The Birthplace of Country Music

Bristol Craft Beer Festival
2016-06-11 16:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York)
Bristol’s Craft Beer Festival is a celebration of craft beer from breweries in our area and local musicians.
This event features craft beer, live music, and a variety of different foods and vendors.
Tickets:
$35 – Online Pre-sale
$40 – At the Door
$15 – Non-Drinker Admission
Music Lineup:
4:00pm – Bobby Thompson Project
6:00pm – Wild Adriatic
8:00pm – The Hackensaw Boys

For more information visit www.BristolCraftBeerFestival.com.

Family Fun Day at the museum!
2016-06-11 13:00 - 16:00
Now that summer is here, it’s the perfect time to have fun with family at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum! On Saturday, June 11, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., there will be lots of fun, games, and activities that the whole family will enjoy together. Best of all, Family Fun Day is free and includes admission to the “Made In Tennessee: Manufacturing Milestones” special exhibit; admission prices still apply to visit the permanent exhibits.
This event is free and open to the public!

Mountains of Music Homecoming
2016-06-10 00:00 - 2016-06-18 23:59
The Crooked Road’s Mountains of Music Homecoming is an annual nine-day, region-wide celebration of the communities in Southwest Virginia – their traditional music, and all their many cultural and natural assets. The event includes Crooked Road marquee concerts in over 20 communities and many dozens of cultural experiences throughout the region.
The second annual Mountains of Music Homecoming will be held Friday, June 10 through Saturday, June 18, 2016. Annually, it will take place from the Friday of the 2nd weekend in June to the Saturday of the 3rd weekend in June.
Each night, visitors and residents will have from two to three Crooked Road marquee music concerts in different communities to choose from. By the end of the nine days, Crooked Road concerts will be presented in over 20 different communities in outdoor and indoor venues like downtown theaters, state parks, colleges, and arts centers.
The Crooked Road region of Southwest Virginia is home to one of the richest traditional music traditions in the world. The Crooked Road concerts during the Mountains of Music Homecoming include the finest traditional artists the region has to offer including recipients of the National Heritage Fellowship Award, the highest recognition America bestows on its traditional artists. The concerts include national and international touring artists that exemplify and compliment the rich bluegrass, old time, gospel, traditional singing, traditional dance, and other music forms that The Crooked Road celebrates. Artists performing for the 2016 Homecoming include Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia Boys, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Wayne Henderson, Blue Highway, Whitetop Mountain Band, Lonesome River Band and three performances just for the 2016 Homecoming by The Crooked Road All Star Bluegrass Band – Sammy Shelor of the Lonesome River Band on banjo, Junior Sisk of Ramblers Choice on guitar, Shawn Lane and Wayne Taylor of Blue Highway on mandolin and bass, and former Bill Monroe fiddler Billy Baker.
Each year, the Mountains of Music Homecoming will also present at least one concert that features exemplary artists from another unique musical heritage such as Mississippi blues, Louisiana Cajun, or last year’s music from Cape Breton. The 2016 Mountains of Music Homecoming will feature music of Ireland with two concerts by the John Doyle Trio. Dublin, Ireland-born John Doyle is a master guitarist and on anyone’s list of the greatest Irish guitarists on the planet.
For a complete list of events visit mtnsofmusic.com.

Border Bash: Dirk Quinn Band | Elliot Root
2016-06-03 18:30 - 22:00
Celebrating 17 years in Historic Downtown, Border Bash—Bristol’s premier spring/summer concert series—is back for another amazing season starting May 20, 2016! Hosted by Believe in Bristol, the Birthplace of Country Music, and the Cities of Bristol, Virginia and Tennessee, Border Bash is about fun, family, great music, and creating memories to last a lifetime.
• June 3 – The Dirk Quinn Band (funk/jazz improv) | Elliot Root (alt-rock)
Border Bash takes place on State Street in Historic Downtown Bristol. Vendors and activities set up at 6:30 p.m. and live music begins at 7:00 p.m. Admission is FREE!

Border Bash is a free community event supported by the Cities of Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee, Anne and Ben Cowan, Bank of Tennessee, Blackbird Bakery, Blakley-Mitchell Co., Brown, Edwards & Co., Camellia Digital, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Express AV Productions, New Peoples Bank, Renasant Bank, Revolution Curbside Recycling, Strongwell Corporation, The Bristol Hotel: McCall Capital, LLC, Tom and Barbara Smith/ Merrill Lynch, Tri City Tent and Event, Walling Distributing, Wells Fargo and media sponsors Bristol Herald Courier, WBCM Radio Bristol, 99.3 The X, Electric 94.9 FM, WCYB-5, and WXBQ 96.9 FM.
About Dirk Quinn Band
The Dirk Quinn Band’s infectious energy and musical interplay routinely attracts listeners that are admittedly more accustomed to lyric-based music. With great melodic sensibilities, rhythmic experimentation and an accessible modern edge, the Dirk Quinn Band is has developed a unique and progressive style – one that appeals to a wide variety of music listeners with fans ranging from the jam band hippies to the jazz enthusiasts.
About Elliot Root
Elliot Root is an American alternative music group based in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee. After releasing two EP’s (“II” & “Thoughts from Yesterday”) in early 2015, the band has steadily become one of the most watched new acts in Nashville. Band members include Scott Krueger, Sean Truskowski, Justin Smith, Todd Bond, and Melissa Mattey.

Three Cheers and a Tiger for Vintage Base Ball!
2016-06-01 18:30 - 20:00
At 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 1, at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Adam “Butter Bean” Alfrey will bring to life the national pastime as it was played in 1864. Back then, base ball (most often written as two words) was played without gloves and ascribed to be a gentleman’s game. Butter Bean plays for the Knoxville Holstons Vintage Base Ball Club and is a club member of the Tennessee Association of Vintage Base Ball which entertains and educates through the re-creation of 19th-century base ball and, more specifically, through the interpretation of the Holstons, a team that first played in Knoxville in 1867. Come learn about Tennessee’s earliest base ball clubs, as well as the rules, equipment, uniforms, and customs you can expect to witness when watching a vintage match!* Hurrah!
This event — part of the programming for our ongoing special exhibit “Made in Tennessee: Manufacturing Milestones” — is free and open to the public.
For more information about this talk, call 423-573-1927. For more information about the Tennessee Association of Vintage Base Ball, go to www.tennesseevintagebaseball.com.
* After you’ve learned all about vintage base ball from Butter Bean at the museum on June 1, be sure to check out a match between the Knoxville Holstons and the Emmett Machinists of Knoxville at Rocky Mount State Historic Site on Saturday, June 4, at 12pm. For more information about the match at Rocky Mount, go to www.rockymountmuseum.com.

BCM Presents: Music Law for Musicians with Justin Laughter, Attorney
2016-05-21 09:00 - 12:30
On Saturday, May 21, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. the Birthplace of Country Music will host a seminar for musicians or music business professionals who are interested in learning more about the legal side of the music business.
Tickets: $25 per person*
*All proceeds benefit the Birthplace of Country Music
PURCHASE TICKETS
Registration Form
Workshop Details
–Choosing and Protecting Your Band Name
Are you searching for the right band name? Have you noticed another band on Facebook using a name confusingly similar or identical to yours? Band and artist stage names are vital to success. In a few words or less, an artist creates its brand and sets audience expectations.The goodwill associated with these words or “trademarks” are of substantial value as more fans become familiar and attend shows or purchase albums based on brand recognition. This program will provide an overview of trademark law in the context of band and artist stage name selection, protection, and enforcement.
–Songwriting and Sound Recording Law
Ever wonder who owns the copyright in a song written and arranged by members of a performance group? How about who owns the sound recording of a song tracked at a studio? Copyright law and content ownership is critical to the success of a musical artist. Often referred to as “mailbox money,” musical composition and sound recording licensing and residual payments are important sources of income for songwriters and recording artists. This program will teach attendees the basics of song and sound recording law ownership and licensing.
-Band Entities and Agreements
Are you a band member or considering starting a band? Do you know what to look for in a bandmate and how to document your agreement to operate the band during the highs and the lows? We all want our bands to be creatively and financially successful. Unfortunately, though, undefined goals and misunderstanding waste time and frustrate these efforts. What was easy to ignore during the excitement of the band’s launch can become its achilles heal during the roller coaster ride that is band life. This program will discuss the questions band members should ask each other before finalizing the band structure and what band agreement provisions should be considered to ensure band operations align with agreed upon goals, expectations, and obligations.
About Presenter
Justin Laughter, a business, intellectual property, and entertainment attorney with Threshold Counsel, PC in Richmond, Virginia will lead the seminar consisting of three separate hour long programs providing a crash course in music law – (i) Choosing and Protecting Your Band or Artist Stage Name, (ii) Songwriting and Sound Recording Law 101, and (iii) Band Entities and Agreements. Attendees will gain essential background into the legal areas relevant to their creative careers as well as practical advice to avoid common pitfalls.
Justin Laughter’s experience representing clients is wide-ranging, including business and non-profit structuring and operations, copyright and trademark protection and enforcement, internet law, and private securities offerings. He regularly counsels startups, makers, and other creative entrepreneurs.
Justin has been honored as a Virginia Super Lawyers-Rising Star in IP (2013-2016), part of Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite (2011, 2014) and as one of Richmond’s Top 40 under 40 by Style Weekly Magazine (2008). He is a 2003 graduate of the University of Virginia (Phi Beta Kappa) and a 2006 graduate of William and Mary Law School (Order of the Coif).
He is also active in the nonprofit, creative, and entertainment community. Justin is a Board Member of C3: The Creative Change Center, Board Member of JAMinc, Board Member of AMP! Metro Richmond, Board Member of OneVoice, Board Member of Gallery5 (museum, art, and performance), a member of Lawyers for the Arts, and a member of the Richmond CenterStage Associates Board. He is also the former Interim Executive Director of Virginians for the Arts, a statewide arts advocacy non-profit organization. Further, Justin is a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, known for its Grammy Awards. He routinely speaks to community audiences, law students, and professionals on legal topics.
Justin is Co-Founder of Educational Media Creations Company, LLC dba Silly Bus, an educational media company organized to help children feel confident, successful, and happy while learning foundational components of elementary education (see www.sillybus.net).

For more information or questions, please email info@BirthplaceofCountryMusic.org

Border Bash: Carolina Catskins | The Tennessee Stifflegs
2016-05-20 18:30 - 22:00
Celebrating 17 years in Historic Downtown, Border Bash—Bristol’s premier spring/summer concert series—is back for another amazing season starting May 20, 2016! Hosted by Believe in Bristol, the Birthplace of Country Music, and the Cities of Bristol, Virginia and Tennessee, Border Bash is about fun, family, great music, and creating memories to last a lifetime.
• May 20 – The Carolina Catskins (ragtime, Appalacian swing) | The Tennessee Stifflegs (old-time, Western swing)
Border Bash takes place on State Street in Historic Downtown Bristol. Vendors and activities set up at 6:30 p.m. and live music begins at 7:00 p.m. Admission is FREE!
Border Bash is a free community event supported by the Cities of Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee, Anne and Ben Cowan, Bank of Tennessee, Blackbird Bakery, Blakley-Mitchell Co., Brown, Edwards & Co., Camellia Digital, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Express AV Productions, New Peoples Bank, Renasant Bank, Revolution Curbside Recycling, Strongwell Corporation, The Bristol Hotel: McCall Capital, LLC, Tom and Barbara Smith/ Merrill Lynch, Tri City Tent and Event, Walling Distributing, Wells Fargo and media sponsors Bristol Herald Courier, WBCM Radio Bristol, 99.3 The X, Electric 94.9 FM, WCYB-5, and WXBQ 96.9 FM.
About The Carolina Catskins:
Birthed in North Carolina, the Carolina Catskins are known for their judband sound and Appalachian Swing. Band members include Lanky Strawbones, Dirty “big spicey” Spice, Rhino Horn, Ginger Tiddley Winks, and Hersh Mcgersh.
About The Tennessee Stifflegs:
The Tennessee Stifflegs are from Knoxville, Tennessee and play time honored harmonies and high-energy swing classics. The band values the raw imperfections of an Appalachian string band, while drawing from the cannon of early western swing, hillbilly jazz, and blues music. Their obsession with these early styles of music is overt, but does not interfere with their unique and sophisticated sound. The band is led by a duo, whose practiced harmonies and swinging rhythm pair perfectly with the sounds of the evil lap steel and razor-sharp upright bass. The musical stylings of the Tennessee Stifflegs will inspire folks to dance, and are a common prescription for a bad case of the blues.

SOLD OUT! Friends of 1927 Concert Series: Darrell Scott
2016-05-20 18:30 - 21:30
Sorry, tickets to this event are now SOLD OUT.
The Birthplace of Country Music is proud to present an intimate Friends of 1927 concert experience with esteemed Grammy-nominated performer, recording artist, and ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Darrell Scott.
The Friends of 1927 Concert Series is an opportunity where fans have the opportunity to interact with the artists in a relaxed setting over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, all included in the ticket price.
Tickets are made available first to Friends of 1927 for a limited time before opening them up to the public. There is a very limited number of tickets so everyone is encouraged to purchase early.
Ask how you can become a Friend of 1927 and support the Birthplace of Country Music Museum by emailing info@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org or call 423-573-1927.
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Doors Open at 6:30 p.m. | Concert Begins at 7:30 p.m.

About Darrell Scott:
Darrell Scott is a Grammy-nominated performer and recording artist, a highly demanded multi-instrumentalist (he plays 13 instruments!), and an ASCAP songwriter of the year. Darrell delivers his soulful performances in solo, duo, trio, band, and string quintet configurations, all equally dynamic and powerful. Darrell will be touring in 2016 in support of his new CD Couchville Sessions. Songwriting credits include the Grammy Award-winning “Long Time Gone” and “Heartbreak Town.” When not on tour with his own shows, Darrell plays in Robert Plant’s Band of Joy.
For more information about Darrell Scott visit www.DarrellScott.com.

Film screening of "Morristown: In the Air and Sun"
2016-05-19 18:30 - 19:30
“Morristown: In the Air and Sun” will be screened in the museum’s Performance Theater on Thursday, May 19 at 6:30pm. A working class response to globalization, this hour-length documentary looks at the issues of immigration, factory flight, and the organized demand for economic justice. The film is free and open to the public.
This film screening is part of the programming to accompany our special exhibit “Made in Tennessee: Manufacturing Milestones.” The exhibit chronicles the rich variety of manufacturing traditions in Tennessee over the past 2 ½ centuries from the early agricultural and craft heritage to our current age of advanced technology and global competition. The diverse panels and artifacts highlight the history of manufacturing in Tennessee, while also featuring a huge variety of the industries and companies that were once found – or still exist – throughout the state, including several local manufacturers.
For more information about the film, check out: http://www.annelewis.org/Morristown_info.html.

Museum Volunteer Training in May -- CANCELLED
2016-05-17 17:00 - 19:00
This volunteer training session has been cancelled and will be rescheduled — for more information, email volunteercoordinator@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.
If you are interested in working behind the scenes at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, become a volunteer! Help is needed in a number of areas including gallery assistant, archives, special events, and curatorial. Your level of involvement can include meeting the public or working behind the scenes.
The Volunteer Overview Session allows you to discern your area of interest at the museum. The session takes place on Tuesday, May 10 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
A follow-up In-Depth Training Session is scheduled for Tuesday, May 17 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
For more information, email volunteercoordinator@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.

Museum Volunteer Training in May -- CANCELLED
2016-05-10 17:00 - 19:00
This volunteer training session has been cancelled and will be rescheduled — for more information, email volunteercoordinator@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.
If you are interested in working behind the scenes at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, become a volunteer! Help is needed in a number of areas including gallery assistant, archives, special events, and curatorial. Your level of involvement can include meeting the public or working behind the scenes.
The Volunteer Overview Session allows you to discern your area of interest at the museum. The session takes place on Tuesday, May 10 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
A follow-up In-Depth Training Session is scheduled for Tuesday, May 17 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

David Gans in Concert at BCM Museum
2016-04-30 19:00 - 21:00
The Birthplace of Country Music is proud to present David Gans, world-renowned Grateful Dead aficionado, author, musician, and radio host of The Grateful Dead Hour live in concert at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.
Tickets are $10 in advance / $15 at door.
Doors Open: 6:30 p.m.
Concert Begins: 7:00 p.m.
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

About David Gans
World-renowned radio host of The Grateful Dead Hour, David Gans’ “solo electric” performance is likely to consist of several elements: country-blues-style fingerpicking; loop-based improvisations created live in the moment; sweetly-sung ballads, original or borrowed; Grateful Dead songs reinterpreted to suit his voice and guitar; wry observations of the music-festival subculture and the larger world; soulful and passionate political commentary; favorites from the folk-rock canon of the last 50 years. Mix and match – it’s never the same show twice, but it’s always worth a listen.
For more information about David Gans, visit www.dgans.com
Photo by EBB ESKEW

Art D'Vine
2016-04-08 18:00 - 21:00
From 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Historic Downtown Bristol will be filled with art lovers as several galleries and some local favorites join together to host another Art D’Vine event! This art walk offers patrons the chance to gain after-hours access to merchants, sample domestic and international wines, and enjoy a range of works from artists across the region.
As with the previous gallery hops, participants are invited to stroll around Historic Downtown Bristol, stopping at Benjamin Walls Gallery, A Work of Art Gallery & Gifts, Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Kil’n Time Contemporary Ceramic Studio, Blackbird Bakery, Bristol Public Library, Hatching Perspective Gallery, as well as featuring shows from two students from King University: Rachel Burrus & Tessa Klingensmith. Refreshments will be provided and participating locations will feature different varieties of wine for sampling.
The Art D’Vine galleries will be highlighting various special events, releases or artists. The Birthplace of Country Music Museum will be hosting local artist Nick Freeman, who will demonstrate and display his art, and the special exhibit “Made in Tennessee: Manufacturing Milestones” will also be open to Art D’Vine participants.
This event is free to the public, though there is a suggested one-time donation of $5 with the proceeds supporting the work of the Arts & Entertainment District of Historic Downtown Bristol.

"Blind Alfred Reed: Appalachian Visionary" -- Radio interview and CD boxset signing
2016-03-04 10:00 - 12:00
On Friday, March 4, WBCM’s “On the Sunny Side” program will be celebrating the recent release of the CD and book, “Blind Alfred Reed: Appalachian Visionary.” Ted Olson, author of the liner notes, and Denny Reed, Blind Alfred Reed’s grandson, will be discussing Reed’s musical legacy with Kris Truelsen on the show. You can hear them on air at 10am on 100.1 FM, online via our website, or through the WBCM app.
At 11am, Olson and Reed will be signing the CD in the museum; copies are available for purchase at The Museum Store.
Image courtesy of Goldenseal Magazine

Educator Open House at The Birthplace of Country Music Museum
2016-03-03 16:00 - 18:00, 2016-02-10 16:00 - 18:00
With our permanent exhibits and a rotating Special Exhibits Gallery, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum is a great place to bring your students. Educators are invited to visit the museum for free to learn more about school group visits at two Open Houses in February and March.
Wednesday, February 10, 4:00—6:00pm
Thursday, March 3, 4:00—6:00pm
Staff will be on hand to answer questions about school group visits to the museum and our upcoming special exhibit “Made in Tennessee: Manufacturing Milestones” (March 1—August 14, 2016), and to speak to you about curriculum needs. Educator and one guest will receive free admission.
If you are interested in attending either of these open houses, please email education@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.

Radio Bristol Sessions with Tony Furtado
2016-02-29 12:00 - 13:00
Join us for Radio Bristol Sessions, a live radio interview and performance at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. Everyone is invited to be part of the studio audience for free! You can also listen live by downloading the Radio Bristol mobile app or tune in locally in the Bristol area at WBCM Radio Bristol 100.1 FM.
Band: Tony Furtado
Genre: Americana, Bluegrass, Blues
Very few musicians of any stripe so personify a musical genre as completely as Tony Furtado embodies Americana roots music. Tony is an evocative and soulful singer, a wide-ranging songwriter and a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist adept on banjo, cello-banjo, slide guitar and baritone ukulele who mixes and matches sounds and styles with the flair of a master chef (he’s also an accomplished sculptor, but that’s another story). All of the music of America is in Tony’s music. Relix hit the nail on the head when writing of Tony: “True talent doesn’t need categories.”
Tony has recorded and produced almost a dozen CDs for various labels such as Dualtone, What Are Records and Funzalo Records. Tony enthusiastically describes his newest CD, The Bell, as “the most personal of my career.” To be released this summer on his own YousayFurtado Records, The Bell is an important release for several reasons: it represents a return to Tony’s banjo-playing roots, with the banjo and cello-banjo more prominent than in recent years; the original songs concern such weighty themes as the loss of his father, the birth of his son and his own creative rebirth with the move to a new record label and management team; his working band is featured; and, most important of all, this is the first album in a long time on which Tony had complete artistic control. It’s his music, done his way.
For more information visit, http://www.tonyfurtado.com/

A Tribute to Tennessee Ernie Ford at Paramount Bristol
2016-02-13 19:00 - 21:00
Event will take place at the Paramount Bristol in Downtown Bristol
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum is proud to partner with The Paramount Chamber Players to produce a one-of-a-kind evening dedicated to the music of Tennessee Ernie Ford on February 13, 2016 at Paramount Bristol. The concert, on what would have been Ford’s 97th birthday, will feature songs from Ford’s vast repertoire performed by The Paramount Chamber Players, special guests The Jeff Little Trio, a choral ensemble and vocal soloists, along with accompanying narration. The two-hour concert will include something for everyone: gospel tunes, country boogie tunes, patriotic and folk songs, a new rendition of “Sixteen Tons,” and the premiere of a hymn arrangement by Ann Holler, which was commissioned especially for the concert.
Tickets are $20.00 and are on sale now.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS
Leading up to this concert, we sponsored a “Sixteen Tons” cover song contest that encouraged new and inventive cover versions of Tennessee Ernie Ford’s classic tune. Renditions of “Sixteen Tons” could be a faithful rendering or drastically re-imagined: what would it be like as a flamenco tune? A free jazz chart? A bubblegum pop song? The contest has ended – watch our social media pages to see the winners posted very soon!
About The Paramount Chamber Players
Pianist Craig W. Combs performs chamber music with like-minded artists who pursue music as an expression of the human condition. As such, his projects are most often community-based with an eye to sharing the aesthetic beauty of the music. One such project is the Paramount Chamber Players, a network of artists in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia who have banded together to bring chamber music to their communities. This autumn they have performed a series of concerts focused on the music of Beethoven and his contemporaries in the Tri-Cities and Abingdon, and after the February Tennessee Ernie Ford Concert, they will once again share their passion and talents with our local area with a program of “ancient, modern, and in-between” music.

Volunteer Training
2016-02-09 15:00 - 17:00
If you are interested in working behind the scenes at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, become a volunteer! Help is needed in a number of areas including gallery assistant, archives, special events, and curatorial. Your level of involvement can include meeting the public or working behind the scenes.
The Volunteer Overview Session allows you to discern your area of interest at the museum. The session takes place on Tuesday, February 9 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
An In-Depth Training Session is scheduled for the following week, Tuesday, February 16 from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
For more information, email volunteercoordinator@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.
PLEASE NOTE: The volunteer training session on Tuesday, February 9 has been cancelled due to inclement weather. We will extend the Tuesday, February 16 volunteer training session for one hour (3:00 – 6:00pm) to make up for this cancellation.

The Americans in Concert
2016-01-18 19:00 - 20:30
The Birthplace of Country Music is proud to present The Americans on Monday, January 18 at 7:00 p.m.
Tickets are $5.00 per person.
Doors Open: 6:30 p.m.
Concert Begins at 7:00 p.m.
To Purchase Tickets Click Here
About the Band
The Americans perform original rock & roll with deep roots in traditional American music. Formed in Los Angeles, the band has performed on the Late Show with David Letterman, twice joined Grammy and Oscar winner Ryan Bingham on national tours, and played the first dance at Reese Witherspoon’s wedding. They have also backed up Nick Cave, Tim Robbins, and Lucinda Williams.
The Americans appear throughout American Epic, a four hour primetime PBS / BBC special produced by Jack White, Robert Redford, and T Bone Burnett. In the film the band appears alongside a number of amazing artists including Elton John, Taj Mahal, Beck, Willie Nelson, The Avett Brothers, and Merle Haggard.
The band recorded an original song for Hal Willner’s Son of Rogue’s Gallery (ANTI- Records), an album of sea chanties and pirate songs featuring Tom Waits, Keith Richards, and Iggy Pop, executive produced by Johnny Depp.
The Americans’ music is featured in the Michael Mann produced film Texas Killing Fields, starring Sam Worthington and Chloë Grace Moretz. The soundtrack includes two original songs, “Kiss Your Eyes” and “When The Blaze Is Blue.”
For more information about the band visit their website at www.theamericansmusic.com or find them on Facebook at facebook.com/theamericansmusic.

Special Screening: The Ford Show Double-Bill
2016-01-12 18:30 - 19:30
In cooperation with Tennessee Ernie Ford Enterprises, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum will screen a special double-bill of The Ford Show episodes, Ernie Ford’s prime-time variety show, in the Performance Theater on Tuesday, January 12, at 6:30 p.m. This double-bill will feature singers Odetta and Ethel Waters.
Admission to all the film screenings are free. Regular admission fees apply for visiting the museum exhibits and the “Tennessee Ernie Ford: A Life on Stage” special exhibit.

Special Screening: A Ford Show Family Christmas
2015-12-16 18:30 - 19:30
Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford
Woven together from six original Ford Show Christmas editions from 1956 to 1960, this timeless, enchanting classic features performances of many of the world’s most beloved Christmas songs from Ernie and his Ford Show co-stars, the incomparable Top Twenty. This special compilation is decorated with classic guest appearances from the legendary Kate Smith, along with Jon Provost and Lassie, Lee Aaker and Rin Tin Tin, and Gordon MacRae, and the most endearing moments from the original shows that could have happened on live TV.
A Ford Family Christmas creates a tapestry of holiday memories you’ll want to watch again and again.

This event is free and open to the public.

Small Business Saturday
2015-11-28 10:00 - 18:00
Come by The Museum Store on Small Business Saturday for a host of discounts and sales, the perfect way to get a start on your holiday shopping! You can also make a family day out of it with a visit to the museum’s permanent exhibit and the new special exhibit, “Tennessee Ernie Ford: A Life on Stage.” This is a great way to support your local businesses!

Click here for a special coupon

Volunteer Training: In-Depth Session #2
2015-11-17 17:00 - 19:00
If you are interested in working behind the scenes at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, become a volunteer! Help is needed in a number of areas including gallery assistant, archives, special events, and curatorial. Your level of involvement can include meeting the public or working behind the scenes.
The In-Depth Training Session is scheduled for the following week, Tuesday, November 17 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Casting Call for Orthophonic Joy Documentary
2015-11-13 15:00 - 19:00
Film Details
Plan A Films is shooting narrative material (non-documentary film scenes) to complement the interviews they have collected for the Orthophonic Joy documentary. Plan A Films is shooting this material (a combination of reenactments and re-imagined scenarios based on research and conjecture) to bring to life some of the things that the interviewers said as they spoke to them and to augment what they’ve discovered in their research about the sessions.
This film, commissioned by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Virginia Tourism Corporation, is scheduled for release in Spring 2016 and accompanies last year’s album release of Orthophonic Joy: The 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisited.
Film Dates
NOVEMBER 30 – DECEMBER 17 (A Detailed Schedule Available Upon Request)
Casting Dates/Details
Plan A Films, led by Sundance Award-winning director Chusy Haney-Jardine, will hold a casting session at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. this Friday, November 13, 2015. Men, women and children ages five (5) to 70 who can sing and play instruments, and musicians with no acting experience, are invited to audition.
Casting Needs
Plan A Films is currently casting roles for the entire film. Plan A Films has already confirmed three (3) professional film actors. Following is the list of roles that require filling. Parenthetically, Plan A Films will need background talent (extras) for many scenes. We will need no less than 30, but extras won’t work every day!
o Ralph Peer
o Anita Peer
o sound engineer 1
o sound engineer 2
o Jimmie Rodgers/musician and singer
o Ernest Stoneman/musician
o Stoneman’s wife
o Uncle Eck/musician
o AP carter/musician
o Maybelle carter/musician
o Sara carter/musician
o Carter’s six-year-old daughter
o Carter infant
o Bristol news reporter
o Grandfather/musician
o Musically inclined four-year-old girl related to grandfather
o 10 Stoneman kids from age 2 to 12. Boys and girls.
o Hotel Room Service Man
o A real orchestra/musicians
o Victor/music store owner
o Tenneva ramblers/musicians
o musicians/band that can play old-timey music for a dance hall scene
o preacher
o Many additional parts available too.
Contact Information
For questions about the filming in Bristol for the Orthophonic Joy Documentary, please contact Plan A Films at bristolsessionscasting@gmail.com.

Volunteer Training: Overview Session #1
2015-11-10 17:00 - 19:00
If you are interested in working behind the scenes at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, become a volunteer! Help is needed in a number of areas including gallery assistant, archives, special events, and curatorial. Your level of involvement can include meeting the public or working behind the scenes.
The Volunteer Overview Session allows you to discern your area of interest at the museum. The session takes place on Tuesday, November 10 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
An In-Depth Training Session is scheduled for the following week, Tuesday, November 17 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Tennessee Ernie Ford: His Life & Times Documentary
2015-11-03 18:30 - 19:35
Special Screening:
Tennessee Ernie Ford is one of the most beloved entertainers the world has ever known. From the timeless comedy of I Love Lucy‘s Cousin Ernie to his Emmy-nominated prime time series The Ford Show…from his legendary single, “Sixteen Tons” to the classic hymns that helped bring inspirational music into the mainstream, Ernest Jennings Ford made an indelible, lasting impact on the world through his unparalleled accomplishments in radio, records, and television. In a legendary half-century in the spotlight, Ernie was honored with three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, 1964’s Grammy for Best Gospel Recording, induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Minnie Pearl Humanitarian Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor that a sitting President can bestow upon a civilian on behalf of his country. Now you’re invited to experience the story behind the legend in this premiere DVD edition of Tennessee Ernie Ford: His LIfe & Times. Featuring rare footage, classic performances, appearances by Della Reese, Rosemary Clooney, and many others, this is an unforgettable program about an unforgettable man; a genuine American Classic – Tennessee Ernie Ford.
Admission to all film screenings are free. Regular admission fees apply for visiting the museum exhibits and tours of the “Tennessee Ernie Ford: A Life on Stage” special exhibit.
Image Credit: Les Leverett, Copyright Grand Ole Opry, LLC

Spooky Story Time with Pam Neal: The Bell Witch
2015-10-31 12:00 - 13:00
FREE EVENT!
The museum will also host a retelling of “The Bell Witch” legend suitable for all ages on Saturday, October 31 at 12 noon. Free and open to the public, this event is the perfect way for families to end their morning after Pumpkin Palooza at the Farmers’ Market and trick-or-treating on State Street. Bristol Public Library children’s librarian Pam Neal will entertain with this wonderful spooky tale, and there will be candy for your little trick-or-treaters.
For more information about Pumpkin Palooza festivities, visit www.BelieveinBristol.org.

Ghost Stories & Appalachian Folk Tales with Leon Overbay
2015-10-28 18:30 - 19:30
FREE EVENT!
During Halloween week, both kids and adults can come by the Birthplace of Country Music Museum to hear spooky and music-related local tales.
On Wednesday, October 28, at 6:30pm, join Leon Overbay, “the Boones Creek Bard,” as he shares ghost stories and Appalachian folk tales. A founding member of the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild and a charter member of the Barter Storytellers, Leon is known for his cowboy poetry, Appalachian stories, and southern humor. This storytelling session is free and will be held in the museum’s Performance Theater; it is suitable for older kids and adults.
The museum will also host a retelling of “The Bell Witch” legend suitable for all ages on Saturday, October 31 at 12 noon. Free and open to the public, this event is the perfect way for families to end their morning after Pumpkin Palooza at the Farmers’ Market and trick-or-treating on State Street. Bristol Public Library children’s librarian Pam Neal will entertain with this wonderful spooky tale, and there will be candy for your little trick-or-treaters.
For more information about Pumpkin Palooza festivities, visit www.BelieveinBristol.org.

Tennessee Ernie Ford
2015-10-24 00:00 - 2016-02-14 23:59
In October 2015, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum unveiled the special exhibit “Tennessee Ernie Ford: A Life on Stage.” A look into the life and legacy of Tennessee Ernie Ford, the special exhibit will feature photographs, artifacts, audio and video materials, and special programming during its 4-month duration in the museum.
A pioneer in radio and television broadcasting who also recorded a prolific 85 albums, Tennessee Ernie Ford made his mark on American show business through the blockbuster recording “Sixteen Tons,” his television show The Ford Show, and his television specials. At ease on stage and in front of the camera, Tennessee Ernie Ford paired masterful musicianship with his engaging on-stage personality during his performances and comedic skits with entertainers such as Minnie Pearl, Odetta, and Liberace. Despite his fame, “The Ol’ Pea Picker” kept his hometown of Bristol, Tennessee close to his heart and in his persona; his performances on radio, television and in studio recordings captured the down-home character and integrity he valued.
This special exhibit opened during the 60th anniversary month of the release of “Sixteen Tons” and explores Ford’s accomplishments and legacy, along with his family life, which was often lived in front of the camera. Visitors to the exhibit are invited to consider Ford’s enormous impact on music and television, his amazing ability to capture audiences young and old, and his long and varied career in entertainment, which spanned an astonishing 40 years.
As a supplement to the special exhibit, screenings of one 30-minute Ford Show episode will run regularly during the lifetime of the Ernie Ford exhibit, October 24, 2015 – February 14, 2016. Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, a single 30-minute episode will be screened in the Performance Theater at 12:00 noon; every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, a single 30-minute episode will be looped in the Performance Theater between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. (unless the theater is in use for a WBCM radio event). The episodes shown will change approximately every two weeks.
Admission to the exhibit is included in your regular museum admission fee; admission to the Tennessee Ernie Ford exhibit on its own is $7.
Image Credit: Les Leverett, Copyright Grand Ole Opry, LLC
