Building the BCMM from the Ground Up
May 10, 2013
Zone 6, coming right along!
I may have earned an English degree, but as I was reminded of on Monday, that doesn’t mean that I can’t dabble in architecture, construction, or interior decorating.
In the museum world, all of these ventures are possible – and often, they’re possible all at once. Monday saw Jessica Turner, BCM’s head curator, and I taking trips into the worlds of exhibits’ floors, frames, and finishes.
Joe Nicholson of studioMUSarx met with us that morning, a vibrant, excited gleam in his eye. One by one, he showed us boards for the museum’s 10 zones. These boards included flooring and finishes in blue-greens, beiges, yellows, and in a bevy of intricately- and beautifully- designed patterns. Every nook and nuance of the museum has been considered, and every bit of content, the catalyst for the chosen colors, materials, and patterns.
As we toured the museum later that day, Jessica and I were greeted by new – and tangible! – additions to the space: the exhibits’ frames. Zone 6 proved especially exciting. The somewhat vague (and very architectural!) drawings of this space were no longer; instead, Jessica and I stood in a large space, slightly stumped as to how we would now fill it. It’s a challenge – but certainly, a welcome one!
Undoubtedly, our museum, and museums in general, are built upon and thrive upon challenges. Without them, we might not have the push to tell a certain story, to go after a certain artifact, or to include a certain image. Challenges have – and will – make us at the BCMM, whether as small as a floor’s finish or as large as Bristol’s story.
We welcome that, and we can’t wait to welcome each of you next August!
Sarah
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In Case of an Emergency...
May 03, 2013
Written by Sarah TollieOver the past year, I’ve learned the amount of work it takes to build a museum. Until this Wednesday, though, I never knew how much it took to protect one.
Tahita Haynes, our operations manager, and I traveled to Knoxville’s East Tennessee History Center for “May Day,” an emergency preparedness workshop for museums. Hosted by the ETHC’s own operations manager, Adam Alfrey, the workshop introduced us to an entirely new world: a world of earthquakes, tornadoes, theft, and floods. It’s a worst case scenario world, of course, but one that, for museums, becomes very real, very fast.
Little did we know the effort involved in preparing for and responding to these types of emergencies. Luckily, Alfrey was ready to show us the ropes. From establishing the right response team – an emergency coordinator, a salvage team, a media contact – to identifying crucial images and artifacts to writing the right safety plan, planning for emergencies takes time, and a wealth of man (and woman!) power.
Tahita and I left Knoxville ready to tackle this new task. Like the museum itself, our emergency plan won’t come together overnight. But, with that same work and heart, we’ll be opening our doors next August with a story to tell – and a plan in place to save it.
Happy weekend!
Sarah
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Many the Miles: Making the Museum from a Distance
April 26, 2013
Written by Sarah TollieTechnology continues to amaze me.
Yesterday, I met with Susan DeAngelus and Juliet Geldi from studioMUSarx, Michal Carr from Hillmann & Carr, and Jessica Turner, our head curator. We didn’t meet in Philadelphia or D.C. or even Johnson City – where these great teams are located, respectively. We all met from the comfort (or chaos!) of our offices, thanks to technology.
I realize it’s not that new of a phenomenon. But, when you’re building a museum, you need a way to make things work – when teams are together and when they’re apart.
During yesterday’s call, we were able to discuss the museum’s progress, from its instruments to its church to its radio station, all at once, and all of us in different places. Hearing that progress and excitement unfolding in everyone’s voices always reminds me of why I’m here – why we’re all here – and why we’re doing what we’re doing. I could see that progress unfolding as if we were all face-to-face: Susan reviewed design intents for the exhibit spaces under discussion. Juliet worked on preparing their elevations. Michal discussed their audio and video.
Had we made this museum 10 or 20 years ago, we wouldn’t have had the success, the seamlessness, the story, or the team we’re so grateful to have today, tomorrow, and when we open our doors in August of 2014. I wouldn’t be sitting here writing to all of you, either!
It’s something to ponder, too, as you connect with us on our Facebook and Twitter pages, or when you message friends and family, near and far, about our museum. Technology is incredibly integral to making the museum, telling Bristol’s story as the Birthplace of Country Music®, and giving you the best experience.
We can’t wait to see you here next year! Until then, we have the blogosphere…
Sarah
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Building the Birthplace: A Passionate Work in Progress
April 19, 2013
Yours truly, getting ready to speak at VI!
Sweaty palms. Clammy hands. A twisted tongue. We’ve all been there: the daunting public speech! From high school to college to grad school—and beyond—it’s something we’ve all experienced at least once.
I’ve been there—and back!—three times in the last week.
You might be asking, “What does this have to do with the museum?” As luck would have it, it has everything to do with the museum. Titled “Building the Birthplace of Country Music®,” I’ve had the chance to speak to the Lions Club, Virginia Intermont, and the Kiwanis Club about precisely that: how we’re building the BCM, one step at a time.
I’m also building confidence—one speech at a time. One thing, though, makes that process much, much easier: being passionate about the museum. I’ve felt that passion and that joy from day one, and it’s the reason I’ve been bringing this blog to you. Now, speaking about the museum allows to me to share that passion in a new way, and I couldn’t be more excited—even if this new foray is a work in progress!
As with anything—museums and non-profits, in particular—our work is never finished. I see it through speaking and writing, yes, but also in other ways: I see it in our fundraising, our construction, and our weekly progress meetings.
And last night, I got to witness it again. We held our first of many Community Curators meetings, and as I sat surrounded by a curious and passionate group of legal, heritage, and radio experts ready to give their voices to the museum, I knew we were furthering our mission of celebrating Bristol as the Birthplace of Country Music®.
Every day pushes us along in that process. I am grateful to be a part of it—and it is my hope that you are, too.
Happy, happy weekend!
Sarah
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BCM Museum: Making Headlines
April 12, 2013
Touring the museum (credit: Meredith Machen, WCYB)
In light of the positive press we’ve had this week, I’m going to let others do the talking: the media and our community. On Monday, BCM staff toured the museum with some of the city’s officials – and, needless to say, we were all equally impressed. Construction is right on schedule, and the progress we’re making continues to be astounding. From the new sculpture and skylight spaces to the concrete floors and steps, the museum is on target to open in August of next year. The media coverage, from this week in particular, only builds the excitement for this event.
WCYB
http://www.wcyb.com/news/BCM-fundraiser-a-huge-success/-/14590844/19671148/-/j262q7/-/index.html
http://www.wcyb.com/news/Floor-layout-future-plans-revealed-for-BCM-Museum/-/14590844/19662150/-/qjybky/-/index.html
http://www.wcyb.com/news/-/14590844/19666982/-/wnxb2y/-/index.html
WJHL
http://www.wjhl.com/story/21912448/2013/04/08/birthplace-of-country-music-museum-will-impact-bristol-and-region
Bristol Herald Courier
http://www.tricities.com/news/local/article_8ff8b376-a0b9-11e2-b886-0019bb30f31a.html
Cybergrass
http://www.cybergrass.com/node/2434
Do you know of any other coverage? If so, please post it to our Twitter and Facebook pages.
Happy reading – and happy Friday!
Sarah
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The Bristol Sessions: The Birth of a "Broad River" of Music
April 05, 2013Written by Sarah Tollie
Last night, BCM staff met with Hillmann & Carr, our talented media team for the museum, to discuss details about the media in our exhibits.
At one point in our conversation, Al Hillmann observed how the Bristol Sessions had produced such a “broad river” of music. Hillmann, along with creative director Jennifer Gruber and producer Kristian Perry, are based out of Washington, D.C., and decided to drive to Bristol this time. Unexpected snowstorm aside, their team had a great soundtrack for its drive last night: tribute albums to Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family – two acts invariably connected to the Bristol Sessions.
That reminded me of the Sessions’ true scope: From Willie Nelson to Bob Dylan appearing on these tributes to Larry Keel and Lunasa telling about the Sessions’ influences in interviews, I’ve learned firsthand the impact a music, its people, and its place can have on present – and future – generations.
The Sessions’ impact, of course, transcends tributes and interviews. That’s why we’re building an entire exhibit – and more specifically, an entire theater – around this theme. Zone 9, our “Immersion Theater,” will take you from the bright lights of Music City to the streets of Tokyo, letting you explore how the sounds of the Sessions have influenced countless musicians and fans. They have taken many trajectories – and you’ll get to experience them in the precise place where it all started: Bristol, the Birthplace of Country Music®.
The museum won’t open its doors until August 2014, so that gives me plenty of time to ask: How have you been influenced by the Bristol Sessions? How have you heard that music in the artists and albums you listen to today? I want to hear your perspective! Let me know by posting on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Until next time,
Sarah
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Writing the Next Verse...
March 29, 2013
Submitted by guest blogger:Charlene Tipton Baker
Thursday a full house packed the offices of the Birthplace of Country Music as we announced the line-up for our 13th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival. For those unaware, our building sits on the land where the 1927 Bristol Sessions were recorded in the old Taylor Hat Company building. We often say it was more than serendipity that finds us there.
Before the press conference, the lovely and talented Amythyst Kiah strummed guitar and serenaded the group with her strong, uplifting vocals. To everyone's query, little silver painted airplanes crafted from clothespins and tongue depressors were handed out. On each plane a tiny 'Birthplace of Country Music' banner trailed behind, connected with string. The planes, made by Sally Ross Shipley's Home Living class (thank you!), were created to mimic the bi-plane depicted on Bristol Rhythm's annual poster artwork. Before the end of the press conference, the crafty little item would come to symbolize something of much greater significance.
As our Executive Director, Leah Ross, would point out, "the BCM organization was the first to embrace the legacy of the Bristol Sessions. We began cultivating the vision of Bristol as a music destination nearly two decades ago when nobody else considered it cool — or even possible."
Everything we have been working toward, all the obstacles we have overcome, have brought us to this place. The building of a museum that will honor the Bristol Sessions and tell the story of how those recordings have influenced music across the globe, and a successful music festival that showcases our region's music, drawing more than 50,000 people downtown each year. Once the museum is built, it will put Bristol on the map as a music destination year-round.
However folks travel, by car or by plane, they will come.
The Birthplace of Country Music is writing the next verse in music tourism across the state of Tennessee and southwest Virginia. From the Tennessee music trail that stretches through Memphis to Nashville and Knoxville, Bristol is also the gateway to the Crooked Road, Virginia's Heritage Music Trail. The prospects are exciting, and we hope our community benefits from the tax revenue visitors will bring.
As a Bristol native, I am proud to play a small role in building a brighter future for our cities. As a mother, I look forward to the educational programming the BCM will put in place for our kids. Because ours is a non-profit, I'm proud to say our only interest is to preserve and nurture our music heritage. Any money earned or raised in that process goes back into the effort. The BCM had a vision, and it's being realized. I'm glad to see it is a point of pride for people in our community.
So while visions of those little planes flying in and out of the TRI to and from the Birthplace of Country Music are sweet, I feel our community — now more than ever — should start crafting the Bristol of the future before the rest of the world discovers us. Be creative. Design the quality of life and community you want. Share your vision with community leaders, play a role. Don't be a wallflower and sit out the dance. Like the BCM, you will find others who share your vision and help those dreams take flight.
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Mountain Stage Makes Its Mark on Bristol
March 15, 2013
Written by Sarah TollieBristol is simply meant for music.
That's a sentiment I feel every day in my line of work — but at certain times, it's one that's amplified. Rhythm & Roots. Border Bash. House concerts.
Last Sunday night, I added Mountain Stage to that list.
Sponsored by the Birthplace of Country Music, West Virginia Public Broadcasting's Mountain Stage makes its way to Bristol twice a year and airs on National Public Radio (NPR) each week.
Sunday's line-up nearly spoke for itself: Texas swing vets Asleep at the Wheel, bluegrass greats Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, Irish instrumental group Lunasa, singer-songwriter Kate Campbell, and Brooklyn-based old-time group, The Downhill Strugglers.
Before the show, I had the chance to speak with Kevin Crawford from Lunasa and Larry Keel from Larry Keel & Natural Bridge. Their excitement about being in Bristol — and their willingness to share their stories about our city — furthered that feeling of Bristol being meant for music. Crawford, despite growing up "across the pond," connected with our area's music from birth. He cited much of the music from the Bristol Sessions, including Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family, as majorly shaping him as a musician. Keel echoed much of Crawford's words — despite growing up in Clintwood, Va., many, many miles from the U.K.
The show itself took that idea to a larger level. The Downhill Strugglers opened the show, and even played a J.P. Nestor tune — "Train on the Island" — which was recorded during the 1927 Bristol Sessions. Larry Keel & Natural Bridge also paid homage to the area, weaving references to Virginia throughout their set.
It also made me think about the performance possibilities for the museum — possibilities that will be realized in less than two years. In addition to Mountain Stage, what other events or artists might you like to see in Bristol, and specifically, at the museum?
While you ponder, please visit mountainstage.org for more music. Our show will air in May. And, don't forget to visit us on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Happy Friday, all!
Sarah
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Downtown Showcase: Bringing the Birthplace Together
March 08, 2013
BCM's display at the showcase
Last night, the Bristol Train Station lit up with familiar faces, fresh food, and live and silent auctions – all in the name of raising money for Believe in Bristol, a non-profit dedicated to revitalizing our downtown. BiB is a dear friend to and an avid supporter of the Birthplace of Country Music®, and we couldn’t have been more excited to take part in yesterday’s Downtown Showcase.
Tahita Haynes, BCM’s new operations manager, and I made our way to the train station yesterday afternoon, armed with our necessary supplies: drawings and renderings for the museum and program guides, rack cards, and banners for Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. From the moment we saw our table, we knew we were in trouble – tasty trouble! – but trouble, nonetheless. We were in the middle of downtown eateries Manna Bagel and CJ & Company.
It was going to be a great night.
And, undoubtedly, it was: From the curious cooks at Manna Bagel and CJ’s to the questions from Bristol natives and transplants, the showcase generated interest in the museum, the BCM, and most of all, the Bristol community. Most were surprised by the breadth and depth of the museum, its exhibits, and its possibilities for performances.
The showcase came at a fitting time. With Phase 2 of construction recently underway, the museum is well on its way to becoming more than a drawing, more than a rendering, and more than mere curiosity. Soon, it will be a reality.
It is humbling to have the support of Believe in Bristol, our downtown, and, as last night again showed to us, our community and beyond.
If you attended the Downtown Showcase last night – or if you were simply there in spirit – I’m sure you saw this support in action. And, if you’re reading this blog post right now, you’re part of that support! Are you interested in furthering your support? Please visit http://www.birthplaceofcountrymusic.org/support and http://www.believeinbristol.org/support.php.
Stay tuned,
Sarah
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Great Minds Think Alike – or Do They?
March 01, 2013
Great minds at work!
Change doesn’t come easily – especially when it’s for a greater good. Everyone involved might have the desire to make that change, to make things better, but that doesn’t mean it’s without strife.
Making the Birthplace of Country Music® Museum is no different.
Two recent meetings I’ve attended for the project – one media-related, one strategic – put that idea fully in motion.
Recently, our BCM content team met with studioMUSarx and Hillmann & Carr to discuss the architecture-, exhibit-, and media-based plans for the museum. By the end of the meeting, much progress, many decisions, and many agreements were made. A little bump in that progress, though, taught us all a crucial lesson: Minds, no matter how great, don’t always think alike. I saw it on the teams’ faces and in their words as they debated the size and placement of the orientation theatre’s screen. In this type of project, every nook of that space, of every space, matters. What was then a heated moment is now a successful resolution – one that will ultimately make the theatre the best that it can be.
As I sat in on the BCM Board’s strategic planning meeting last week, I was met with a similar dilemma. We were all there for the same reason: to make BCM the most efficient, streamlined, and cohesive organization that it can be. One part of that plan brought with it a key question: “How do we best manage the growth that will come with the museum?” Some members pushed for newer policies, and some, for fewer committees. Some stayed quiet. Throughout that debate, though, one thing remained clear: Debates exist to remind us of what’s important.
As we move forward with our organization, and with it, our festival and museum, debates will inevitably arise – just as they do in any other part of life. But, what remains important is our collective dedication to making every part of the Birthplace the best that it can possibly be. We’re turning that passion into a reality, and we can’t wait for you to see it in August 2014.
Happy first of March, friends!
Sarah
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Building the Birthplace: Going beyond Bristol
February 22, 2013Written by Sarah Tollie
Last night, staff and board members met for an important meeting—one meant to strengthen the bond between us all, and in turn, our organization, our museum, and our community. One idea, in particular, echoed with us all: Bristol, for its rich heritage—including its designation as the Birthplace of Country Music®—would not be the Bristol as we know it without the efforts of those beyond the city’s limits.
The beginning of it all, The Bristol Sessions, remains a lasting example of that concept. The Carter Family came from nearby Maces Springs, Virginia, to record at the Sessions; Ernest Phipps came from the Corbin, Kentucky, area; and J.P. Nester and Norman Edmonds came from Hillsville, Virginia. Those acts, of course, are only a small part of a much larger and more impressive project—but they were key in making the project possible.
Something similar can be said of our efforts at the museum. In recent months, members of our content and design teams—members themselves who live beyond Bristol, but have become part of its fabric—have worked with individuals and organizations in similar positions.
Amythyst Phillips, one of our content researchers, and I traveled to the Nashville, Tennessee, area last September with BCM members Ron Worrell and Fred McClellan to conduct an interview with Donna, Roni, and Patsy Stoneman, daughters of Sessions powerhouse, Ernest V. “Pop” Stoneman. The interview, filmed in conjunction with Ruckus Film, will be featured in one of the museum’s exhibits.
Not long after that trip, Alma Douglas of the Smithsonian joined our content team at one of its Bristol meetings. Douglas has been and continues to be our liaison at the Smithsonian, and is instrumental in helping us with acquisitions—especially for our Special Exhibits Gallery. As a Smithsonian affiliate, our museum has access to Smithsonian’s archives and expertise—integral and exciting pieces when putting together a museum.
Mike Hill, or “The Maple Man,” as he’s been dubbed by Gibson, also knows about the nuts and bolts—and wood—needed to make a project successful. Peyton Boyd, Michael Haslam, and I had the chance to meet with Mr. Hill this week. A provider of rare curly maple wood for Gibson guitars in Nashville, he has agreed to provide curly maple for our use in the museum. Seeing the connection firsthand—how wood used to make guitars for talents such as Alan Jackson can also be used in the fabric of the museum—brings the museum’s depth to a new, and strangely, more musical level.
We’ve also been delving into radio with the help of experts near and far. From Tom King with Kintronic Labs to Jim Gilmore in Nashville, we’re continuing to shape the Birthplace of Country Music®—one thought, one person, one region at a time.
Until next week,
Sarah
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An Unexpected Trip in Time
February 15, 2013
Burwil's Tony Huff holding a bit of once-buried treasure: half of a broken teacup.
I met a Virginia Intermont College photography student at the Goodpasture Motors Building on Tuesday for a seemingly routine photography trip. Evan McGurrin, a senior photo major at the college, planned to take some additional photos of the building and its progress.
Part of that progress, as we soon found out, took the shape of a giant, gaping pit in the middle of the building. Tony Huff, superintendent at Burwil, explained the pit’s purpose: Huff’s crew had been digging to make space for an elevator in the soon-to-be museum.
Huff and his crew handed me several items they’d found during their dig: half of a broken teacup, some broken china, a doorknob, and a milk bottle from the 1920s. You might be thinking, “What were these items doing inside a former car dealership and future museum?” I asked Huff that very question.
It appeared that some of the items were charred—suggesting, at the very least, that something quite interesting (and fiery!) had occurred at the site at some point in time.
Whose teacup was this? Whose china was this? Where did the doorknob belong?
While I pondered the items’ past and looked forward to sharing them with my content team, I realized something else: These items, much like the larger Pepsi, Palace, and Tate’s News signs, were integral (though more mysterious) parts of the building’s makeup.
While I might never know the answers to those questions, that doesn’t stop me from imagining what life was once like inside this building—and whose lives were in it. It, too, makes me wonder what others, generations from now, might ask about our museum—an institution that’s just beginning to be born, just beginning to blossom.
I, for one, can only imagine the life our museum will bring to this building, and more importantly, to Bristol and our community. I’m watching it happen, piece by piece—and I can’t wait for all of those pieces to come together in August of 2014.
Until next week (and the next bit of treasure I find!),
Sarah
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Past and Present, Pepsi and Palace: When Times Collide
February 08, 2013
Written by Sarah TollieOn Wednesday afternoon, our content research team for the Birthplace of Country Music® Museum met at the Main Street Pizza Company in Johnson City. We were surrounded by good food, good people, and, something a bit unexpected: two of the original panes of glass from the Goodpasture Motors Building.
Jessica Turner, our team’s director, unwrapped the panes carefully, excitedly. Having just walked in, my co-editor Rene and I weren’t quite sure what might be beneath that paper and tape. Jessica looked at us, bright-eyed and smiling, as she held up the glass, which Burwil had saved for us.
“What’s in a piece of glass?” I pondered that very question during and after our meeting – but somehow, I was still at a loss for what to write about today.
Luckily, Rene resolved my dilemma pretty quickly: With a background in Roman archaeology, she suggested that I focus on the smaller things — things like those panes of glass – that bring depth to, and really, tell a story of their own about, this invariably important building. Instantly, that begs the questions: Who made these panes of glass? Who installed them? And, for the Curious George (or Georgette!) in all of us: What experiences in this building have these panes been privy to?
Her suggestion was certainly a fitting one – especially in light of the week’s finds. I was alerted to two additional (yet equally exciting!) finds beyond those small panes of glass. Bill Hartley, one of our content team members, reminded our team of the large, sprawling Pepsi sign that was, at one time, painted onto the brick wall of the building’s upper level. It’s a reminder of the building as it once was: a thriving, buzzing space committed to distributing quality cars and holding memorable music- and sports-related events. Our other find, the pane of glass with “Palace Barber Shop” painted skillfully onto its surface, brought the building’s life – life etched into its very fabric – to the front of our minds.
As Burwil continues construction on the building, the content team and I will sit at the edge of our seats, anxiously awaiting the next sign, the next painting – the next find from this heart- and history-rich building – and imagining the hands and minds behind them.
Until then, I can anxiously await an event that’s a little closer in time: I will be meeting with two photography students from Virginia Intermont College today, and they’ll be capturing the Palace Barber Shop pane from every angle. It’s the first step in bringing the pane back to its rightful place: as part of an exhibit in the Birthplace of Country Music® Museum.
Stay tuned within the next days! I’ll be uploading photos from today to our “Museum Construction” album on Facebook. While you’re waiting on those, I’d like to know: What are your experiences with this building? Have you had any similar experiences with other places? Let me know by e-mailing me at sarah@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org or by posting on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Happy reminiscing!
Sarah
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Making the Museum, Part III: The Friends
February 01, 2013Written by Sarah Tollie
In keeping with the idea of, well, keeping everyone up-to-date on the museum, I took a quick trip to the Goodpasture Building on Tuesday. It was a lovely day – even among the endless puffs of smoke making their way from the front of the building and directly towards me!
Comical sight aside, it brought something more important to mind: All of that smoke, all of that construction – the museum as we will soon come to know it – isn’t possible without the support of our friends.
That idea has been with the Birthplace of Country Music® since the beginning. And, in recent times, we have brought that support to a new and more creative level: the “Friends of 1927” campaign. As John Rainero, the BCM’s president elect, said:
“Friends of 1927” is a friend-raising campaign to enlist a core group of supporters who can take special pride in their quintessential role in opening the doors of the [Birthplace of Country Music® Museum]. The "Friends of 1927" will be 1,927 individuals who give $520 each at this crucial milestone of the project. When you become a "Friends of 1927" supporter, you send a strong message that the [museum] is vital to our region.
We all watched as Bristol banded together to raise BCM’s “banjometer,” and, in turn, raise real funds for the museum. From fundraising shows at local favorite, Machiavelli’s, to more quiet kinds of pledges, the campaign was a success – and it continues to show in every word of every exhibit narrative, every frame of every media clip, and every sketch of every plan. It’s even evident in the smoke billowing from the building.
In short, your support is the very reason for our progress.
But, that doesn’t mean that you can’t keep giving. We’ll all keep giving –just as the museum will give to our community historically, intellectually, and economically. Whether you donate online, or simply get the word out by sharing our Facebook and Twitter pages with your friends, coworkers, and families, you are actively supporting the Birthplace of Country Music® and the upcoming Birthplace of Country Music® Museum.
So, whatever you have done, are doing, or will do to support our museum, you are a part of it. Simply put, you are a friend.
Until next week, friends, be sure to check out our “Museum Construction” album on Facebook! We’re posting pictures every step of the way. A photo gallery is also on its way, right here, at www.birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.
Stay tuned!
Sarah
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Making the Museum, Part II, Week II: Meet the Team
January 25, 2013Written by Sarah Tollie
It’s Friday, and I’ve been anxiously awaiting this day all week. As a native Bristolian, it’s only fitting that today’s post introduces you to the more local members of our team.
But first, a brief detour. It’s one that brings us to Milford, Conn., to the office of acoustical designer Steve Haas and his company, SH Acoustics. Haas has been working closely with studioMUSarx to bring the best sound experience to the Birthplace of Country Music® Museum.
SH Acoustics – Milford, Conn.
Steve Haas is the founder of SH Acoustics in Milford, Conn. I had the chance to speak with Steve this week about his work with the museum.
1. Can you explain how your work complements the exhibit design and media production aspects of the museum-making process?
Our responsibility is to ensure that all aspects of sound quality and sound control will be achieved in the new museum. Our work touches just about every discipline. We are advising the architects and exhibit designers to define walls and ceilings to contain sound or keep it from bouncing around the open gallery spaces or the auditorium. We have been working closely with the technology team and media producers to define how the sound of each audio or audio/video production will be delivered into the space. The goal is to provide as much of an immersive experience, yet not have unwanted "bleed" of sound between programs (which is, unfortunately, an all-too-common occurrence in many museums, including some newer music museums).
2. The museum will be housed in the historic Goodpasture Motors Building. What were your first impressions in visiting this space?
Well, the first thing I did when I walked into the space, of course, was to clap my hands and listen as the sound reverberated for many seconds through the very hard and reflective building! I think everyone with me started to feel a little nervous. Fortunately, we've been in similar situations with transforming unique historical spaces into truly functional museums, and the real challenge will be to introduce all the materials, technology, thematic elements and more while still retaining enough of the original character of the building. The direction that the design team is taking to achieve this is very exciting and will result in a great experience for all the visitors.
3. How has the BCM, as a museum heavily focused on music — and a key moment in music, at that! — shaped your approach to acoustical design?
While acoustic quality and control is important in all museums, especially those filled with multimedia programs, there is nothing quite as special for sound as a music-related museum. It is not just about the music as well, but also the words behind the music. The one thing I love about country music ARE the stories in the lyrics, and if the sound is muddled or just not engaging, it is those stories that will be lost.
This applies to even live storytelling, which might happen on occasion in the BCM. I remember working on the new Country Music Hall of Fame building in the late 90s and presenting to the HOF Board, which included singer-songwriter Kathy Mattea. After I finished my presentation, Kathy came up to me very appreciative of our approach and told me that she was a tour guide in the original HOF building to earn money while she was recording demo tapes at night. The problem was that the spaces there were so noisy and hard to hear over the din of audio. By the time each day would end, her voice would be hoarse from having to almost shout in order for her tour groups to hear her stories. She finally had to quit working at the HOF before she damaged her voice permanently (pretty good decision, given how her career turned out!). So, this is just a great example of how important it is for the sound/acoustics to work to their fullest in music-related museums.
4. What might you describe as the ultimate sonic experience? In other words, what should the museum's visitors expect, sound-wise?
I often tell people that, when I do my job well, no one notices! There's a lot of truth in that, because our goal is not to draw attention to the sound of the physical space (except maybe in the auditorium) or the technology delivering the audio. We just want people to be enveloped in a very natural quality sound that truly brings people back to the eras transcended in the BCM story. We want the hard work that the media producers have done to present the story of the Birthplace of Country Music® to reach visitors on all levels and give a new appreciation to many for the importance of the music and stories of this historical element.
5. Once open, the museum will house a state-of-the-art performance space. Do you have a dream band or artist you'd like to see performing here?
Not particularly. I want this space to work well and sound great for everyone from a local singer-songwriter to Vince Gill or Carrie Underwood. I can't wait to hear the first performance in there!
Peyton Boyd Architect PC – Abingdon, Va.
Peyton Boyd is the president of Peyton Boyd Architect PC in Abingdon, Va. I remember when I first met with Peyton and his project designer, Michael Haslam, in mid-July. I was impressed by the depth of knowledge – both architectural and historical – that Boyd’s group would bring to the museum project.
In fact, Boyd and his team have been bringing that knowledge to the project since early 2005. He recently told me a bit about his involvement:
As a Bristol native, I find it especially exciting and gratifying to be part of a major element in the revitalization of our historic downtown. The role of our firm is to provide architectural and engineering services for the building renovation. We are working closely with BCM, the exhibit design team and the construction manager to help move the Birthplace of Country Music® Museum from dream to reality.
Burwil Construction – Bristol, Tenn.
Bill Prince, Sr. and his team at Burwil Construction in Bristol, Tenn. are the glue holding the museum project together – quite literally! In sitting in on meetings with his team, studioMUSarx, and Hillmann & Carr, I’ve seen just how closely linked these teams need to be. Burwil is crafting the core of the museum’s building—and in doing so, readies that space for studioMUSarx, Hillmann & Carr, and our content team to build its heart: the story, the exhibits, and, of course, the music.
Content Research Team – Tri-Cities area
We may be spread around the Tri-Cities area, but the BCM Content Team has become quite a close-knit family. You know enough about me; now it’s time to let other team members speak! Many have given their first-hand accounts to me this week, which you’ll see below in italics.
Jessica Turner - I've been thrilled to have become involved with the Birthplace of Country Music®, and I honestly feel that this museum will be a place that is informative and innovative, looking back at the history of early country music recordings and forward to how we continue to reshape our experiences with Appalachian musics.
This museum is the product of several years of planning and many minds at work. Our team of curators are local scholars who know the region's music. We are working closely with museum experts helping us to present this history in innovative ways to the public. It has been incredibly fulfilling to watch this happen.
I felt very strongly that this task of telling the story of the Bristol Sessions needed to be a team effort, and our team has worked together closely to put these exhibits together. It has been a true collaboration of minds as we each bring our own expertise and experience to the table. In addition to our core curatorial team—Amythyst, Bill, Lee, Rene, Ryan, Sarah, Ted, and me—we are also working with many advisers, both near our community and far away, who know how this history fits within the region and within the history of recorded popular music. There are many stakeholders in this project, not the least of which is our community of advocates who have supported this project along the way. We continue to engage these stakeholders in our work moving forward. What you will see in these exhibits will reflect a real community effort.
Rene Rodgers — My primary role has been as content editor, going through the museum exhibition scripts for clarity and consistency. My background is in academic publishing and this is a similar process in that you have to look at each zone individually (like a chapter) but then also look at all the zones together as a whole (like a book), along with how the exhibition texts work with the other components like images, objects, a/v, and design. The challenge is making sure the texts—which have very limited space—convey their message clearly and also engage the museum viewer so that they can make the connections from zone to zone and come away feeling like they learned something new and interesting, and were excited about their experience.
It's been a great project to work on—the team is a lovely group of people whose depth of knowledge is just amazing, the subject is fascinating, and it’s been a great opportunity to be involved with the community and really do something that will benefit my hometown. It's also given me what I've always enjoyed about my work — the opportunity to learn something new every day!
Ted Olson - Participating in the Content Planning Committee for the Birthplace of Country Music® Museum has been a logical and exciting next step for me. After co-writing two books on the Bristol Sessions with Charles K. Wolfe and Tony Russell, and after co-producing the Grammy-nominated Bristol Sessions box set for Bear Family Records with Grammy Award winner Chris King, I was wondering what the next step would be for me in terms of further exploring the history and cultural impacts of "the Big Bang of Country Music." The museum ended up being exactly that next step, and it is very gratifying to have participated in such an important project. The museum will present to a diverse audience insightful and accessible interpretations of a truly revolutionary cultural event — the field recording session heard around the world!
Bill Hartley - I've been involved with the project since the beginning, back when the Birthplace of Country Music® was located in small storefront in the mall. I have helped with the conception, acquisition of the site, development of the resources, and building support in the community, all in an effort to make this facility a reality. Growing up in Bristol with a strong interest in history, I always wondered why more wasn't done to help tell an interesting and important story, so it was a natural fit for my talents and interests to become involved with the Birthplace of Country Music®. I look forward to the future of what this facility means for the community, the revitalization of downtown, and the education of future generations. This project has involved the time and talents of a wide variety of people working toward a common vision, I am proud to play a small part of that.
Ryan Bernard - I am Ryan Bernard, a librarian/archivist/old-time musician by trade. I met Jessica Turner at a digital collections workshop in the spring of 2012. She contacted me in the fall of that year initially as a consultant regarding archiving artifacts and ephemera going into the museum.
After Turner assembled and met with her team of scholars and experts, I volunteered to "take on" a zone, as my own, in the museum and I have since been involved in Zone 6, developing a coherent narrative to illuminate the influences and background of early traditional recording musicians and generally, trying to tell the story of why local and regional musicians played the music they do and did at the time of the 1927 Bristol Sessions.
This has not been an easy process but I have learned a great deal about curating music museums. It has been a welcomed challenge and I have worked with some amazing folks along the way. I feel this process is far from over and hope the finished product is something our team and the city of Bristol can be proud of.
Lee Bidgood - Dr. Lee Bidgood is Assistant Professor in the Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music Studies program at East Tennessee State University. Bidgood has entered into this process full-force, going out into the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion last September to interview a slew of the festival’s artists about their experiences in, and the influences of, Bristol and the Bristol Sessions.
Lee’s primary focus has been on Zone 9, where many of his interviews will live. He’s also been instrumental in giving his input and sharing his advice with the rest of the team members and their zones. And, it’s easy to see why: A musician himself, Bidgood has performed with bands such as the Steep Canyon Rangers and Big Fat Gap.
Amythyst Phillips - I learned about the job while volunteering for the BCM this past summer; after working for a couple of weeks, Leah told me about this opportunity to work on a museum that centered around the Bristol Sessions, and it would give me an opportunity to get involved with fieldwork that I could use for my research in grad school. Since then it has been a whirlwind, as none of us had any strong museum studies background. What we do have is knowledge of the region and its music, and the museum architects and visual media designers have been very patient with answering all of our questions and providing us with information we need to get this project done right. Dr. Jessica Turner has assembled an excellent team of editors and scholars to take on this project to ensure that the right kind of content will be placed in this museum for the world to see. I am writing the text and choosing items that will go in the instrument gallery and the hands on mixing, listening, and karaoke stations. This is work that I am so grateful to be doing and I couldn't ask for a better job experience. To have the opportunity to perform at BRRR and then have the chance to work for the organization to provide a service to the region is more than I can ask for.
What’s next for the BCM Blog
As always, thank you for tuning in! Be sure to check back next week for the final part of our “Making the Museum” series: “Part III: The Friends.”
Until then, stay warm!
Sarah
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Making the Museum, Part II: Meet the Team
January 18, 2013Written by Sarah Tollie
Last week, I wrote about the Goodpasture Motors Building – the future site of the Birthplace of Country Music® Museum. This week, it’s only fitting that I introduce you to the team charged with making the museum as vibrant as the very history it’s housing.
Without question, the museum’s team includes you, your family, and your friends – anyone interested in and devoted to Bristol and its legacy as the Birthplace of Country Music. ® It includes the countless hours and tireless efforts of our past and present directors, board members, and volunteers. The museum has not, and will never be, a one-person effort.
The team that I’ve come to know over the past six months – the one I’m giving you a glimpse into today and next week – includes several important pieces: studioMUSarx, our architecture and exhibit designers, based in Philadelphia, Pa.; Hillmann & Carr, our media production team, based in Washington, D.C.; Peyton Boyd Architect, our local architecture firm; Burwil, our local construction firm; and our content research team, a group of local scholars and professionals tasked with telling Bristol’s story.
Today, I’m introducing the not-so-local parts of our team. They may be based beyond Tennessee and Virginia, but their commitment to and interest in Bristol makes them an instrumental part of our community.
studioMUSarx – Philadelphia, Pa.
I remember the first time I met Joe Nicholson, principal at the studioMUSarx exhibit design firm: Joe was sitting across from me at the conference room table, eyes bright, voice booming, and hands gesturing at the architectural plans laid out on the table. It was my first day as a content team member, and I was at once in awe and overwhelmed at the intricate drawings of a building I was only beginning to know.
As I’ve worked with Joe since July, I’ve received, in many ways, a crash course in museum and architectural studies – and I think I speak for much of my content team in this sense, too. From learning about beams and girders to exhibit forms and source books, I have been brought into, and taught to think about, the museum world completely. What once seemed a world away from my writing and editing background has worked with it almost intrinsically.
Joe and his team are also telling a story. Theirs might be focused on function and flow, told through plans and numbers, scales and structures, and ours, focused on content and cohesion, told through text and headings, quotes and vignettes, but our missions remain the same.
Hillmann & Carr – Washington, D.C.
Before meeting the media production team at Hillmann & Carr, I couldn’t have imagined the museum’s interactive, engaging, and media-rich possibilities.
Admittedly, I still can’t – at least, not completely. Until its doors open, and I can explore each interactive station, each bit of footage, and each second of sound, I can’t fully imagine the media that will be the museum’s reality. But, having heard their ideas in person, on paper, and on screen, I am confident that Hillmann & Carr are bringing Bristol’s history to life.
From early summer readings of design treatments on Jimmie Rodgers to our more recent previewing of databases on The Carter Family, we’ve all had the chance to join in on this extremely collaborative process. I’ve heard Michal Carr – the Carr in Hillmann & Carr – relate her experiences of working on such museums as Washington, D.C.’s United States Holocaust Memorial and Oklahoma City’s National Memorial. Like Joe Nicholson, Michal Carr and her team are dedicated to making the museum and the history it’s housing the best, most representative, and technologically innovative that it can possibly be.
As a museum visitor, you’ll play a crucial part in this experience: With every touch you make on an interactive screen, every turn you make on a reader rail dial, and every soundscape you take in, you will come closer to immersing yourself in and making yourself a key part of Bristol’s history.
Just as Ralph Peer saw the value in community – a collective effort that forever lives on as The Bristol Sessions – those of us involved in preserving and engaging that very effort value community, too. We couldn’t make this museum without it.
To learn more about studioMUSarx and Hillmann & Carr, please visit www.studiomusarx.com and www.hillmanncarr.com.
Tune in next week for the second part of “Meet the Team.” I’ll introduce you to and feature interviews with our local team. Until then, be sure to visit our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Happy Friday!
Sarah
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Making the Museum, Part I: The Building
January 11, 2013Written by Sarah Tollie
A building is just a building, right? Or is it, really?
I remember hearing the first whispers about building a cultural heritage center in Bristol. Words and phrases such as “state-of-the-art,” “economic impact,” and “Bristol’s history” were what I had to hold on to at that time. I was interning at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, at what was then its Sixth Street office – and the idea of building a cultural heritage center (or more aptly, a museum, as we now know it) – seemed so distant.
Back then, I thought I knew Bristol’s history. But, back then, I didn’t know about the Goodpasture Motors Building.
Situated on the corner of Moore and Cumberland Streets in Downtown Bristol, the building was donated for use in housing the future Birthplace of Country Music® Museum. What made – and continues to make – the building integral to the museum is precisely that: its history.
Built by Frank Goodpasture Sr. in the 1920s, the Goodpasture Building originally served as a site for distributing, and later selling, Chrysler vehicles. Goodpasture Sr. also dealt in Federal trucks.
But, for all of its Chryslers and Federal trucks, the Goodpasture Building eventually housed a cab company, the much-abuzz Palace Barber Shop, and the much-loved Tate’s News. In my time working with the Birthplace of Country Music®, I’ve heard people speak fondly of these places, whether it be about browsing Tate’s comic books or taking a trip for a trim at Palace’s shop. These places were a part of the building, and left indelible stamps on Bristol and its community.
Last July, I had my first chance to go inside the Goodpasture building. Save for local students’ musical murals sitting in its windows and a banner announcing the upcoming museum, the building, at first glance, seemed to be all concrete, bricks, and broken glass. At a deeper glance, though, it still held the charm of Tate’s News, the roar of many cabs, and the buzz of Palace Barber shop. As our team of designers and scholars spoke of the building’s intricacies, I began to picture its varied past and look forward to its future as a museum.
What had seemed, four years earlier, like a vague and distant wish, was now becoming a reality.
As our content team continues to tell Bristol’s story, we’ve included these places and memories. After all, as I’ve come to learn, a building goes beyond its concrete and its bricks. It’s what lives inside that truly makes it. Ralph Peer might say the same about the Taylor-Christian Hat Company, where the Bristol Sessions were made. It only seems fitting to house this story in a building with its own vibrant history.
I look forward to seeing that history live on. In the next two weeks, join me here as I highlight those in Bristol committed to this very mission in “Part II: The Team” and “Part III: The Friends” of our “Making the Museum” series. In the meantime, join the BCM here on its journey and on Facebook and Twitter.
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Welcome to "Peer and Now," the BCM Blog!
January 04, 2013Written by Sarah Tollie
I never really realized the important role Ralph Peer would play in my life, personally and professionally — until now.
Perhaps you’ve heard of Peer. Perhaps you haven’t. For most of my life, most of which has been spent in Bristol, I didn’t know about Peer. His influence, though, was all around me: in the bright lights of the city’s downtown, in the dim lights of its theaters, pubs, and coffee shops, in the music being played, performed, and sung in these places.
I met Peer for the first time as a senior English major at Virginia Intermont College. My adviser suggested that I meet with Leah Ross, the executive director of Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, about a writing internship. Anxiously awaiting my meeting, I researched all that I could find out about the organization.
Its slogan caught my eye: “Celebrating Bristol’s music heritage.”
That heritage, I quickly came to find, owed much to music industry executive Ralph Peer. In 1927, Peer worked as a talent scout for the Victor Talking Machine Company in Camden, New Jersey — and he soon took his talent scouting to Bristol, Tennessee.
Here, Peer discovered and recorded a wealth of musicians whose music reflected life in southern Appalachia. These musicians included the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, and Ernest V. “Pop” Stoneman, now-veritable country music stars, and acts such as Henry Whitter, Tarter and Gay, and the Stamps Quartet. Their collective recordings became the Bristol Sessions — the “Big Bang of Country Music.”
As I first spoke with Leah at Rhythm & Roots in April of 2008, I began to realize that the music of the Peer’s Bristol Sessions was my music, too. It was the music of the team I worked with, the music of the artists I wrote about, the music of the artists at our festival, and the music of our community. It was Bristol, and I felt incredibly grateful to be a part of it.
I carried those experiences with me to grad school at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. I was nearly 300 miles away, but often felt Bristol’s presence in meeting fans of the Rhythm & Roots festival, scholars of the Sessions, and up-and-coming artists whose influences were undoubtedly linked, in some way, to the Sessions.
As I completed my graduate coursework and returned to Bristol last May, I soon learned that I, too, would come several steps closer to the Sessions. At Leah’s asking, I joined the content team for the upcoming Birthplace of Country Music® Museum. The team is a local group of scholars given the task of telling the story of Bristol as the “Birthplace of Country Music” — a story that started with Peer and his Bristol recordings.
The museum, like the region’s music itself, is filled with a complex history. Finding the right people, the right funds, and the right time to truly make a museum is never easy. Our content team, knowing that the museum has been years in the making, has examined every nuance, every nook, and every angle of the story — from “Peer to Now,” so-to-speak — since first meeting as a group in July. We have worked with a talented and dedicated group of architects, media producers, editors, and construction managers to bring Bristol’s story to life.
Our task is far from over — and, as a part of this team, I want you to be a part of it, too! Please join me each Friday as I, along with guest bloggers, bring you closer not only to the museum process, but also to Bristol as the place for music. If Peer were here now, I think he would be proud.
Until next week…
Sarah
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Birthplace Blog Starts Friday!
January 02, 2013
Sarah Tollie, BCM Blogger
"We are in the midst of so many exciting things and much planning," says Birthplace of Country Music Exective Director Leah Ross, "we have reached a point where things are moving so quickly that a blog seemed to be the most comprehensive way of reporting those activities to the public. The details of this activity is really fascinating, it's an interesting story to share."
The new blog will launch with the New Year, appearing weekly on Fridays starting January 4, 2013 on the BCM's website, www.BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org. Sarah Tollie, former Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion intern and new BCM employee, has been on the ground floor of development for the Museum for the past several months. Tollie will serve as the blog's voice, chronicling her experiences every step of the way.
Sarah Tollie is a native of Bristol, Virginia, who found her first real calling as a music writer and editor while interning with Bristol Rhythm and Roots as an undergraduate English – Creative Writing major at Virginia Intermont College. Bitten by the Bristol Rhythm, she continued to write for and volunteer with the organization throughout her undergraduate and graduate careers. She moved back to Bristol earlier this year after completing her graduate coursework in mass communication at Middle Tennessee State University. Now, Sarah and a local team of scholars are writing a new chapter: The Birthplace of Country Music® Museum, opening in August 2014. Join Sarah on this journey—one blog post at a time.
"Since early this summer, I have been part of the team assigned the task of writing and editing the story that will be told inside the Birthplace of Country Music Museum," says Tollie. "It's been an exciting journey, and one that readers will find engaging and entertaining. Each element is really coming together at this time. It's a story that deserves to be documented and preserved."
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