The Birthplace of Country Music

Songwriters Circle
2026-05-09 14:00 - 17:00, 2026-06-13 14:00 - 17:00, 2026-07-11 14:00 - 17:00, 2026-08-08 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-12 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-10-10 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-12-12 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA, 24201, United States
2026 Dates: Monthly, every 2nd Saturday

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

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

About Songwriters of Highlands Appalachia

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

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

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

Songwriters Circle SHOWCASE
2026-11-14 14:00 - 15:30
2026 Songwriters Circle Showcases

April 11, 2026
November 14, 2026

Location: Performance Theatre, Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: Free and open to the public, donations encouraged to benefit the artists and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum and Songwriters of Highlands Appalachia are proud to continue these events designed to highlight the talents of songwriters in our region. The Songwriters Circle Showcase will be held twice a year in 2026 at 2 p.m. ET, April 11 and November 14, in the performance theater at the museum. These two Showcases accompany the monthly Songwriters Circle events on second Saturdays. The event is free and open to the public; donations are appreciated.

The quarterly Songwriters Circle Showcase is an extension of the monthly Songwriters Circle program, organized by Songwriters of Highlands Appalachia, and will consist of artists who participate in the monthly Circle. The Showcase event is structured similarly to “in the round” events, with each songwriter introducing themselves and their song, which will be performed with or without accompaniment. The songwriter will then hold a discussion about the piece–the origins of the song, its structure, and inspiration–and take questions.

Led by Mary Munsey, a local musician, educator and founder of Songwriters of Highlands Appalachia, the weekly Songwriters Circle is open to songwriters of all ages and skill levels. The Circle encourages participants to share songs, brainstorm ideas, and support one another in their creative endeavors. Songwriter Circles are held the second Saturday of each month at the museum, 2-5 p.m. There is no cost to participate.
“The Songwriters Circle aims to foster a collaborative environment for songwriting,” said Munsey. “Importantly, aspiring songwriters do not need to play an instrument to join in the fun.”
The Songwriters Circle not only provides an opportunity for performance and networking, but also emphasizes the importance of clarity and storytelling in songwriting. The group’s mission is to encourage creativity, introduce songwriting shows to regional audiences, and elevate the appreciation of songwriting as a valuable art form.
About Songwriters of Highlands Appalachia

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

The focus is not on the beauty of the voice or skill of the instrumentation, but the clearness of the pronunciation and the effect of the song. We work on making sure the audience can hear every word. We are not professional musicians but we are creators of musical stories and that is the beauty of it. The sessions are open to anyone visiting the museum. Genres are not specified. Songs can be instrumental, folk, country, bluegrass, Americana, blues, humorous, jazz, R&B, electronic, and even pop, to name a few. Writers are allowed to bring CDs for sale and to accept tips after performances.
For more information about the Songwriters Showcase and Songwriters Circle programs, visit the Events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org. For more information on Songwriters of Highlands Appalachia, HighlandsAppalachia.org.
