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Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion 2020 Cancelled Due to COVID-19

July 6, 2020

Bristol, Tenn./Va. (July 6, 2020) – The Birthplace of Country Music (BCM), parent organization of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, the annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival, and WBCM Radio Bristol, announced in a press conference today a decision to cancel its 20th annual festival this year in the wake of COVID-19. The annual event, slated for September 11-13 of this year, has been put on hold until 2021. BCM Executive Director Leah Ross revealed that the organization’s Board of Directors voted in a unanimous decision on the measure.
“For the Birthplace of Country Music, this is the saddest day our organization has ever had to face,” said Leah Ross, BCM Executive Director. “The decision to cancel this year’s Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival has been extremely difficult for our Board, our Festival Committee, and our staff. Doing so on what would have been our 20th anniversary event is even more devastating.”

“We know how deeply our decision will affect our fans, artists, volunteers, and community, both emotionally and economically, but we value your lives and the safety of your families above all. You have helped us grow this beautiful community into one of the most extraordinary and unique cities in the country, and for that we are so grateful.”

“Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is also one of the largest fundraisers for the Birthplace of Country Music. Moving forward, we humbly ask for your help, your kindness, and your understanding as our organization rises to face a substantial financial hardship.”

BCM is working now to recover financial loss accumulated after the three-month closure of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate located in Historic Downtown Bristol, which reopened in June with stringent social distancing guidelines, including face coverings, and heightened cleaning protocols in place. Upon reopening, the organization announced its annual Bristol Sessions Super Raffle fundraiser for the museum to help mitigate that loss. The Raffle drawing, slated to be held at the museum on September 13 from noon to 4:00 p.m, on what would have been the last day of this year’s festival, will still take place. Participants in the Raffle do not have to be present to win.

“For those of you that have purchased tickets to Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, we understand that holding on to them may have been a hardship during this time for you as well,” said Ross. “For that reason, we are offering three options with the return of your 2020 festival ticket, including the choice for a refund. It is our hope that the majority of you will choose to hold on to your tickets for next year to help ease the financial burden now placed on our Festival. The cancellation of the event has significant repercussions to our organization and we need your help.”

2020 Festival ticket holders have the option to donate all or a portion of their ticket cost back to the festival to help ensure the same quality event next year. Ross explained that every effort is being made to keep the same lineup, if artists’ schedules allow. Ticket holders may also choose to defer tickets until September 2021 to avoid any potential increase in price next year, or receive a refund.

All donations will go to the 2020 Festival Recovery Fund, with incentives for those who donate their tickets. Anyone who makes a one-time donation of $75 to $249 will become a 2020 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Hero. This is how it works:

Donate between $75 and $249 in 2020 Festival Ticket Purchases or make a cash donation of at least $75 to Birthplace of Country Music, Inc. for the Festival and receive:

Recognition on a permanent plaque in the Birthplace of Country Music Museum as a 2020 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Hero
Recognition on 2021 Festival website
Recognition as a 2020 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Hero in the Festival Program Guide
A discount of 10% on 2021 Festival tickets equal to the number of tickets donated or for every $100 donated
Special Edition 20th Anniversary Poster – Poster printed in foil and signed by artist
Name included in a recognition ad in the Bristol Herald Courier

Donate more than $250 in Ticket Purchases or Cash to BCM for the Festival and receive:

Everything listed above
2020 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Hero t-shirt
2020 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Hero Sticker
1 Year Membership to the 1927 Society

The deadline for donations is August 14, 2020.

A Frequently Asked Questions section has been added to the Festival’s website at BristolRhythm2020.com to help ticket holders navigate the new donation incentives and refund policies. The 20th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion has been rescheduled for September 10-12, 2021 in Historic Downtown Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia.

December Events at BCM

November 27, 2018

Bristol, Tenn./Va. (November 27, 2018) – Christmas time in Historic Downtown Bristol is a truly magical experience. From the annual Christmas parade to the beautifully adorned shop windows all decked out for the season, there’s an abundance of hometown warmth and holiday cheer. While the kids are out of school, it’s the perfect opportunity to visit the Birthplace of Country Music Museum and take in For All The World To See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights, a nationally touring exhibition from NEH on the Road. For All The World To See examines the role that visual culture played in shaping and transforming the struggle for racial equality in America from the late 1940s to the mid-1970s through a compelling assortment of photographs, television clips, art posters, and historic artifacts. It also traces how images and media disseminated to the American public transformed the modern Civil Rights movement and jolted Americans, both black and white, out of a state of denial or complacency.

The content of For All the World to See addresses a wide range of issues and includes some images that may be too sensitive for very young children.

Visitors to For All The World To See will also encounter a supplementary display focused on local African American educational history, thanks to the City of Bristol, Tennessee, Bristol, Virginia Public Schools, the Slater School Alumni Association, and the Douglass School Alumni Association. Slater and Douglass Schools were built during the time of segregation as centers for educating African American youth in the region. Some children were bused in from as far away as Saltville and Glade Spring, Virginia to attend Douglass High School in Bristol. Photographs and artifacts from both schools are displayed alongside the special exhibit. Radio Bristol, the in-house radio station that broadcasts from the museum, will also feature 15-20 minute segments during itsOn the Sunny Side program, featuring stories and perspectives from members of our region’s African American community. The station broadcasts in the Bristol area on 100.1 FM, online atListenRadioBristol.org, and through the Radio Bristol mobile app. Finally, an event entitled Community Conversations About Race: A Moderated Panel Discussion will be held at the museum on December 4 at 6:30 p.m. as additional programming For All The World To See.

The Birthplace of Country Music Museum may seem like an unusual place to explore topics like civil rights, but the museum’s temporary exhibition gallery gives us the opportunity to usher in a variety of special exhibits to Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee that may not otherwise reach this region. This exhibition has been made possible through NEH on the Road, a special initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities. It has been adapted and is being toured by Mid-America Arts Alliance. For All the World to See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights was organized by The Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, in partnership with the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution.

The Birthplace of Country Music (BCM) also presents Richmond, Virginia’s Andrew Alli, accompanied by Josh Small, in concert on two separate nights and in two locations. On Friday, December 7, Alli will perform at the museum, and on Saturday, December 8, you’ll find him at The Inn at Wise in Wise, Virginia. Advance tickets to the show are $10; they will be on sale for $15 at the door. To reserve tickets visit the Events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.

Monthly Community Jams continue on Saturday, December 15, bringing musicians together for a good, old-fashioned jam session. Community Jams take place the third Saturday of each month in the Learning Center at the museum. These sessions are free and open to the public—all ages and experiences welcome!

Radio Bristol’s popular Farm and Fun Time Christmas Spectacular on December 20 featuring The Church Sisters, Carolina Blue, Sally & George, and house band Bill & the Belles may be sold out, but you don’t need to miss a note! The show will air in its entirety on Radio Bristol’s Facebook Live at 7:00 p.m. EST.

Discount Bristol Rhythm ’19 Weekend Passes on Sale Black Friday

November 2, 2018

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion 2019
Weekend Passes On Sale Black Friday

Annual Music Festival’s Deepest Discount of the Year

Bristol, Va.-Tenn. (November 2, 2018) – Every September in Historic Downtown Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia, a celebration of the twin cities’ music history fills the streets for a long weekend of great music. The event is Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, a music festival that honors the legendary 1927 Bristol Sessions and their lasting influence on the soundtrack of our lives.

Bristol Rhythm has hosted an astounding lineup of musicians from across genres over the years, including Old Crow Medicine Show, Emmylou Harris, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Dr. Ralph Stanley, The Indigo Girls, the Drive-By Truckers, and Buddy Guy. It’s the most anticipated music festival in the region for good reason, in addition to being located in the heart of the birthplace of country music.

Just in time for the holidays, early bird weekend passes to next year’s festival will go on sale on Black Friday, November 23, 2018 for $75, the lowest price you’ll see all year. The sale ends Monday, November 26 at midnight. Everyone is urged to take advantage of this discount and save! Deeply discounted weekend passes are available exclusively online at BristolRhythm.com and at The Museum Store inside the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, located at 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, Virginia.

Dates for the 19th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival are scheduled for September 20-22, 2019 in Historic Downtown Bristol, Virginia-Tennessee. Click here for ticket link.

Bristol Rhythm Earns International Awards

October 10, 2018

Bristol, Tenn./Va. (October 2, 2018) – On the heels of its 18th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion celebration, the Birthplace of Country Music (BCM) is proud to announce that the music festival has earned three awards from the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) for its 2017 event.

IFEA awards are revered as major achievements in the events industry, placing Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion in competition with events across the globe, including festivals in Ireland, Australia, South Korea, China, Canada, and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

The festival achieved Gold in the category of Best Event Video Promotion for its 2017 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Recap Video, produced by Loch & Key Productions of Knoxville, Tennessee.

Bristol Rhythm also earned IFEA Gold for Best Newspaper Insert/Supplement for its 17th annual printed Festival Guide; the pocket-sized magazine that is distributed by the Bristol Herald Courier and at the festival each year. The Festival Guide was produced in partnership with The High Road Agency of the Tri-Cities Tenn./Va.

Additionally, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion achieved Silver in the category of Best Emergency Preparedness & Risk Management Plan for an Event.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by the IFEA for our efforts in making Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion the best festival it can be for our attendees and for our community,” said Leah Ross, BCM Executive Director. BCM is the parent nonprofit organization of Bristol Rhythm, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, and Radio Bristol. “Our staff and volunteers work very hard each year to refine our procedures and book great music. Any accolades we receive is a reflection of their efforts and dedication.”

In 2016 Bristol Rhythm received the Bronze Grand Pinnacle for the overall festival, among the highest of honors from the IFEA.

Dates for the 19th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival are scheduled for September 20-22, 2019 in Historic Downtown Bristol, Virginia-Tennessee. Early bird weekend passes will go on sale Black Friday, November 23, 2018.

That’s a Wrap! Bristol Rhythm ’18

September 26, 2018

The Birthplace of Country Music’s Premier Music Festival
Looks Ahead to Next Year

As the final notes of Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion were played to tens of thousands of fans in Historic Downtown Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia, home of the legendary 1927 Bristol Sessions recordings, plans for next year’s festival were already under way. Though the final attendance numbers aren’t yet available, we can tell you that this year’s festival was a big success for the Birthplace of Country Music (BCM), parent organization of Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, and Radio Bristol.

“We are always sad to see Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion weekend come to a close,” said Leah Ross, BCM Executive Director. “What a weekend! We’ve taken notes on bands we’d like to invite back next year, and we’re looking at ways we can improve the fan experience and logistics. Our 18th annual festival was a great success with an amazing lineup of talent. We are so grateful to our great cities of Bristol, Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia for all their support. And we also want to thank our sponsors, our hundreds of volunteers, and our staff for their dedication. We couldn’t do it without them.”

Dates for the 19th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion have been set for September 20-22, 2019. Discounted weekend passes for the event will go on sale Black Friday, November 29, 2018.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion 2018

September 12, 2018

Celebrating 18 Years in the Birthplace of Country Music

Very soon, around 45,000 music lovers from all over the world will gather on State Street in Historic Downtown Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia for the 18th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival—a thrilling event that honors the twin cities’ unique history as the place where the legendary 1927 Bristol Sessions were recorded. The success of those recordings revolutionized the country music industry, an occurrence referred to by scholars as the “big bang” of country music. Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia is recognized by Congress as the “birthplace of country music” due to the impact of those influential sessions.

Old Crow Medicine Show, Railroad Earth, and the Taj Mahal Trio will headline an eclectic roster of talent that satisfies every musical palate. The SteelDrivers, Marcus King Band, Twin Peaks, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Asleep at the Wheel, Ruen Brothers, Dale Watson & His Lonestars, Old 97’s, The Waybacks, and Scott Miller & the Commonwealth are just a few acts on Bristol Rhythm’s mammoth roster—a lineup curated to honor the roots and far-reaching branches of the 1927 Bristol Sessions. Due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict, Barns Courtney has withdrawn from the lineup; The Felice Brothers will step in to fill that set.

“Our organization’s mission is at the core of everything we do, and that is to promote and celebrate Bristol’s vast music legacy,” said Leah Ross, Executive Director of the Birthplace of Country Music (BCM), the parent organization of Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, and Radio Bristol. “You’ll find the diverse lineup at Bristol Rhythm will reflect the history of our region’s music culture and just how much that music continues to influence the artists of today—on an international scale.”

Over the course of the 3-day weekend, Bristol Rhythm will host 140+ acts of live music on 20 stages scattered throughout downtown—some located outdoors, some tucked away inside local venues and restaurants. The music is nothing short of first-class, but its setting in Historic Downtown Bristol makes this festival truly special for visitors. Contained within a few short blocks and split in half by the state line along State Street, the quaint area is hopping with locally-owned craft breweries, boutiques, galleries, restaurants, shops, and landmarks that add a unique charm to this authentic music experience.

Bristol is also home to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. This world-class museum tells the story of the 1927 Bristol Sessions and its impact on the music of today through engaging film experiences and exhibits, interactive touchscreens, soundscapes, and much more. Everyone is encouraged to take in the full tour, including the new festival-themed special exhibit Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion: Through Your Eyes, a juried selection of photographs taken by festival goers. Festival wristband holders may tour the entire museum at the discounted rate of $10 during Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. The museum is located just outside festival gates; you do not need to purchase a festival wristband to tour the museum.

Radio Bristol will take its popular live variety show Farm and Fun Time to the Paramount Theatre Stage during Bristol Rhythm. Featuring Radio Bristol host Kris Truelsen and house band Bill and the Belles, this throwback to vintage radio is part music, part storytelling, and a whole lotta fun in-between! Special musical guests include Dale Watson & His Lonestars, Ruen Brothers, and a surprise act has just been announced—The War & Treaty. Only Bristol Rhythm wristband holders will be admitted to see Farm and Fun Time at the beautifully restored Paramount, but fans at home don’t have to miss the show. Farm and Fun Time will be aired in its entirety on Radio Bristol’s Facebook Live. Radio Bristol will also broadcast live from The Cameo Theater Stage all weekend long. If it isn’t convenient to watch the broadcasts on the station’s Facebook page, Radio Bristol is available internationally online at ListenRadioBristol.org and through their free mobile app.

BCM will host free screenings of the film Born in Bristol: The Untold Story of the Birth of Country Music during Bristol Rhythm. The docudrama explores the impact of the 1927 Bristol Sessions and its lasting influence through artist interviews and visual recreations. Many interviews seen in the feature were filmed during recording sessions for Orthophonic Joy: The 1927 Bristol Sessions CD project. Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Eric Church, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Marty Stuart, Sheryl Crow, and Doyle Lawson, among others, appear in the film. Born in Bristol will be shown each day of the festival in the Performance Theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. Festival wristbands are not required for this event and it is free and open to the public.

Bristol Rhythm added a second show to its Thursday night Kick-Off Concert with Cruz Contreras, the dynamic singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and front man for The Black Lillies. The 7:00 p.m. show is sold out, but you may still catch the artist that evening at 9:00 p.m. in the intimate Performance Theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. Click here to order tickets.

In addition to the stellar lineup of artists at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, you’ll find a number of activities and events you may participate in during the festival including the free Children’s Day event for families. Registration for the popular Bluegrass Jam Camp and 5K Road Race/Walk is under way.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion will be held September 21–23, 2018. Here is a list of other festival-related events with times and locations:

5K Road Race/Walk – Registration required
Saturday, September 22 | 8:00 a.m.
Race day registration | 6:30 a.m.-7:30 a.m.
Anderson Park

Bluegrass Jam Camp – Pre-registration required
September 18–21 (Tuesday Through Friday)
Tuesday | 2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.
Wednesday-Friday | 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Jubilee House Retreat Center
Abingdon, Virginia

Born in Bristol: The Untold Story of the Birth of Country Music – Free and open to the public
Film Screening – Run Time: 54 mins.
Friday, September 21 | 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 22 | 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 23 | 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m

Bristol Rhythm Kick-Off Concert ft. Cruz Contreras
Thursday, September 20
7:00 p.m. (Sold Out)
9:00 p.m. – Tickets $25
Birthplace of Country Music Museum.

Children’s Day – NEW LOCATION! Free and open to the public
Saturday, September 22 | 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Anderson Park

Guided Jams – Festival wristband required
September 22 & 23
Saturday 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Special Exhibits Gallery
Birthplace of Country Music Museum

Radio Bristol Presents: Farm and Fun Time – Festival wristband required
Saturday, September 22 | 8:30 p.m.
Paramount Stage

Yoga Rocks! – NEW LOCATION, must have festival wristband to participate
Saturday, September 22 | 11:00 a.m.
Cumberland Square Park

It takes around 800 volunteers to make Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion the award-winning event is has become, and the festival is actively recruiting volunteers. Each volunteer receives a single day pass to the festival for each 4-hour shift they work and a festival volunteer t-shirt. Volunteers are asked to fill out an online registration form here.

Attendees are encouraged to download the free Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion festival app prior to arrival to ensure proper download. With the app you will receive up-to-the-minute scheduling changes, announcements, have the ability to create your own custom schedule, and receive alerts so you don’t miss your favorite bands.

Weekend passes to Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion are currently $110 and will increase to $135 at the gate. Single day passes for Friday are $45, $60 for Saturday, and $40 for a Sunday pass. Children 12 and under are admitted to the festival for free. Festival wristbands will not be mailed this close to event. Purchasers may print out their ticket confirmation and exchange at the festival gate for a wristband. Click here to purchase.

Call for Entries for New Bristol Rhythm Exhibit

March 23, 2018

Birthplace of Country Music Calling on Community for Bristol Rhythm Photographs for New Special Exhibit

Juried Exhibit will be on display during Rhythm & Roots Reunion 2018

Bristol, VA-TN (Friday, March 23, 2018) – Later this year the Birthplace of Country Music Museum will host a new special exhibit Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Through Your Eyes, and it will feature photographs from Bristol Rhythm fans and festivalgoers. The juried exhibit will be created in-house by the museum’s curatorial team, based on photographs taken at any Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion from its beginnings in 2000 to the most recent festival in 2017.

“We are excited to be turning to the Bristol Rhythm community to help us in creating this very special exhibit,” says Birthplace of Country Music Museum Head Curator René Rodgers. “We have thought about doing a community-led exhibit for a while, and after discussion we thought there was no better way to do that than to tap into the viewpoints and enthusiasm of the people who attend the festival each year. We are hoping to get a wide variety of images that really reflect the atmosphere and energy of Bristol Rhythm.”

Photographs can include shots from all aspects of the festival from the performances on stage and buskers on the street to people enjoying the festival atmosphere to the variety of activities on offer such as Children’s Day or jam workshops. All images will be judged by professional photographers Neil Staples, Jay Phyfer, and Billie Wheeler, former Virginia Intermont professors and alumni, all of whom have worked at the festival and other BCM music events. Photographs will be judged and chosen on the basis of quality and content. The chosen images will then be included and credited in the special exhibit on a series of designed panels.

The exhibit is tentatively set to open in the Special Exhibits Gallery of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum on August 11, 2018 and be on display through October 21, 2018.

The museum has created specific guidelines for photograph submissions, and these can be found here or requested via email at info@BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org or phone at 423-573-1927. Anyone is eligible to enter, regardless of amateur or professional status, residence, or age; however, individuals under the age of 18 will be requested to provide written parental/guardian consent should their work be selected.

Entries to the juried photograph show open on March 22, 2018, and all entries must be submitted by 11:59 PM on April 19.

Bristol Rhythm ’18 Now Accepting Apps for Vendors

March 6, 2018

Become a Vendor at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is all about the music, but the award-winning event also prides itself on great food and craft vendors who compliment what we’ve already got going on in beautiful Historic Downtown Bristol, VA-TN. If you have something unique and truly special, we want to hear from you!

The deadline for entry is March 31, 2018. Click here to submit your application.

Thanksgiving Weekend Holiday Savings Events

November 22, 2017

Enjoy Special Savings This Weekend

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion

Pre-sale Weekend Passes to the 18th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival go on sale Friday, November 24, 2017 exclusively on this website and at The Museum Store at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum for a limited time!

Buy weekend wristbands between Friday, November 24 – Monday, November 26 for $65.

Price increases on Tuesday, November 27.

**NOTE: All online orders must be made by December 15, 2017 in order to guarantee delivery by Christmas.

Click Here to Buy Tickets

The Museum Store

Celebrate Black Friday, Small Small Business Saturday & Museum Store Sunday

Support local vendors, artists, restaurants, and more in Historic Downtown Bristol, Virginia-Tennessee, the birthplace of country music! Receive 20% off your entire purchase at The Museum Store (exclusions apply).

Discount available in store only.

Click Here to View Newspaper Insert

Cyber Monday

Shop The Museum Store online and get FREE shipping!

Click Here to Shop!

Dwight Yoakam, Judah & The Lion To Headline Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion 2017

May 9, 2017

Lineup Announced for 17th Annual Festival During “The Big Reveal”

The Birthplace of Country Music (BCM) announced the lineup for the 17th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival, slated for September 15—17, 2017, during a private media event tonight at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Historic Downtown Bristol. A crowd of nearly 100 people was assembled in the museum’s Performance Theater where the lights were dimmed and a projector screen illuminated the faces of the eager attendees. As the sound of music and video began, mouths dropped as, one by one, the top tier of festival acts was revealed during “The Big Reveal.” The room erupted into applause as the final artist’s name blazed across the screen: Dwight Yoakam.

“Dwight Yoakam is an artist we have wanted to bring to Bristol Rhythm for years,” said Leah Ross, Executive Director of the Birthplace of Country Music. “This is the year we were able to make that happen. Dwight has an amazing body of work as a musician and songwriter. His music has built bridges across a variety of genres, and that’s what Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is all about.”

Yoakam, the multi-Grammy Award-winning honky tonk hero, actor, and entrepreneur, stands at the head of the class for 2017’s festival, while Nashville’s Judah & The Lion, a band that has charted across folk, bluegrass, and pop charts, veeps the Bristol Rhythm roster of talent. The well-dressed master musicianship of Jerry Douglas Presents Earls of Leicester brings the bluegrass, and Son Volt’s thundering alt-country wears shades of grunge.

Several returning bands to Bristol Rhythm will please fans, including Deer Tick, the Rhode Island based alt-rock group with solid songwriting skills and folk-country tendencies, The Infamous Stringdusters whose name really speaks for itself, and other crowd-pleasing acts such as The SteelDrivers, Langhorne Slim, Mandolin Orange, and The Black Lillies.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion commemorates the legendary 1927 Bristol Sessions, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year; there will be more news to come on what BCM has in store to mark this important milestone for the recordings Johnny Cash touted as “the single most important event in the history of country music.”

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is heralded for its assembly of great headliners, established touring acts, up-and-coming artists, and some of the Appalachian region’s finest across a wide variety of genres. It is also noted for it’s unique downtown setting along State Street, where Virginia and Tennessee meet to form the twin cities of Bristol.

A mainstay of Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is the annual festival poster— a collector’s item and in-demand event souvenir. Knoxville graphic designer Justin Helton, owner of Status Serigraph, was contracted to design this year’s artwork. The individually hand-pressed poster is in Helton’s signature vintage style and is now available online and at The Museum Store at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.

Organized by BCM, also the parent nonprofit of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum and Radio Bristol, the festival hosts an estimated 40,000 attendees across 20 outdoor stages and indoor venues with more than 120 acts of live music over the course of the 3-day weekend.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion has also achieved a multitude of awards over the years including the most recent Bronze Grand Pinnacle from the International Festivals & Events Association. The festival also earned Top 20 Event/Best Festival from the Southeast Tourism Society and the Pinnacle for Special Events from the Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association for its economic impact; the festival brings a return of $16 million to the region.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is possible through the support of our sponsors and partners each year. A special thanks our tourism and community partners at the City of Bristol, Tennessee; City of Bristol, Virginia; Virginia Tourism Corporation; Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, Tennessee Arts Commission, Virginia Commission for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Bristol Convention & Visitors Bureau, and many more.

To view the entire 2017 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion artist lineup or to purchase weekend wristbands click here. Weekend wristbands, good for the entire festival, are currently $75.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion 2019 Weekend Passes On Sale Black Friday