasing career highlights like 2008’s “A Long Dream About Swimming Across the Sea” and 2011’s “The Valley Wind”. Since his departure, he released the rustic-toned “For The Morning” in 2019 and his latest album “New Lost Ages”, which was captured at the legendary Avast! Recording Co. in Seattle, Washington, by storied producer Phil Ek (Fleet Foxes, Father John Misty, Built to Spill). The 10-song LP is an ongoing sonic quest — meticulously wandering across the musical landscape, this undulating tone of indie, rock and folk stylings.
