Art D'Vine at the Museum
2016-10-07 18:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | VA
On Friday, October 7, 2016, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., downtown will be filled with art lovers as several galleries and some local favorites join together to host another exciting ArtD’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.
At the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Art D’Vine participants can visit the special exhibit “We Are the Music Makers: Preserving the Soul of America’s Music” – the exhibit includes portrait photography, instruments and artifacts, folk art, and audio. The Museum Store will also be hosting featured artisan Eric Cunningham, creator of Appalachian Disasterpieces.
As with the previous gallery hops, participants are invited to stroll around Historic Downtown Bristol, stopping and enjoying all that our downtown has to offer! Refreshments will be provided and many of the galleries will feature different varieties of wine for sampling. The ArtD’Vine galleries will be highlighting various special events, releases or artists.
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, TN/VA.

PUSH! Film Festival
2016-10-21 00:00 - 2016-10-23 23:59
PURCHASE TICKETS
Presented by Believe in Bristol, the PUSH! Film Festival in Historic Downtown Bristol, TN/VA is a competitive, 3-day celebration of the cinematic and visual arts. Director/producer Bobby Farrelly (There’s Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber) will be part of the opening night events.
By bringing diverse films to our community and showcasing the best regional filmmakers, PUSH! aims to expand the artistic image of our region, engage new audiences in the world of film, and inspire creativity in all of us.
In addition to a diverse variety of curated films, the film festival – now in its second year – will host a juried competition that devotes categories to Best Tennessee Films and Best Virginia Films (shot in the two states or made by a filmmaker from TN or VA), as well as Best Short and Best Feature (open to all films – local, national, and international). This year we will also be recognizing an Audience Award.
PUSH! will also offer exciting parties and get-togethers, along with a variety of educational opportunities for filmmakers and audience members of all ages. Films and workshops will be held across several venues including the historic, art-deco Paramount Bristol, the Bristol Public Library, and the Smithsonian-affiliated Birthplace of Country Music Museum.
Visit PushFilmFest.com.

ETSU Bluegrass, Old Time, & Country Music at the Museum
2016-10-25 19:00 - 21:00
Date: Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Doors open: 6:30 p.m.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $10 per person
PURCHASE TICKETS
On Tuesday, October 25, several of the top student performing groups from ETSU Bluegrass, Old Time, & Country Music Studies will perform at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, Virginia.
Founded in 1982 by Jack Tottle, Bluegrass, Old Time, & Country Music Studies at ETSU is the oldest established program of its kind at any four-year institution and boasts the world’s first bachelor of arts in Bluegrass, Old Time, & Country Music Studies.
Bands within the program are comprised of outstanding student performers, often with many years of experience accounted to each member. Over the course of the program’s history, student bands have performed at prestigious venues across the United States, as well as with bluegrass and country music luminaries such as Alison Krauss, Del McCoury, Ralph Stanley, Ricky Skaggs, and the late Porter Wagoner.
Tickets for the concerts are $10 and can be purchased in advance by contacting the Birthplace of Country Music Museum at (423) 573-1927. Tickets will also be available at the venue (520 Birthplace of Country Music Way, Bristol, VA) the evening of the concert.
For more information, contact ETSU Bluegrass, Old Time, & Country Music Studies at (423) 439-7072.

Art D'Vine at the Museum
2017-02-03 18:00 - 20:00
On Friday, February 3, 2017, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., downtown will be filled with art lovers as several galleries and local favorites join together to host another Believe in Bristol 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.
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum will once again be participating in Art D’Vine and will be hosting local artisan Susan Fields. Susan is a bead and jewelry artisan, creating beautiful flower and tree sculptures from thousands of tiny glass beads and wire. Her jewelry items are stitched one bead at a time – wearable art! Susan will be doing small demonstrations of her craft during the event. Patrons can also view “A Place for All People,” a historic poster exhibit commemorating the opening of the National Museum of African American History & Culture.
As with the previous gallery hops, participants are invited to stroll around Historic Downtown Bristol, stopping and enjoying all that our downtown has to offer! Refreshments will be provided and many of the galleries will feature different varieties of wine for sampling. The Art D’Vine galleries will be highlighting various special events, releases or artists. Those who complete their Art D’Vine passport (available at any of the stops) by visiting each stop will be entered into a raffle to win a gift certificate for Whiskey Rebellion! 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, TN/VA.

BCM Presents: Phoebe Hunt & The Gatherers
2017-02-11 19:30 - 20:30
Date: Saturday, February 11, 2017
Doors open: 6:30 p.m.
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $81 per person (includes taxes & fees/proceeds benefit Radio Bristol)
PURCHASE TICKETS
The Birthplace of Country Music proudly presents Phoebe Hunt & The Gatherers for an intimate concert in the Performance Theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum on Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres and cocktails are included in the ticket price. Guests are urged to arrive when doors open to enjoy catering prior as show will start promptly at 7:30 p.m.
“Phoebe Hunt and The Gatherers is working on a new album…She does pop. She does country. She does folk. She can swing with a touch of jazz or sell an emotional ballad. And she does it all on the new album, and she does it all with style and vigor.” – Jack Goodstein, SeattlePI
An accomplished Americana instrumentalist and singer/songwriter, with foundations in jazz and swing styles, Phoebe Hunt makes an impressive creative leap with her next project and her alt-folk rock band The Gatherers. It’s the culmination of a five year journey that has taken her from her Austin roots through Music Row, Brooklyn, even to India to study with seventh-generation master violinist Kala Ramnath. Along the way, Phoebe found her voice and delivered her most inspired set of songs to date — the soundtrack to her self-discovery. Shanti’s Shadow marks an arrival for Phoebe Hunt, whose artistic and personal journeys have deep story lines.
Tickets to Phoebe Hunt & The Gatherers are $81 and includes taxes and fees. Tickets are on sale to the public.
Proceeds from the event benefit Radio Bristol.

RTE 23 Listening Room Concert ft. Beth Snapp
2017-02-18 20:00 - 22:00
Date: Saturday, February 18, 2017
Doors open: 7:30 p.m.
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Location: The Inn at Wise, 110 E Main St, Wise, VA
Tickets: Advance $8 / DOS $10
PURCHASE TICKETS
The Birthplace of Country Music presents a RTE 23 Listening Room Concert featuring one of our region’s most talented singer/songwriters, Beth Snapp, performing music from her latest album “Write Your Name Down.”
Tim Stafford of Blue Highway states that “Beth is a rare musician/singer/songwriter…Of all the musicians I’ve seen come out of East Tennessee…Beth is easily the most original and talented.” Her sound encompasses pop, jazz, folk and occasionally a little bluegrass to make it a distinctive mix and a genre all its own. “They say I hummed before I spoke,” Beth Snapp says of her lifetime interest in music. Too nervous to sing in public, no originals were part of her repertoire until the end of Graduate School. From there, Beth’s song list grew and eventually, her album, “The Girl in the Magazine,” was imagined in April 2013.
Her friend Stafford is among the musicians who lent their talents to her latest album “Write Your Name Down” recorded at Hat Creek Recording in Jonesborough, Tennessee and will be available at the show.
Advanced tickets go on sale Monday, January 30th at The Inn at Wise and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. Email rte23mf@gmail.com for ticket information.
*Tickets are non-refundable. If there is a weather emergency, the show will be rescheduled.

Create Appalachia Workshops - Arts@Work 101: Presenting Yourself Professionally
2017-04-04 18:00 - 21:00
Dates: April 4, 11, & 25, 2017
Times: 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. for each session
Location: The Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Registration Fee: Before March 29 – $85 ($75 for Create Appalachia members), After March 29 – $95 ($85 members)
REGISTER
Presenting Yourself Professionally: Creating a Basic Marketing Kit in Three Easy Sessions, presented by Dr. Katie Hoffman of Appalworks.com.
“This is an excellent value! You’ll emerge from this workshop with a bull basic marketing kit, and all for less than it would ordinarily cost to hire a photographer for the head shot alone!” ~ Dr. Katie Hoffman
Artists and makers of all genres need to be able to market themselves effectively. This workshop is designed to help artists of all types create the three basic items they need to pitch themselves and their work. At the end of the series, you will have created a customized marketing kit including:

* An artist statement
* A brief biography
* A head shot taken by a professional photographer

Having a compelling, coherent, and grammatically correct bio and artist statement is important for any creative hoping to connect with a venue that will purchase or showcase their art. These documents can also be the initial elements of a simple, do-it-yourself website. This series will teach you how to craft a statement that best promotes and describes you and your work and how to adapt it for a specific purpose, such as submission to an exhibition or gallery, promotion of a performance, or publicizing a speaking engagement. In the final session, a professional photographer will work with you to make another essential element: an artist photo for your kit. Our photographer is Kalani Odom of White Creek Photography, who has a great deal of experience working with other creatives to highlight themselves and their work. You can see her latest photos here.
With a Ph.D. in English, over twenty years’ experience teaching rhetoric and composition, and experience as an artist herself, Dr. Katie Hoffman is well equipped to lead you through the process of creating a set of professional promotional materials. You’ll receive good advice, input from your colleagues, and individualized attention customized to your specific needs.
But sign up now! Space is limited. Because this fee includes one-on-one consultation and advice from Katie, we cannot accommodate more than 20 people. Thanks to a generous grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission and to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum for providing a venue, we can bring you this series at a surprisingly low cost. Sign up by March 29, 2017 for all three sessions and you’ll pay a discounted price of $85 ($75 for Create Appalachia members). After March 29, the price of the three-session series will go up to $95 ($85 for members).
Single-session signups for April 4: Artist Biography and April 11: Artist Statement will be available after March 29 at $35/session. In order to attend the last session and meet with the photographer, you must pay for and attend the first two sessions.
All sessions will be held at 6 PM at The Birthplace of Country Music Museum, 520 Birthplace of Country Music Way, Bristol, VA 24201. One-on-one appointments will be scheduled individually at the end of sessions 1 and 2. These may be done by phone or email rather than in person, depending on your particular situation and schedule.
Session 1: Artist Biography (April 4, 2017, 6–9 p.m.): Prior to the workshop, Katie will email examples and preparatory activities to each paid participant. These will help you generate ideas about what makes you and your work distinctive. During the workshop discussions, she will help you take the insights you’ve developed and craft a professional bio of about 250 words. We’ll also discuss how to craft a mini-bio, another important promotional tool. Every artist will leave the session with a working draft. Finally, you’ll set an appointment with Katie for the one-on-one editing/proofing session that will help you put a professional polish on your new bio. You’ll have the first important step completed in promoting your work!
Session 2: Artist Statement (April 11, 2017, 6–9 p.m.): As with the first session, Katie will email you ahead of time with some idea-generation activities. You’ll come to the session prepared to create an artist statement that reflects your own passions and philosophies. You’ll learn to avoid vague, fluffy, confusing “artspeak,” creating a statement that helps others understand how to approach your art. You’ll emerge from this session with a draft that you can polish and refine during your next one-on-one session with Katie. And you’re 2/3 done with your marketing kit!
Session 3: Putting it All to Use (April 25, 2017, 6–9 p.m.): During the final session, a professional photographer will be on hand to create head shots at no additional charge. Katie and other speakers will also offer advice about how to use your newly created marketing kit. Artists will share their work and collaborate on preparing plans of action. And voilà! You’re equipped and ready to get out there and sell your artistry! (Please note that in order to attend session 3 and meet with the photographer, you must have attended the previous two sessions.)
Create Appalachia is grateful for the sponsorships that make the Arts@Work 101 series possible. Many thanks go to the Tennessee Arts Commission, which has given us a generous grant, and to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum for providing our series venue. For more information about Create Appalachia visit CreateAppalachia.org.
REGISTER

SOLD OUT! RTE. 23 Listening Room: Daniel Davis
2017-04-15 20:00 - 21:30
Date: Saturday, April 15, 2017
Doors Open: 7:30 p.m.
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Location: The Inn at Wise, 110 E Main St, Wise, VA
SORRY, TICKETS TO THIS SHOW ARE NOW SOLD OUT!
The Birthplace of Country Music presents RTE 23 Listening Room Concert featuring acclaimed singer/songwriter Daniel Davis. A Wise County native and graduate of The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Davis is well known to music fans throughout the region as principal songwriter and front man for Folk Soul Revival, one of the area’s most respected and beloved acts.
Blessed with a balladeer’s soulful vocals, Davis has a knack for penning poignant, evocative songs with roots planted firmly in the mountains of his birth. Blending the classic sounds of Yoakam and Nelson with more contemporary singer/songwriters like Jason Isbell and Justin Townes Earle, Davis’s craft is singularly Appalachian in both timbre and style. Over the years his music has been central to the sound of Folk Soul Revival, yet he sits on a collection of songs that have gone unrecorded by the band. The RTE 23 Listening Room will provide a sound stage for this assemblage of unreleased material and offer a new perspective on this authentic and multi-talented artist.
Davis achieved second place in the Merlefest’s prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting Contest in 2013 for the song “Homesick.” With Folk Soul Revival Davis has released four albums, with a fifth now in production, and performed at a number of major festivals and esteemed venues throughout the Southeast including Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Floydfest, The Carter Family Fold, Asheville’s The Grey Eagle, and The Basement in Nashville.

Art D'Vine at the Museum
2017-05-12 18:00 - 20:00
On Friday, May 12, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., downtown will be filled with art lovers as several galleries and venues join together to host Art D’Vine. 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.
The museum will be hosting a Sullins Academy student art show where artworks inspired by a “Synesthesia Syncopation” event held earlier in the week will be displayed. Local artisan Treva Watson will also be at the museum, highlighting her homemade candles, soaps, bath and body products, perfect gifts for Mother’s Day! Art D’Vine participants will also get the chance to see the museum’s special exhibit — Hometown Stars: Southwest Virginia’s Recording Legacy, 1923–1943 — for free.
Those participants who complete their Art D’Vine passport by visiting each stop will be entered into a raffle to win a gift certificate for Mercantile on State. This event is free and open to the public, though there is a suggested one-time donation of $5 (which can be given at any of the participating venues); proceeds support the work of the Arts & Entertainment District of Historic Downtown Bristol, TN/VA.
For more information, call 423-573-1927.

Believe in Bristol Presents Border Bash: Annie Robinette, The Green Fingers
2017-05-19 18:30 - 22:00
Date: Friday, May 19, 2017
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: The Downtown Center, 810 State Street, Bristol, TN
FREE!
Border Bash featuring live music by The Green Fingers at 7:00 p.m. and Annie Robinette at 8:30 p.m.
Presented by Believe in Bristol, Border Bash is a free summer concert series held annually in Bristol’s Historic Downtown May through August. Celebrating its 18th anniversary in 2017, Border Bash creates the ambiance of a street festival with amazing live music, children’s activities, food and arts & crafts vendors and so much more!
This year Border Bash rotates to a new location along State Street with each event. The May 19th & July 21st events will be held in the Downtown Center at 810 State Street. The June 2nd event will be in the 400 & 500 blocks of State Street, the June 16th & August 4th events will be held in the Piedmont Intersection of State Street, and July 4th will be held in Cumberland Square Park.
Visit BelieveInBristol.org for more information.

Book-Signing with Journalist and Author Ralph Berrier Jr.
2017-05-20 13:00 - 15:00
As part of the programming related to our special exhibit Hometown Stars: Southwest Virginia’s Recording Legacy, 1923–1943, join us in the museum’s Performance Theater on Saturday, May 20 at 1pm for a book-signing event with journalist Ralph Berrier Jr.. Berrier is the author of If Trouble Don’t Kill Me: A Family’s Story of Brotherhood, War, and Bluegrass, a biography of musicians Clayton and Saford Hall. Born only minutes apart in The Hollow in Patrick County, Virginia, the Hall twins rose from mountain-bred poverty to playing and singing on the radio airwaves and at performances throughout the region, including opening shows for The Carter Family, Roy Rogers, and the Sons of the Pioneers, and as band members of Roy Hall and His Blue Ridge Entertainers. In his book, Berrier, grandson to Clayton, tells the twins’ story from their hardscrabble childhood and youth to their musical triumphs to the arena of World War II.
Participants at the event will get a wonderful introduction to Clayton and Saford’s story. Berrier will read a few passages from his book, perhaps even playing a couple of Hall Twins’ tunes! After a brief Q&A, audience members will get the chance to buy a copy of If Trouble Don’t Kill Me and get it signed by the author. This event is free and open to the public.
For more information about this event, call 423-573-1927 or email info@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.
Visit RalphBerrier.com.

Believe in Bristol Presents Border Bash: Indighost, 49 Winchester
2017-06-02 18:30 - 22:00
Date: Friday, June 2, 2017
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: 400 & 500 blocks of State Street
FREE!
Border Bash featuring live music by 49 Winchester at 7:00 p.m. and Annie Robinette at 8:30 p.m.
Presented by Believe in Bristol, Border Bash is a free summer concert series held annually in Bristol’s Historic Downtown May through August. Celebrating its 18th anniversary in 2017, Border Bash creates the ambiance of a street festival with amazing live music, children’s activities, food and arts & crafts vendors and so much more!
This year Border Bash rotates to a new location along State Street with each event. The June 2nd event will be in the 400 & 500 blocks of State Street. The June 16th & August 4th events will be held in the Piedmont Intersection of State Street. July 4th will be held in Cumberland Square Park. July 21st event will be held in the Downtown Center at 810 State Street.

Mama Said String Band presented by Birthplace of Country Music and SYKES
2017-06-10 19:00 - 20:30
Date: Saturday, June 10, 2017
Doors open: 6:30 p.m.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Mountain Rose Vineyards in Wise, VA
Tickets: $8 Advance/$10 DOS
PURCHASE TICKETS
The Birthplace of Country Music presents the RTE 23 Listening Room concert series featuring Mama Said String Band Saturday, June 10 at 7:00 p.m. at Mountain Rose Vineyards in Wise, Virginia.
Mama Said String Band is a five-piece group based out of Louisville, Kentucky. Their combined musical backgrounds, spanning multiple cultures, styles and genres, with a strong focus on vocal harmony, create a unique medley of sound. They gather influence from bluegrass, folk, alternative, gospel, and R&B. Before they called themselves a band, they shared a love for campfire jams and traveling together playing music wherever they found themselves. Now, as a band, they hope to explore and expand their sound and wanderlust, while hanging on to the campfire roots.

Mountains of Music Homecoming Ballads Workshop
2017-06-11 14:00 - 16:00
As part of the Crooked Road’s Mountains of Music Homecoming, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum will be hosting a ballads workshop on Sunday, June 11 at 2pm. Moderated by Museum Director Jessica Turner, this workshop will explore English-language balladry, an influential music tradition dating back hundreds of years.
Three prominent ballad singers — Archie Fisher of Scotland, Sheila Kay Adams of Western North Carolina, and Elizabeth LaPrelle of Southwest Virginia — will discuss balladry’s emergence in the Old World and the tradition’s re-emergence in the New World. The three singers will describe where and how they learned ballads and what those ballads mean to them and to their audiences. Additionally, this workshop will present attendees with a rare opportunity to ask master ballad singers for insights regarding ways to effectively interpret traditional as well as contemporary ballads.
This event is free and open to the public. However, registration of your place is recommended.
Click Here to Register

Believe In Bristol Presents Border Bash: Josh Daniel, If Birds Could Fly
2017-06-16 18:30 - 22:00
Date: Friday, June 16
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Intersection of State Street at 7th & Piedmont
FREE!
Featuring live music by Josh Daniel, If Birds Could Fly
Presented by Believe in Bristol, Border Bash is a free summer concert series held annually in Bristol’s Historic Downtown May through August. Celebrating its 18th anniversary in 2017, Border Bash creates the ambiance of a street festival with amazing live music, children’s activities, food and arts & crafts vendors and so much more!
This year Border Bash rotates to a new location along State Street with each event. The June 16th & August 4th events will be held in the Piedmont Intersection of State Street. July 4th will be held in Cumberland Square Park. July 21st event will be held in the Downtown Center at 810 State Street.

Celebrate Bristol Presents Star Spangled 4th of July Celebration
2017-07-04 17:00 - 23:00
CELEBRATE BRISTOL!
5:00 PM: Bristol’s Independence Day Parade — State Street
6:00 PM: Events in Cumberland Square Park including:
Special Recognition of all Veterans
Presented by Danny Hill
Family Fun Events in the Park
Inflatables, “Eating Contests”, and much more.
Food, Beverage, and Craft Vendors Available for Purchase
Free Watermelon
Sponsored by Kroger
Free Bag of Potato Chips
Sponsored by Shearers
6:30 PM: Great American Lions Club Rubber Duck Race
Cumberland Square Park/Beaver Creek Basin
6:30 PM: Believe in Bristol Presents Border Bash at Cumberland Square Park
7:00 PM: Live music by Fritz & Co. and Virginia Ground
Presented by Believe in Bristol, Border Bash is a free summer concert series held annually in Bristol’s Historic Downtown May through August. Celebrating its 18th anniversary in 2017, Border Bash creates the ambiance of a street festival with amazing live music, children’s activities, food and arts & crafts vendors and so much more!
10:00 PM: Fireworks in Downtown Bristol! Bring a blanket and enjoy the show!
Visit BelieveInBristol.org for more information.

Believe in Bristol Presents Border Bash: this mountain, Annabelle's Curse
2017-07-21 18:30 - 22:00
Date: Friday, July 21, 2017
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: The Downtown Center, 810 State Street, Bristol, TN
FREE:
Featuring live music by this mountain and Annabelle’s Curse
Presented by Believe in Bristol, Border Bash is a free summer concert series held annually in Bristol’s Historic Downtown May through August. Celebrating its 18th anniversary in 2017, Border Bash creates the ambiance of a street festival with amazing live music, children’s activities, food and arts & crafts vendors and so much more!
This year Border Bash rotates to a new location along State Street with each event. The July 21st event will be held in the Downtown Center at 810 State Street. The August 4th event will be held in the Piedmont Intersection of State Street.

Friends of 1927 Concert Series: Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, and Jerry Salley
2017-07-29 18:30 - 21:00
The Birthplace of Country Music is proud to present an intimate Friends of 1927 concert experience with artists Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle ,and Jerry Salley.
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.
*Tickets go on sale to Friends of 1927 June 21, 2017. Tickets go on sale to the public June 28.

FRIENDS of 1927 – CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

About Carl Jackson
Described by Bluegrass Unlimited magazine as “Bluegrass Music’s MVP”, the Mississippi Musician’s Hall of Fame member and Grammy winner was also recently inducted into the SPBGMA Preservation Hall of Greats.
At a young age, Carl got his start by playing with Jim and Jesse McReynolds and later with The Sullivan Family before forming his own group, “The Country Store.” It wasn’t long before people were taking notice of Carl, and he was invited to play banjo with Glen Campbell. During that time, Carl concentrated on his vocal and songwriting abilities, and eventually struck out on his own.
As a vocalist, you can hear him on recordings with the likes of EmmyLou Harris, Dwight Yoakam, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner, Garth Brooks, Janie Fricke, Dolly Parton, and many, many more. He has also had great success in songwriting, with his work being sung by many high-caliber artists such as Glen Campbell, Garth Brooks, and Brad Paisley.
For more information about Carl Jackson, visit www.carljackson.net.

About Larry Cordle
Larry Cordle was born and raised on a small family farm in eastern Kentucky. While a young child he was introduced to bluegrass, country, and gospel music by his great grandfather Harry Bryant, an old time claw hammer banjo stylist, fiddle player and dancer. He recounts, “mom said I could sing “I’ll Fly Away”, all the way through when I was 2”!
Cordle is an accomplished songwriter and performer. At last count, his songs had appeared on projects that had sold a combined total of more than 55 million records to date, by artists such as Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss, Rhonda Vincent, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, Diamond Rio, Alan Jackson, Trace Adkins and many others.
His band, Lonesome Standard Time, has been awarded song of the year by the International Bluegrass Music Association on two separate occasions, garnered two Grammy nominations for best bluegrass album, received nominations for vocal group and instrumental group, landed #1 slots on the Bluegrass and Americana charts and gained the respect of their peers and had many accolades during their existence.
For more information about Larry Cordle, visit larrycordle.com.

About Jerry Salley:
Referred to by Billboard Magazine as “One of Music Row’s greatest veteran tunesmiths,” Jerry Salley has had an incredibly successful songwriting career. He was the 2003 SESAC Country Music Songwriter of the Year and has had over 450 songs recorded in his multi-award winning career. To date, Jerry’s songs have sold in excess of 15.5 million records worldwide, and internationally he has penned no less than seven #1 Country hits in Australia.
From Sir Elton John’s only chart single to appear on the Billboard Country Chart (“Where We Both Say Goodbye” – duet with Australian artist Catherine Britt) to a Gospel song so popular it has been included in Church Hymnals (“His Strength Is Perfect”), Jerry’s long list of accomplishments speaks for itself. Most recently, Jerry was honored to have a song on Chris Stapleton’s Traveller album (“Outlaw State Of Mind”), which is certified double platinum. From songs recorded by some of today’s biggest country stars like Chris Stapleton, Reba McEntire and Brad Paisley, to country music legends Loretta Lynn and The Oak Ridge Boys, Jerry is honored each and every time a song of his is recorded.
As an artist, Jerry has performed on numerous stage shows, including the honor of performing as a soloist many times on the world famous Grand Ole Opry. His television appearances include Late Night With David Letterman, Regis And Kathy Lee, NBC’S Today Show, and several different TNN (The Nashville Network) shows.
For more information about Jerry Salley, visit jerrysalley.com.

Believe in Bristol Presents Border Bash: My New Favorites, Adam Graybeal's Hillbilly Soul
2017-08-04 18:30 - 22:00
Date: Friday, August 4, 2017
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Intersection of State Street at Piedmont & 7th
FREE!
Featuring live music by My New Favorites and Adam Graybeal’s Hillbilly Soul
Presented by Believe in Bristol, Border Bash is a free summer concert series held annually in Bristol’s Historic Downtown May through August. Celebrating its 18th anniversary in 2017, Border Bash creates the ambiance of a street festival with amazing live music, children’s activities, food and arts & crafts vendors and so much more!
Visit BelieveInBristol.org for more information.

Born in Bristol Film Screenings - Friday, August 4th
2017-08-04 19:00 - 20:00
Join us for the Bristol Screenings of Born In Bristol
Date: Friday, August 4, 2017
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: Film included with Museum Admission
Attendees must purchase museum admission from the link below to reserve a seat at the film. Admission is good for all day; arrive early to tour the museum before the film. Space is limited. Museum members, please contact info@BirthplaceofCountryMusic.org to reserve your seats.
Film Length: 50 minutes
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

About the Film
The Birthplace of Country Music, along with Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Virginia Tourism Corporation, will debut the highly-anticipated film Born in Bristol as part of the 90th anniversary celebration of the 1927 Bristol Sessions. Featuring Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Eric Church, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Marty Stuart, Sheryl Crow, and Doyle Lawson, among others, Born in Bristol is a docudrama that explores the impact of the 1927 Bristol Sessions and it’s lasting influence through artist interviews and visual recreations.
Born in Bristol is a companion piece to the 2015 CD release “Orthophonic Joy: The 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisited,” a re-imagining of the historic 1927 Bristol Sessions by some of the biggest names in the music industry, many of whom appear in the film. “Orthophonic Joy” was produced by multi-Grammy Award-winner Carl Jackson and features an historical narrative by Eddie Stubbs, the voice of the Grand Ole Opry.
Filmed on location in Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia and Nashville, Born in Bristol was produced by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development with support from Virginia Tourism Corporation and directed by Sundance Award-winner Chusy Haney-Jardine of Plan A Films. Born in Bristol received shortlist consideration at the 2016 Cannes International Festival of Creativity.

Trailer for Born in Bristol

Born in Bristol Film Screenings - Saturday, August 5th
2017-08-05 00:00 - 23:59
Join us for the Bristol Screenings of Born In Bristol
Date: Saturday, August 5, 2017
Times: 11:00 a.m. / 3:00 p.m. / 7:00 p.m.
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: Film included with Museum Admission
Attendees must purchase museum admission from the link below to reserve a seat at the film. Admission is good for all day; arrive early to tour the museum before the film. Space is limited. Museum members, please contact info@BirthplaceofCountryMusic.org to reserve your seats.
Film Length: 50 minutes
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

About the Film
The Birthplace of Country Music, along with Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Virginia Tourism Corporation, will debut the highly-anticipated film Born in Bristol as part of the 90th anniversary celebration of the 1927 Bristol Sessions. Featuring Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Eric Church, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Marty Stuart, Sheryl Crow, and Doyle Lawson, among others, Born in Bristol is a docudrama that explores the impact of the 1927 Bristol Sessions and it’s lasting influence through artist interviews and visual recreations.
Born in Bristol is a companion piece to the 2015 CD release “Orthophonic Joy: The 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisited,” a re-imagining of the historic 1927 Bristol Sessions by some of the biggest names in the music industry, many of whom appear in the film. “Orthophonic Joy” was produced by multi-Grammy Award-winner Carl Jackson and features an historical narrative by Eddie Stubbs, the voice of the Grand Ole Opry.
Filmed on location in Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia and Nashville, Born in Bristol was produced by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development with support from Virginia Tourism Corporation and directed by Sundance Award-winner Chusy Haney-Jardine of Plan A Films. Born in Bristol received shortlist consideration at the 2016 Cannes International Festival of Creativity.

Trailer for Born in Bristol

Born in Bristol Film Screenings - Sunday, August 6th
2017-08-06 15:00 - 16:00
Join us for the Bristol Screenings of Born In Bristol
Date: Friday, August 4, 2017
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: Film included with Museum Admission
Attendees must purchase museum admission from the link below to reserve a seat at the film. Admission is good for all day; arrive early to tour the museum before the film. Space is limited. Museum members, please contact info@BirthplaceofCountryMusic.org to reserve your seats.
Film Length: 50 minutes
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

About the Film
The Birthplace of Country Music, along with Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Virginia Tourism Corporation, will debut the highly-anticipated film Born in Bristol as part of the 90th anniversary celebration of the 1927 Bristol Sessions. Featuring Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Eric Church, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Marty Stuart, Sheryl Crow, and Doyle Lawson, among others, Born in Bristol is a docudrama that explores the impact of the 1927 Bristol Sessions and it’s lasting influence through artist interviews and visual recreations.
Born in Bristol is a companion piece to the 2015 CD release “Orthophonic Joy: The 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisited,” a re-imagining of the historic 1927 Bristol Sessions by some of the biggest names in the music industry, many of whom appear in the film. “Orthophonic Joy” was produced by multi-Grammy Award-winner Carl Jackson and features an historical narrative by Eddie Stubbs, the voice of the Grand Ole Opry.
Filmed on location in Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia and Nashville, Born in Bristol was produced by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development with support from Virginia Tourism Corporation and directed by Sundance Award-winner Chusy Haney-Jardine of Plan A Films. Born in Bristol received shortlist consideration at the 2016 Cannes International Festival of Creativity.
Trailer for Born in Bristol

RTE 23 Music Festival
2017-08-26 17:00 - 22:00
Date: Saturday, August 26, 2017
Time: 5:00 p.m.—10:00 p.m.
Location: University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Wise, VA
FREE EVENT!
The Birthplace of Country Music presents the RTE 23 Music Festival in Wise, Virginia, a free community event with amazing live music, great local food and beverages, and a fun family atmosphere all taking place on the campus of the UVa-Wise. Part of BCM’s mission of music outreach, the RTE 23 Music Festival has grown into one of Southwest Virginia’s favorite community events!
Featuring:
5:30 p.m. – Demon Waffle
7:00 p.m. – The Broadcast
8:30 p.m. – The Marcus King Band

Friends of 1927 Concert Series: Mike Farris
2017-09-07 19:30 - 21:30
Date: Thursday, September 7, 2017
Doors open: 6:30 p.m.
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $80 (taxes, fees included)
We predict show will sell out! Don’t wait to buy your tickets!
PURCHASE TICKETS
Thursday, September 7, 2017 the Birthplace of Country Music is proud to present the Friends of 1927 Concert Series featuring the Grammy Award-winning artist Mike Farris.
The Friends of 1927 Concert Series is a unique concert experience 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.

About Mike Farris
In 2015 Mike Farris became the first artist to receive a Grammy Award for Best Roots Gospel Album for his release Shine for All the People. Known as a powerhouse vocalist with blue-eyed soul, Farris also earned the Americana Music Award and the Dove Award. He has also performed at Bonnaroo, Merlefest, SXSW, and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. Artists such as Rodney Crowell, Buddy Miller, Patty Griffin, and Marty Stuart are struck by Mike Farris’ incomparable voice. He has opened for Patti LaBelle, Mavis Staples, Blind Boys of Alabama, Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby. Mike’s spirited soul-gospel fusion also led to an invitation to perform at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 16th Annual American Music Masters Concert honoring Aretha Franklin. Concert takes place in the Performance Theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.

Film Screening - May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers
2017-09-12 19:00 - 21:00
Date: Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Marquee Cinemas – Pinnacle 12
Tickets: $15.00 per person
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

About the Film
Exclusively in theaters for one night only, Oscilloscope Laboratories presents “May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers”
From longtime fans Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio and filmed with extraordinary access over the course of more than two years, “May It Last” is an intimate portrait of the acclaimed North Carolina band The Avett Brothers, charting their decade-and-a-half rise, while chronicling their present-day collaboration with famed producer Rick Rubin on the multi-Grammy-nominated album True Sadness, which was released on American Recordings/Republic Records. With the recording process as a backdrop, the film depicts a lifelong bond and unique creative partnership, as band members undergo marriage, divorce, parenthood, illness, and the challenges of the music business. More than just a music documentary, “May It Last” is a meditation on family, love, and the passage of time.
“May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers” was an Audience Award Winner at the South By Southwest Film Festival in 2017. Visit AvettBrothersFilm.com for more information.

Museum Day Live! at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum
2017-09-23 10:00 - 18:00
DATE: Saturday, September 23, 2017
Time: 10:00 a.m.—6:00 p.m.
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum
PRINT FREE TICKET
Once again, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum will open its doors free of charge on Saturday, September 23 as part of Smithsonian magazine’s 13th annual Museum Day Live!
With this event, participating museums across the United States emulate the spirit of the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington DC-based facilities, which offer free admission every day, and open their doors for free to those who download a Museum Day Live! ticket. Smithsonian recognizes the extraordinary power of museums, and other cultural institutions, to provide visitors with insight and inspiration. The event represents a nationwide commitment to boundless curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge wherever you are. Over 200,000 people downloaded tickets for last year’s event, and this year’s event is expected to attract more museum-goers than ever before.
This year, Museum Day Live! will feature special interactive lesson plans created by Smithsonian in partnership with Microsoft using Minecraft: Education Edition. For this year’s Museum Day Live!, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum will be hosting a variety of fun activities, including:

* Screening the PBS documentary American Experience: Tesla at 1pm in the Performance Theater
* Music performance by Jake Blount and Tatiana Hargreaves at 3pm in the Performance Theater
* Sharing two of the Smithsonian Spark!Lab activity kits in conjunction with our special exhibit Things Come Apart.

Visitors who present the Museum Day Live! ticket at the museum will gain free entrance for two on September 23, 2017 — please note to use Virginia as your state when signing up as that will give you the drop-down menu including the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. One ticket per email address is permitted. For more information about Museum Day Live! 2017 and a full list of participating museums and cultural institutions, please visit here. Tickets will be available for download from August 25, 2017 through September 23, 2017.

Free Film Screening of PBS American Experience: Tesla during Museum Day Live!
2017-09-23 13:00 - 14:15
Date: Saturday, September 23, 2017
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum
FREE EVENT! (Please reserve your seat below. You will not be charged.)
RESERVE SEAT
During Museum Day Live! on September 23, 2017, we will offer a free film screening of the PBS documentary American Experience: Tesla at 1:00pm in the museum’s Performance Theater.
Nikola Tesla has come to be seen by many as a tragic figure, a visionary engineer who died impoverished and largely forgotten, eclipsed by names such as Edison and Marconi. A tireless inventor who registered numerous patents and developed many working prototypes, Tesla would become most famous for his dazzling demonstrations of his innovation and creativity. Unfortunately, Tesla the strange wizard and made scientist overtook Tesla the brilliant engineer. That his ideas ricocheted from tangible inventions to projections of a future with head-spinning possibilities only partly explained his ultimate downfall. Yet it was his technology that helped drive the electrical age in the 20th century, and his vision that imagined the wireless world of today. American Experience: Tesla chronicles the life of a man whose ideas revolutionized his time, and ours.
This free film screening is companion programming for our current special exhibit Things Come Apart, which is on display through October 8, 2017. You will need a Museum Day Live! ticket to gain free admission to the museum on September 23; go to our Museum Day Live! event page to download your free ticket for two people.
Film time: Approximately 1 hour

Bluegrass 45 at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum
2017-10-02 19:00 - 21:00
Date: Monday, October 2, 2017
Doors: 6:30 p.m.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Tickets: $20
BUY TICKETS
The Birthplace of Country Music is proud to present the internationally celebrated musicianship of Bluegrass 45. More than a band, these six friends from Kobe, Japan have shared 50 years of friendship, musicianship, and a passion for music that has promoted and championed bluegrass as a culture, genre, and lifestyle all over the world.
This is a rare opportunity to see the group in an intimate concert performance at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.

About Bluegrass 45
During the late 1800s, music of other countries was celebrated in Japan. Folk songs and dances from around the world were taught to school children and an interest in arts around the globe flourished. But this was before World Wars I & II. This was before the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the bombing of Hiroshima & Nagasaki. This was before the 2nd Sino Japanese War and the Nanking Massacre. The bomb blasts and violence of war resulted in a great cultural silence. The members of Bluegrass 45 were born into this silence.
Their world was cut off from the imports available to musicians in other countries. Until adopting a more liberal constitution in 1948, American music was illegal. Despite this fact, Josh and Akira Otsuka grew up in a home with a few American LPs. Like the lyrics from “Red River Valley,” one of the first American songs the brothers heard, the war’s prohibition of many imports, including records from other countries, took “away all the sunshine” that had brightened the musical lives of many pre-war Japanese.
Two main factors changed Japanese music in the 1950s: the influx of American G.I.s into the port city of Kobe and the Armed Forces Radio Network. Soldiers from all over the U.S., some who played traditional music, occupied Japan all the way through the 1950’s + 60’s. Access to American pop music opened up a window into popular culture that had previously been closed.
The members of Bluegrass 45 took the music they could now access and became devoted students. This devotion led them to the U.S., their first experiences with bluegrass festivals, and eventually to sharing the stage with Bluegrass + Country names from Loretta Lynn, Bill Monroe, and Dr. Ralph Stanley, to Roy Orbison, Merle Haggard, and Roger Miller.
Upon their return to Japan, the members of the band were committed to spreading the message of bluegrass to their own country. Collectively, they are responsible for starting a bluegrass record label, print publication, festival, multiple college bluegrass clubs, and a business employing many musicians and enabling them to tour. The band has not only been playing bluegrass for nearly half a century, but its members are largely responsible for the primary documentation and development of Japanese bluegrass as a whole. A modern embodiment of the much valued sense of Japanese responsibility, each member of Bluegrass 45 has made it his life’s work to pass on a love for bluegrass to future generations of Japanese people in the same way bluegrass songs are passed down through generations of American musicians.

PUSH! Film Festival at the Museum!
2017-10-20 17:00 - 2017-10-22 20:00
This weekend is the PUSH Film Festival here in Historic Downtown Bristol, and the museum is one of the main venues for film screenings! We will be hosting a variety of interesting juried films such as Strange Tales from Appalachia, Calvinist, Albemarle’s Black Classrooms, Forgive–Don’t Forget, Interlude, and several shorts blocks, along with the curated film A Mighty Wind. Other films will be screened at the Paramount Bristol and the Bristol Public Library, and the festival also offers workshops, a party, and late-night events!
Check out the full schedule of screenings, workshops and events, watch trailers, and buy your tickets here: http://www.pushfilmfest.com/.

RTE. 23 Halloween Bash ft. Circus No. 9
2017-10-28 20:00 - 22:00
Dig your roots this Halloween at The Inn at Wise!
Date: Saturday, October 28, 2017
Time: 8:00 p.m. (Doors at 7:00 p.m.)
Location: The Inn at Wise, Wise, Virginia
Tickets: $10 Advance / $15 DOS
BUY TICKETS
The Birthplace of Country Music proudly presents the RTE. 23 Halloween Bash featuring East Tennessee’s own Circus No. 9, one of our region’s finest progressive acoustic acts. Fresh from their stellar performance at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Circus No. 9 showcased at this year’s International Bluegrass Music Association conference and has performed alongside David Grisman, Bryan Sutton, and more. The evening’s festivities will also include a costume party and contest, and great beers and appetizers will be available.
Don your most elaborate costumes and meet us down at The Inn at Wise for the RTE. 23 Halloween Bash in Wise, Virginia October 28!

About Circus No. 9
Based out of East Tennessee, Circus No.9 is a new progressive acoustic group that embraces the influence of bluegrass, jazz, rock, and more. The group has appeared on stage alongside artists including David Grisman, Bryan Sutton, Larry Keel, and more. With awarded musicians Matthew Davis (2016 National Banjo Champion, 2017 Rockygrass Banjo Champion), Thomas Cassell (2016 Rockygrass Mandolin Champion), bassist Vince Ilagan, and guitarist Jed Clark, Circus No.9 is taking the new acoustic scene by force.
