The Birthplace of Country Music Hosts Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Concerts, Workshops, Films, & Museum Day Live! in September
September is definitely the month to plan a visit to Bristol, the Birthplace of Country Music, as the calendar is packed with concerts, songwriting workshops, two film screenings, and the award-winning 17th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. In addition, patrons will also get to experience free activities and admission to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum during the 13th annual Smithsonian magazine’s Museum Day Live!
“September is always an exciting time to be in Bristol,” said Leah Ross, Executive Director of the nonprofit Birthplace of Country Music, the parent organization of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, and Radio Bristol. “This year will mark the 17th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, and we are so proud to host this incredible lineup of headliners and rising talent here in Bristol. In addition, there are a series of ‘must-see’ events at the museum this month. If you are thinking about a visit to the Birthplace of Country Music, this is the month to make the journey to Bristol, where you can dance in two states at once!”
Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion
September 15–17
This September 15–17 more than 130 acts will perform across 20 stages around State Street in Historic Downtown, Bristol, TN/VA during the 17th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival. A customizable schedule of performing artists can be viewed online at BristolRhythm.com. Throughout the three-day event, you’ll experience performances from the following acts: Dwight Yoakam, Judah & the Lion, Jerry Douglas Presents The Earls of Leicester, Son Volt, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Deer Tick, Will Hoge, The Infamous Stringdusters, Chris Knight, Lonesome River Band, The Dustbowl Revival, Mandolin Orange, Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys, Mark O’Connor ft. the O’Connor Band, Amanda Shires, The SteelDrivers, Folk Soul Revival, Amythyst Kiah, and many others.
Attendees will also be presented with a 90th Anniversary Celebration performance honoring the 1927 Bristol Sessions on Sunday, September 17. Screenings of Born In Bristol, the docudrama that starring Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Eric Church, Emmylou Harris, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, and more, will be held at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum during the festival. The film tells the story of the 1927 Bristol Sessions and its vast influence on the soundtrack of today. Considered the most influential country music recordings in history, the 1927 Bristol Sessions are listed among the 50 most significant sound recording events of all time by the Library of Congress.
In addition, Radio Bristol will host its Farm and Fun Time live variety show with house band Bill and the Belles and special guests The Earls of Leicester and The Cactus Blossoms. Three-day festival passes are currently $100 with day passes starting at $40. Visit BristolRhythm.com to purchase tickets.
Friends of 1927 Concert featuring Mike Farris
September 7 at 7:30 PM ET
Birthplace of Country Music Museum
520 Birthplace of Country Music Way, Bristol, VA
The September Friends of 1927 Concert Series features the Grammy Award-winning artist Mike Farris. In 2015, 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, he has also earned Americana Music Awards and Dove Awards. This Friends of 1927 Concert is a unique concert experience where fans have the opportunity to interact with the artists in a relaxed setting over drinks and hors d’oeuvres, all included in the ticket price. Visit the BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org events page to purchase tickets.
Songs Come Apart: A Workshop with Ed Snodderly
September 9, 10 AM—2 PM ET Birthplace of Country Music Museum
520 Birthplace of Country Music Way, Bristol, VA
During the Songs Come Apart workshop, renowned songwriter Ed Snodderly will pull apart one of his songs to delve deep into the songwriting craft – looking at the ways lyrics come together, the harmony of the words used, and the way a song changes from inception to final cut. To really get the full benefit of the workshop, participants are encouraged (but not required) to bring their own works in progress, giving you the opportunity to take apart your song and put it back together with Snodderly’s guidance. Places are limited to 16 people. To purchase a ticket, visit BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.
Film Screening: May It Last: A Portrait of The Avett Brothers
September 12 at 7 PM ET
Marquee Cinemas – Pinnacle 12
680 Pinnacle Parkway, Bristol, TN
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. The film charts 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. To purchase tickets,visit BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.
Museum Day Live! featuring a Screening of American Experience: Tesla
September 23, 10 AM—6 pm ET
Screening at 1 PM ET
520 Birthplace of Country Music Way, Bristol, VA
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! 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. To download free tickets visit http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-live-2017/tickets/.
The PBS documentary American Experience: Tesla takes a look at Nikola Tesla who came to be seen by many as a tragic figure. This visionary engineer 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 dazzling demonstrations of his innovation and creativity. His technology helped drive the electrical age in the 20th century, and his vision 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 the current special exhibit “Things Come Apart.” Reserve your seats by visiting BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.
“Things Come Apart” Special Exhibit
Now through October 8, 2017
Birthplace of Country Music Museum 520 Birthplace of Country Music Way, Bristol, VA
Through extraordinary photographs, disassembled objects and fascinating videos, the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service’s “Things Come Apart” exhibit reveals the inner workings of common, everyday possessions. Images of dozens of objects explore how things are designed and made and how technology has evolved over time.
“Things Come Apart” embraces key STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) concepts and provides an ideal environment for hands-on experimentation, tinkering, and creative makerspaces. Through support from the Smithsonian Women’s Committee, the exhibition includes three hands-on Activity Kits created by the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation’s SparkLab.
“Things Come Apart” is an exhibition organized by Todd McLellan and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES).
More information on these events and the Birthplace of Country Music can be found below.
Event Details Links
September 7 – Friends of 1927 Concert Series: Mike Farris
September 9 – Songs Come Apart: A Workshop with Ed Snodderly
September 12 – May It Last: A Portrait of The Avett Brothers
September 15–17 – Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion
September 23 – Museum Day Live! featuring a screening of American Experience: Tesla