- The Birthplace of Country Music
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From the Vault: Postcards

There have been many different forms of communication throughout history. One that has stood the test of time is postcards. Postcards typically have a picture on the front and space […]

A group of docents standing in the lobby of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.
Reflections on Ten Years of Docent Tours

In August of 2014 The Birthplace of Country Music Museum opened its doors for the first time. To celebrate our 10 year anniversary, we have asked two of our longest […]

The Technology That Made the Bristol Sessions Possible

A lot of quality time can be spent in the 78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings section of archive.org, especially if you are old enough to remember 78s or just love […]

Collaged image of the cover of four books. Country Music U.S.A, Rednecks and Bluenecks: The Politics of Country Music, Hidden in the Mix: the African American Presence in Country Music, and Rednecks, Queers, and Country Music.
Country Music as an Academic Probe

“Country music”, along with its variations, is not often a term you’d associate with academia, at least not until you have a good understanding of the vast field of musicology. […]

A Black woman smiling and standing next to a mi with WSM Grand Ol Opry written on it while a white man adjusts the mic for her.
Who is Linda Martell? The Story of the First Commercially Successful Black Woman in Country Music

This month is African American Music Appreciation Month, to celebrate, I want to shed some light on a particularly underappreciated artist. As time passes, some artists are forgotten for their […]

Confessions of a Conferenceaholic: BCMM Goes to ICMC!

As a curator at a small-ish museum, I wear many hats. And one of those hats puts me in front of the public in a variety of ways, from media […]

Country Music Comes to the Magic Kingdom…Again?

If there are two things you might think would never go together, they would be Country Music and Disney Theme Parks. Well, since 1971, Country Music has been present in […]

The Transformative Power of Traditional Music: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Dulcimer. Part II

My time at ETSU taught me a lot of things. I think the most important lesson it taught me was that I didn’t know as much as I thought I did. It started changing […]

The Transformative Power of Traditional Music: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Dulcimer. Part I

Trigger Warning: This post contains content about suicide. If you or a loved one is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline. I didn’t come […]

A Conversation with CALT Fellow Pierceton Hobbs

Pierceton Hobbs is a SWVA musician and recipient of the Greater Bristol Folk Arts & Culture Team’s Central Appalachia Living Traditions (CALT) Tradition Bearer Fellowship in 2022-23. This fellowship provides financial support, professional […]

Graphic for In the Pines
Karma Chameleon: The Ever-Changing Muse of “In the Pines”

On the heels of BCM's announcement of the inaugural In the Pines concert experience, this blog explores fun facts about the song that inspired it.

International Guitar Month Part 2: Jimmie Rodgers’ Oscar Schmidt Guitar

By Ed Hagen,  volunteer gallery assistant and guest blogger at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. The Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, Virginia celebrates Bristol’s rich musical heritage […]