News Category: Museum

Bristol, Tenn./Va. (Oct. 20, 2022) – Grab your partner – or just fly solo – and head down to a good old-fashioned community Square Dance at 7 p.m., Nov. 4, in the Special Exhibits Gallery at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Historic Downtown Bristol. The event is free and fun for all ages, but you must RSVP online to attend.

Expert caller Tyler Hughes will lead the evening with live music to get your feet moving; no partner or previous dancing experience necessary, just the desire to have a great night out.

“After a two-year break, square dancing is back at the museum!” said Head Curator Dr. Rene Rodgers. “This is a wonderful event for everyone and a great way to create fond memories with family and friends.”

If you wish to RSVP to attend the event, you may do so online through the Events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org. Participants are asked to wear comfortable, sturdy dancing shoes – no heels, please – to protect the gallery floor.

For a complete list of events and a comprehensive look at everything the Birthplace of Country Music has to offer, visit BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.

Bristol, Tenn./Va. (Oct. 14, 2022) – The public is invited to a free screening of the film “Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison” at 6:30 p.m. EDT, Oct. 20, at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. The screening is companion programming to the special exhibit “1968: A Folsom Redemption,” on display now at the museum. Those who wish to participate are asked to RSVP online.

“This is the film that inspired Johnny Cash to write the song ‘Folsom Prison Blues,'” said museum Head Curator Dr. Rene Rodgers. “The screening will be held on the final day of the special exhibit. Attendees are invited to tour the special exhibit prior to the screening for free at 6 p.m.”

“Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison” is an American film noir crime drama starring Steve Cochran and David Brian, set in California’s Folsom Prison during the 1920s prior to the state’s prison reformation in 1944. The feature follows a sadistic prison warden who rules with an iron hand, leading to a revolt by the inmates. Johnny Cash saw the film while serving in the United States Air Force in West Germany upon its release; the feature was the inspiration for his hit song, “Folsom Prison Blues.” Directed by Crane Wilbur for Warner Brothers and released in 1951, the film runs one hour and 27 minutes.

For more information about the screening and to RSVP, visit the Events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.

Bristol, Va.-Tenn. (Sept. 27, 2022) – Foggy mornings…crisp mountain air…leaves tinging with red and gold…’tis the season of pumpkin patches, corn mazes and campfires – the perfect time for Spooky Stories and Terrifying Tales with the Haint Mistress of Abingdon, Donnamarie Emmert, at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. This kick-off to the Halloween season takes place Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. EDT and is free and open to the public.

“Donnamarie Emmert’s ghost walk tours in Abingdon have been a longstanding autumn tradition in our region,” said museum Head Curator Dr. René Rodgers. “We look forward to hosting the ‘Haint Mistress’ in Bristol for this family-friendly event.”

Emmert will share local and regional tales of goosebump-raising ghosts and witches, horrifying historical happenings, and more – the perfect way to get into the spirit of Halloween. Emmert’s stories are family-friendly; parents with younger children who may be sensitive to tales of the paranormal should use their own discretion.

Don your flannel and RSVP to join us in person for Spooky Stories and Terrifying Tales with the Haint Mistress of Abingdon at the museum. Those who wish to huddle ’round your screens in a candlelit room from home may register to join us online. Visit the Events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org for more information and to RSVP or register.

About Donnamarie Emmert

Donnamarie Emmert has a Masters Degree in Storytelling and an outrageous love for things that go bump in the night and Halloween. She also has a ferocious attraction to history and uses her knowledge and experience to create memorable entertainment for her audiences.

Bristol, Va.-Tenn. (Sept. 22, 2022) – Gene Beley, one of the journalists who covered Johnny Cash’s historic concerts at Folsom Prison, will share his experiences with the iconic country music artist at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Historic Downtown Bristol on September 29 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. The talk is complementary programming to the special exhibit 1968: A Folsom Redemption on display now at the museum through October 20.

It was early January 1968 when Gene Beley and Dan Poush, a writer-photographer team working for the Star Free Press out of Ventura, California, and national magazine freelancers, were invited to go to Folsom Prison. Beley notes: “In those days, before the At Folsom Prison album changed the singer’s life, our newspaper tended to write only negative stories about Cash. His own infamy had begun to overshadow the musical accomplishments of his earlier years; in short, Cash’s career was truly on the skids at that time.”

Though Johnny Cash was the star of the show and his visit to Folsom Prison was hugely impactful to his career, the concert was also the story of supporting players – from the connections laid by his good friend, Reverend Floyd Gressett, to the adventurous nature of Columbia Records’ maverick A&R man Bob Johnston, to the calming influence of June Carter (not yet Cash), to the meaningful contributions of Folsom Prison inmate Glen Sherley, whose song “Greystone Chapel” ended up on the album.

Gene Beley and Dan Poush sold their photo rights to the J. R. Cash Trust in order to preserve that moment in time for future generations. Gene will share memories, photos, personal stories, and audio clips from that fateful weekend, giving attendees behind-the-scenes access to Johnny Cash’s redemptive visit to Folsom Prison on January 13, 1968, along with other successful concerts in 1968 and 1969.

Tickets to the Gene Beley event are $15 plus tax/fees, and ticket holders may participate in a curator-led tour of the 1968: A Folsom Redemption special exhibit for free 6:00 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. prior to the program, which begins at 7:00 p.m. There will also be an audience Q&A after Mr. Beley’s talk.

For tickets and more information about the Gene Beley talk at the museum, visit the Events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.

Bristol, Va.-Tenn. (August 4, 2022) – Writer and banjo player Dr. Malcolm L. Smith will discuss his book “Appalachian Fiddler Albert Hash: The Last Leaf on the Tree” as part of this month’s Speaker Series at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Historic Downtown Bristol. The event will be held in the museum’s performance theater at 7 p.m. EDT, Aug. 9. The program is free and open to the public, with both in-person and virtual options for participants to join.

Luthier and 1995 NEA National Heritage Fellow Wayne Henderson credits his entire career to the mentorship of Albert Hash. “He was a true folk hero,” says Henderson in the forward to Smith’s biography. Born and raised near Whitetop Mountain in extreme poverty, Hash rose to become one of the premiere old-time fiddlers in the world with the Whitetop Mountain Band, as well as building hundreds of sought after fiddles in his shop on Virginia’s second highest peak.

With this Speaker Series, Smith will share stories and memories that he learned in over 100 hours of interviews conducted while researching Hash. During the program, a local musician will demonstrate Hash’s unique bowing style and play some of the fiddler’s songs. Smith will also sign copies of his book “Appalachian Fiddler Albert Hash: The Last Leaf on the Tree,” which will be available for purchase at the event.

Dr. Smith specializes in writing about old-time musicians. In addition to Albert Hash’s biography, Smith has written countless stories for The Old Time Herald, SingOut!, and other magazines. He has written feature stories on banjo builder Mac Traynham, 90-year-old banjoist Rhoda Kemp, Walt Koken and Clare Milner, and many others.

If you are planning to attend the Speaker Series in person, please RSVP using the link on the Events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org. Those who wish to attend virtually must pre-register at the same location online.

Bristol, Va.-Tenn. (June 21, 2022) – The guitar owned by the iconic “Father of Country Music,” Jimmie Rodgers, was unveiled today at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum and will be on display at the museum for a limited time. Officially called the “Blue Yodel,” Rodgers’ custom-ordered the Martin 000-45 guitar and features the crooner’s name in pearl inlay on the neck. The word “Thanks” is written upside down on the back, and inside the sound hole there is a note from C. F. Martin & Company’s founder that reads: “To Jimmie Rodgers, America’s Blue Yodeler, with all good wishes – C. Frederick Martin III July 27, 1928.”

“We are so excited to have the opportunity to share the ‘Blue Yodel’ with our community,” said Head Curator Dr. Rene Rodgers. “It has been residing at the Jimmie Rodgers Museum in Meridian, Mississippi, and it came to Bristol for this temporary display thanks to the generosity of the family of Jimmy Rodgers. Having the guitar on display means so much and deepens the impact of the museum’s telling of the 1927 Bristol Sessions.”

Karen Court, a Rodgers family member and manager of Jimmie Rodgers Properties, said “In celebration of the 1927 Bristol Sessions’ 95th Anniversary, the Jimmie Rodgers Family is thrilled to share their “Blue Yodel,” Jimmie’s 000-45 1928 Martin guitar with the Birthplace of Country Music Museum – letting us honor their legacies and embrace our heritage and traditions.”

Jimmie Rodgers’ “Blue Yodel” is on display on the second floor of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum and will stay there through March 2023. The museum is also planning public programming that will delve deeper into the life and career of Rodgers, including the story surrounding his very first recordings on the 1927 Bristol Sessions, which celebrates its 95th anniversary this year. The 1927 Bristol Sessions took place from July 25 – August 5; the recordings were produced by Ralph Peer for the Victory Talking Machine Company. Over that two-week period, 76 songs by 19 acts were recorded, including Rodgers, Ernest Stoneman (with family and friends), and the Carter Family, along with a variety of other musicians and singers. This moment in American history created what many musicologists refer to as the “big bang of country music.”

“Jimmie Rodgers is the ‘Father of Country Music,’ but his legacy stretches well beyond that,” said Thomas Ripsam, current CEO of C. F. Martin & Co. “He inspired generations of musicians across many genres with his playing, his songwriting, and his showmanship. We’re proud that a Martin 000-45 is a big part of that legacy.”

For more information about Jimmie Rodgers’ “Blue Yodel,” the 1927 Bristol Sessions, and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, visit BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.

Bristol, Va.-Tenn. (June 14, 2022) – Whether you call it firewater or mountain dew, moonshine flows clear throughout Southern Appalachian culture and is an interesting topic worth exploring. Dr. Daniel Pierce literally wrote the book on the subject, and he’s sharing his knowledge of the history of hooch at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Historic Downtown Bristol, Virginia-Tennessee on June 21 at 7 p.m. EDT as part of the museum’s monthly Speaker Series programming.

The subject of this month’s Speaker Series, “That’s Why All the Folks on Rocky Top Get Their Corn from a Jar: Myth, Reality, and Moonshine in the Southern Mountains,” is supplementary programming to the museum’s current special exhibit “It’ll Tickle Yore Innards!:” A (Hillbilly) History of Mountain Dew, on display in the special exhibits gallery through August 7.

“We’re looking forward to hosting Dr. Pierce at the museum for this fun and informative talk,” said Birthplace of Country Music Museum Head Curator Dr. Rene Rodgers. “We are also offering Speaker Series visitors a free tour of the special exhibit prior to the program for a fully immersive experience.”

In-person attendees can visit the special exhibit tour between 6 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. before the talk, which will be held in the museum’s Performance Theater. The Speaker Series and tour is free and open to the public, but guests are asked to preregister through the Events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org prior to arrival.

Dr. Daniel Pierce, Professor of History and Distinguished Interdisciplinary Professor of the Mountain South at the University of North Carolina Asheville, is the author of “Tarheel Lightnin’: How Secret Stills and Fast Cars Made North Carolina the Mooshine Capital of the World,” “Corn From a Jar: Moonshining in the Great Smoky Mountains,” and the first truly comprehensive history of early NASCAR, “Real NASCAR: White Lightning, Red Clay, and Big Bill France.” He also recently collaborated with renowned Nashville, Tennessee poster artist Joel Anderson to produce the “Illustrated Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park” and the “Illustrated Guide to Exploring the Grand Circle: Utah and Arizona.”

For more information about the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, visit BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.

Bristol, Va.-Tenn. (June 7, 2022) – You’re invited to the premiere of Virginia Folklife‘s “In Good Keeping in 2022,” a feature-length documentary film showcasing the artists and tradition-bearers from the 2021-2022 class of the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program.

The premiere is co-presented with the Birthplace of Country Music Museum and Mid Atlantic Arts’ Central Appalachia Living Traditions and will be held in the performance theater at the museum in Historic Downtown Bristol at 5:30 p.m. EDT, June 15. The event is free and open to all, but pre-registration is requested. To pre-register, visit the Events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.

“The Birthplace of Country Music Museum is the perfect place to premiere this film,” said Katy Clune, Virginia state folklorist and director of the Virginia Folklife Program. “This event also marks a new approach to celebrating our mentor artists and their apprentices in communities around the state.”

Since its inception in 2002, the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program has served over 150 teams of mentor artists and apprentices representing the breadth of cultural expression in the Commonwealth.

“We are excited to be partnering with Virginia Folklife and Mid Atlantic Arts to premiere ‘In Good Keeping in 2022’ at the museum,” said museum Head Curator Dr. Rene Rodgers. “We hosted a wonderful exhibit about the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship program in 2020, and it was wonderful to see the variety of traditions being shared and passed on across Virginia, and how these partnerships are changing lives and communities. This film will give viewers the chance to learn more about this important program.”

You are encouraged to experience a virtual tour of Real Folk: Passing on Trades & Traditions Through the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program special exhibit to provide more context to the film premiere. You’ll find it by visiting BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org and navigating to the Museum page, then Exhibits. The virtual tour is listed among the past exhibits section of the website.

There will be a brief reception with refreshments at 5:30 p.m. EDT prior to the screening of the film at 6:00 p.m. EDT. Audience members may also stay after the screening for a discussion and live music from participating artists including Walter “Skip” Herman and K. T. Vandyke, Emily Spencer and Lisa Ring, Chris Testerman, Sophia Burnette and Karlie Keepfer, Eddie Bond and Andrew Small, and Mac Traynham and Ashlee Watkins.

For more information about the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program, visit VirginiaFolklife.org. For more information about the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, visit MidAtlanticArts.org. For more information about the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, visit BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.

Bristol, Va.-Tenn. (May 25, 2022) – Musical jam sessions are making a big comeback at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Historic Downtown Bristol, Virginia-Tennessee this spring; the Museum has partnered with the East Tennessee Bluegrass Association (ETBA) for a monthly Bluegrass Jam, every fourth Saturday, beginning May 28 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. EDT. Monthly jams are the perfect opportunity for local artists to gather and pick, collaborate, and share their talents.

“We are very excited about this new partnership with the Birthplace of Country Music Museum,” said musician Evie Andrus, president and co-founder of ETNBA. “We look forward to fostering a community and furnishing new players!”

ETBA’s monthly Bluegrass Jams are specifically acoustic and only feature traditional bluegrass instruments: acoustic guitar, upright bass, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and dobro.

“We are so pleased to begin offering monthly jam sessions at the museum again,” said Museum Head Curator Dr. Rene Rodgers. “Jams are a wonderful opportunity for local and regional musicians to celebrate music together, build their skills on their chosen instruments, gain experience in group playing, and best of all, have fun!”

The Museum is also hosting its own monthly general Community Jam the second Saturday of each month from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. EDT; the next general Community Jam will be on June 11. These general Community Jams embrace other types of music, from old-time and country to blues and Americana.

Musicians of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to take part in monthly jams at the Museum and there is no cost to participate. Musicians are asked to bring their own instruments and gather in the Learning Center for each monthly jam session.

The Birthplace of Country Music Museum is a participating member of Museums for All, supporting those receiving food assistance (SNAP) benefits for a minimal fee of $3 per person for up to four people. Museums for All is a signature access program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), administered by the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM), to encourage people of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum going habits.

For more information about these events and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, visit the Events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.