Bristol, Va.-Tenn. (May 25, 2022) – Musical jam sessions are making a big comeback at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Historic Downtown Bristol, Virginia-Tennessee this spring; the Museum has partnered with the East Tennessee Bluegrass Association (ETBA) for a monthly Bluegrass Jam, every fourth Saturday, beginning May 28 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. EDT. Monthly jams are the perfect opportunity for local artists to gather and pick, collaborate, and share their talents.
“We are very excited about this new partnership with the Birthplace of Country Music Museum,” said musician Evie Andrus, president and co-founder of ETNBA. “We look forward to fostering a community and furnishing new players!”
ETBA’s monthly Bluegrass Jams are specifically acoustic and only feature traditional bluegrass instruments: acoustic guitar, upright bass, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and dobro.
“We are so pleased to begin offering monthly jam sessions at the museum again,” said Museum Head Curator Dr. Rene Rodgers. “Jams are a wonderful opportunity for local and regional musicians to celebrate music together, build their skills on their chosen instruments, gain experience in group playing, and best of all, have fun!”
The Museum is also hosting its own monthly general Community Jam the second Saturday of each month from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. EDT; the next general Community Jam will be on June 11. These general Community Jams embrace other types of music, from old-time and country to blues and Americana.
Musicians of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to take part in monthly jams at the Museum and there is no cost to participate. Musicians are asked to bring their own instruments and gather in the Learning Center for each monthly jam session.
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum is a participating member of Museums for All, supporting those receiving food assistance (SNAP) benefits for a minimal fee of $3 per person for up to four people. Museums for All is a signature access program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), administered by the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM), to encourage people of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum going habits.
For more information about these events and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, visit the Events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.