News Category: Museum

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

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

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

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

About Donnamarie Emmert

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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