News Category: Museum

Bristol, VA/TN (September 8, 2014) – Bristol, Tennessee native Leigh Ann Agee followed her “moon bound” dreams of living her life as a visual artist. Those dreams landed Agee in Nashville where she made a name for herself as an in-demand muralist, taking on a number of large-scale projects that include creating storybook themes for a children’s ward at a hospital, depicting Noah’s ark for a wing of a church, and composing lush nurseries for country music stars.

On Sunday, September 21, 2014, at 2:00 p.m., Agee returns to her Bristol roots to launch her children’s book, Moon Bound Girl: Melody’s Music, at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum as part of Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion’s annual music festival (September 19-21). Seating is limited.

The illustrations in Moon Bound Girl: Melody’s Music are an extension of her Moon Bound series featuring lively, red-booted girly-girls with windblown locks that ascend to the heavens. Each illustration portrays Moon Bound Girls living their star-studded—and often-musical—dreams.

“I’m so proud of Bristol and how it’s grown in leaps and bounds,” says Agee. “The museum is amazing and I’m completely honored to be launching my dream, Moon Bound Girl: Melody’s Music, in my gorgeous hometown! And how perfect is the timing? I mean, what a perfect opportunity to get to do it at Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion. I’m a very blessed Moon Bound Girl!”

“Birthplace of Country Music is thrilled that Leigh Ann chose to launch Melody’s Music during Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion,” stated BCM executive director Leah Ross. “We are huge fans of her work and are elated to offer Moon Bound Girl original artwork and prints in the museum store.”

The Sunday book launch for Moon Bound Girl: Melody’s Music will include a book reading by Agee inside the Birthplace of Country Music Museum’s Performance Theater, followed by a reception with children’s activities in the Blue Stocking Club Learning Center. Light refreshments will be served. Books will be sold at the museum store that day. There is no entry fee, but seating is limited and visitors will need a festival wristband to enter.

Guests are encouraged to RSVP in order to guarantee seating. Email your RSVP to Tracey Childress at tchildress@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org. Visitors who wish to tour the museum before or after the book launch should purchase tickets at the museum store at regular pricing. 

Moon Bound Girl will also have a booth at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion all weekend on the 600 block of State Street.

Two films featured in the Birthplace of Country Music Museum achieved honors during the Television, Internet and Video Association of DC (TIVA-DC) Peer Awards at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on November 8.

Bound to Bristol won the Peer Gold Award for a Documentary (Under 30 Minutes). The film — narrated by John Carter Cash (son of June Carter Cash and Johnny Cash and grandson of Maybelle Carter) — explores the making of the 1927 Bristol Sessions. Bound to Bristol is the first film experience visitors encounter in the Birthplace of Country Music Museum’s Orientation Theater before they continue their tour of the facility.

The oral history film, I Was There, secured the Peer Silver Award for Motion Graphics 2D/3D Animation at TIVA-DC. I Was There is an oral history film featuring firsthand accounts from people who took part in the 1927 Bristol Sessions recordings. Located among the museum’s core exhibits as an interactive display, the film allows visitors to hear more about the Bristol Sessions through interviews with Ralph Peer, Maybelle Carter, Ernest “Pop” Stoneman, Clarice Shelor, and Georgia Warren.

Bound to Bristol and I Was There were produced by multi-media firm Hillmann & Carr Incorporated, located in Washington, DC.

TIVA-DC is a non-profit organization formed to serve the needs of the growing Washington/Baltimore media production community.

Bristol is known as the place where the “Big Bang” of country music went down, so it makes sense that The Museum Store at Birthplace of Country Music Museum would offer authentic gifts that celebrate the cities’ deep music roots. From handcrafted items made by local artisans to music-themed jewelry, The Museum Store offers a unique shopping experience this holiday season.   The only problem, you’ll want to keep everything for yourself!

1. Music City Suds
The country music themed body products and candle line with names like Clove Miner’s Daughter, A Bar Named Sue, and I Walk the Lime are handmade from natural ingredients. Bars of soap are packaged in reclaimed sheet music.

2. Recycled Vinyl Jewelry, Coasters and Note Pads by Vinylux
Looking for a gift you can’t find anywhere else? The Museum Store features cuff bracelets to coasters made from old country music LPs. Yes, vinyl’s making a comeback; however, this time it doesn’t require a turntable.

3. Birthplace of Country Music Gift Baskets
The Museum Store offers gift baskets full of unique Bristol merchandise and items from regional artisans.  From cool Bristol t-shirts to themed mugs, colorful scarfs, and jewelry made from guitar strings, gift baskets from The Museum Store come ready-made or can be customized.

4. Cowboy Boot Breath Mints by Amusemints
Looking for great stocking stuffers?  Amusemints are packaged in colorful, cowboy boot tins. Perfect for a unique gift that serves a useful purpose with style.

5. Moon Bound Girl
The Museum Store features Bristol-born artist and muralist Leigh Ann Agee’s Moon Bound Girl series. Agee’s original paintings, posters, and note cards bring new meaning to the phrase, “the higher the hair, the closer to heaven.” Also, her children’s book, Melody’s Music, is the perfect gift for tween girls who have big dreams, as it captures an inspiring story of girl power.

6. Hardwood Toys and Games
Looking for a special gift for a child? Artisan Larry Ball’s hardwood games, toy trains, cars, and farm animals are classic and durable. The best part is that the toys are made in Abingdon, Virginia.  These fun toys can be beautifully displayed under the tree without wrapping paper.

7. Artisan Quilts
The Museum Store features quilts from regional artisans, including those from Meadowview, Virginia’s Audra Rasnake.  Rasnake is an award-winning artisan whom hand stitches each quilt with an amazing 16 to 18 stitches per inch, exceeding what is considered “museum quality.”

8. Bristol Post Cards
Over the years post cards have become a chic collectible from destinations all over the world. Photographer Briana Morris is a Bristol native whose line of Bristol themed post cards are totally frame worthy.  The Museum Store also offers additional postcards that capture Bristol authentic downtown and unique elements of The Museum.

9. Birthplace of Country Music Gift Cards
Too many options? Get a gift card to The Museum Store.  Put any dollar amount on the card, as it can be used on anything in The Museum Store, including tickets and Birthplace of Country Music Museum memberships.

10.  Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Weekend Passes
Now is the best time to buy Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Weekend Passes.  Thru December 31, wristbands are on sale for only $50 (plus Bristol, VA admission tax) per ticket.  Also, wristbands will be packaged in a limited edition holiday gift box, no gift wrapping required!

The Museum Store at the Birthplace of Country Music is open Tuesday – Sunday in downtown Bristol.  

The official 2015 Virginia Travel Guide and Tennessee Vacation Guide have launched, both highlighting Bristol on their covers.

Birthplace of Country Music Museum was chosen as one of three covers the state of Virginia is issuing this year.

The Tennessee Vacation Guide pictures stars of the hit ABC TV show Nashville and Bristol, the Birthplace of Country Music, gets a shout-out alongside the photo of Deacon, Luke and Will rockin’ at the Ryman.

In keeping with Tennessee as the “Global Music Destination of Choice,” this year’s cover design highlights some of the most important and iconic music attractions across the state. More than 550,000 guides are printed annually, as well as an eGuide and TNVG app.

To request a free 2015 Tennessee Vacation Guide or view online, visit www.tnvacation.com. To request a free 2015 Virginia Travel Guide or view online, visit www.virginia.org.

The Birthplace of Country Music Museum (BCMM) further explores America’s roots music through New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music. Originally a traveling exhibit of the Smithsonian Institution, New Harmonies will be on view beginning March 8, 2015 and continuing through September 30, 2015.

Music is all around us—at a local festival, a dance hall on a Saturday night, or on your radio or .mp3 player. Whether you’re hearing blues, country, folk, or gospel, American roots music reveals the American story. As Americans from a variety of backgrounds and shared cultural influences, musicians found new ways to play unique sounds learned from new neighbors or traditional instruments. The inevitable intermingling of musical influences created exciting new sounds.

Through a series of photographs, recordings, instruments, lyrics and artist profiles, New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music will explore the distinct cultural identities of American roots music forms. The exhibition will examine the progression of American roots music, as rich and eclectic as our country itself. Other musical genres profiled include zydeco, tejano, bluegrass and klezmer.

Bristol, VA/Tenn. (March 25, 2015) – Birthplace of Country Music Museum (BCMM) has earned a number of awards from the Tennessee Association of Museums (TAM) and the Tri-Cities Branch of the Associated General Contractors of Tennessee (TCAGC), affirming the high quality of the museum’s structure and the exhibits contained therein.

BCMM earned five awards at TAM’s annual conference held in Jackson, Tennessee. The museum earned three Awards of Excellence, an Award of Commendation, and the inaugural Past President’s Award.

The “Award of Excellence, Permanent Exhibit,” encompasses all the permanent exhibits in the museum as a whole. The “Award of Excellence, Temporary Exhibit” was given for The Carter Family: Lives and Legacies, a special exhibit guest-curated by members of country music’s “First Family” including John Carter Cash, Carlene Carter, and Dale Jett. This temporary exhibit closed in February of this year.

The museum’s Mixing Station, an interactive permanent exhibit that allows the user to mix their own versions of 1927 Bristol Sessions songs, earned TAM’s “Award of Excellence, AV.” The museum’s Chapel Film achieved the “Award of Commendation” for its emphasis on community participation in the making of the film.

BCMM was one of three museums to earn TAM’s “Past President’s Award,” a category that was added this year.

“We are extremely pleased with all our awards from TAM, but especially the Past President’s Award,” said Birthplace of Country Music Museum Director and Head Curator Dr. Jessica Turner. “Being recognized for excellence by colleagues and leaders in our field is a wonderful affirmation and reiterates the quality that this museum brings to our community.”

Museum builders BurWil Construction Company earned the 2014 “Project of the Year Award” at the Tri-Cities Branch of the Associated General Contractors of Tennessee’s annual awards dinner, held in Johnson City.

“We are so pleased that the Birthplace of Country Music Museum won the Association of General Contractors Project of the Year for the Tri-Cities,” said Bill Prince, BurWil project manager for BCMM. “The museum will be enjoyed for generations to come and BurWil is proud that we could be part of making this dream become reality!”

Peyton Boyd, the architect on the project, was awarded 2014 “Architect of the Project of the Year Award.”

“We are honored to receive this recognition,” said Boyd. “It is expecially meaningful because it comes from the AGC and acknowledges the importance of a great working relationship between architect and contractor in achieving a successful building project.”

Bristol, VA/TN (April 8, 2015) – The Birthplace of Country Music (BCM) is proud to announce the organization has achieved “Best of Show,” Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association’s (NETTA) highest honor, for the Grand Opening of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum (BCMM). BCM, parent organization of BCMM and the annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival, also took home three (3) Pinnacle Awards and a Merit Award at NETTA’s annual awards luncheon held at the Foundation Events Facility in Historic Downtown Bristol on Thursday. This is the second “Best of Show” honor for BCM, having won last year for Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion.

Congratulations are also in order to Margaret Feierabend, recipient of NETTA’s “Volunteer of the Year” award. In addition to her tireless contributions to numerous local organizations and causes, the Bristol, Tennessee city councilwoman and former Mayor serves on the Festival Committee for Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion.

“The Grand Opening of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum was a great community achievement,” said BCM Executive Director Leah Ross. “After nearly two decades of fundraising and planning, we were able to open the doors to a beautiful, world-class facility. The Bristol Convention and Visitors Bureau, Believe in Bristol, Virginia Tourism Corporation, and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development rallied their support to help make our Grand Opening ceremonies a great success.  We share this honor with them and our great cities. Bristol’s track record of partnerships and cooperation have proven once again what can be achieved by working together toward a common goal.”

In addition to “Best of Show,” BCM achieved the following:

•Pinnacle Award, Special Events: Grand Opening of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, August 2014

•Pinnacle Award, Special Project: “The Carter Family Lives & Legacies” Special Exhibit at BCMM

•Pinnacle Award, Advertising & Promotion: The Birthplace of Country Music

•2015 Merit Award, Public Relations: Media Day, Grand Opening of Birthplace of Country Music Museum

Since the Grand Opening, the museum has hosted visitors from 49 states and 19 foreign countries including travelers from as far away as Japan, Switzerland, Scotland, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Motorcoach and destination travel groups tour the museum on a consistent basis and BCMM has been covered by a number of international news organizations and publications including National Geographic Traveler, NPR, Billboard, Music Row Magazine, and Reuters.com.

May is Preservation Month and the Bristol, Virginia Historic District Preservation Award Committee will be hosting a ceremony and award presentation for this year’s preservation award winners on Thursday, May 28 at 1:00 p.m. in the Performance Theater of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. The mission of the the committee is to encourage excellence in preservation and thereby decrease blight in the city by recognizing and honoring property owners and developers who engage in high-quality preservation projects within the city’s five historic districts. The five historic districts are Euclid Avenue, Solar Hill, Bristol Downtown Commercial, Bristol Warehouse, and Virginia Hill, and nominations were received in three of the five districts. The award will be presented annually in May, and homes and buildings are nominated by members of the public. The public is invited to attend the May 28th awards ceremony; refreshments will be served afterwards. For additional information, contact Catherin Brillhart, Mayor of Bristol, Virginia, and chair of the Historic District Preservation Award Committee, at catherine.brillhart@bristolva.org or (276) 466-9541.