Birthplace of Country Music Announces “Orthophonic Joy: The 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisted” Album
ALBUM TO BE RELEASED in 2015!
Orthophonic Joy – 2015 from Birthplace of Country Music on Vimeo.
ORTHOPHONIC JOY: The 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisited
“Don’t deny yourself the sheer joy of Orthophonic Music”
Often referred to as the “Big Bang of Country Music,” the 1927 Bristol Sessions sparked the commercial popularity of country music and offered the first recordings of music pioneers Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family.
Now, more than 80 years later, some of Nashville’s top recording artists have hit the studio with Grammy Award-winning producer Carl Jackson to capture the magic of those songs. Orthophonic Joy: 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisited honors the songs that Ralph Peer captured over the 12 days of recording on State Street in Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia.
The idea to recreate the Bristol Sessions had been discussed within the Birthplace of Country Music organization for years, but the serendipitous connection between board member John Rainero, veteran songwriter Rusty Morrell and producer Carl Jackson helped bring the project to life.
“My dear friend Rusty Morrell approached me with the idea to produce a project honoring the original 1927 Bristol Sessions,” Jackson said. “He was very aware and fond of a couple of other multi-artist ‘tribute’ projects I had produced and felt I was the guy who could bring his vision to life. In my opinion, the importance of those ’27 recordings cannot be overstated, and I am truly honored that Rusty asked me to shine a new and loving light on some of those classic works.”
Music legends Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, and Emmylou Harris are among the amazing roster of talent gathered for the project. Esteemed bluegrass great Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers will also appear alongside some of country music’s hottest new acts, including Ashley Monroe and The Shotgun Rubies. The recording features 16 songs from the original 1927 Bristol Sessions.
In the spirit of Ralph Peer’s original call to artists, the Orthophonic Joy Music Contest launched a nationwide search to discover new talent for the reinterpretation of songs from the classic sessions. In July Amherst, VA native Corbin Hayslett, a student at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise and music instructor, was named the Grand Prize winner and will play a track on the album.
“Orthophonic Joy would not be possible if it weren’t for our friends at the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, the Virginia Tourism Corporation, and the Bristol TN/VA Convention & Visitors Bureau,” said Birthplace of Country Music executive director Leah Ross. “They have championed this project from the beginning and, without them, the project may never have gotten off the ground.”
Orthophonic Joy: The 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisited will be released in Spring 2015.