Plus Rhythm & Racing 2020!
Bristol, Va./Tenn. (September 30, 2019) – As the crisp fall air descends upon State Street in Historic Downtown Bristol, Virginia-Tennessee, the site of the legendary 1927 Bristol Sessions recordings, fans and organizers of the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival pause to reflect on the success of its 19th annual celebration held last weekend.
“I think 2019 will be remembered as a very special year for Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion,” said Leah Ross, Executive Director of the Birthplace of Country Music (BCM), parent nonprofit organization of the festival, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, and WBCM Radio Bristol. “We were blessed to have some of the most amazing performances in our festival’s history, including Wynonna, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, and so many others. The weather was beautiful, and over one thousand people have already purchased tickets for our 20th anniversary next year. We are so grateful to our volunteers, festival sponsors, and our hard-working staff for everything they do to make Bristol Rhythm an event fans want to come back to year after year. We couldn’t do it without them.”
Tickets to the 20th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion were pre-sold for a limited time during the festival this year. They will go back on sale Black Friday with plans for next year’s festival already under way. The anticipated lineup announcement will be held earlier than usual, so stay tuned!
Meanwhile, BCM is working with Bristol Motor Speedway on next year’s Rhythm & Racing Super Ticket package that includes weekend passes to Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion and tickets to all three races at the track. A 10-day long series of events are planned across the Tri-Cities, including a special kick-off concert on September 10. The activities will continue through race weekend September 19, 2020. Rhythm & Racing Super Tickets are on sale now for $150 at RhythmAndRacing2020.com. Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion will be held one week earlier next year, September 11-13, with races at Bristol Motor Speedway the following weekend.
Visitors still have the opportunity to take in the special exhibit American Ballads: The Photographs of Marty Stuart on display at the museum now through January. Organized by the Frist Art Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, the exhibit showcases photographs by the Grammy Award-winning country music star that range from intimate behind-the-scenes depictions of legendary musicians, to images of eccentric characters from the back roads of America, to dignified portraits of members of the Lakota tribe in South Dakota.
Just like the trains that roll through downtown Bristol each day, activity at BCM doesn’t stop! A number of fine events are scheduled for the month of October, including a training session for anyone who wishes to volunteer at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. An affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the museum provides a number of opportunities for folks to work both behind the scenes and with the public. The museum volunteer training session will be held on Tuesday, October 8 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the museum. For more information, visit the events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org. There is no cost to attend the training session.
The 5th annual PUSH! Film Festival returns to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum on Saturday, October 12, spotlighting Tennessee and Virginia films that provoke thought and spur action. PUSH! showcases the best filmmakers of our region who offer a diverse range of short films, along with two curated feature films: Blaze, the story of country musician Blaze Foley, and cult classic Labyrinth. In addition to these screenings, PUSH! offers a hands-on workshop and an awards ceremony with reception. Film submissions are now closed, but passes may be purchased for $25 online at PushFilmFest.com. PUSH! Film Festival is organized by Believe in Bristol.
On Saturday, October 19 musicians of all ages and skill levels are invited to take part in a Community Jam session at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. Held every third Saturday of each month from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. EST, Community Jams offer musicians the opportunity to gather, pick, and collaborate in a creative environment with their peers. The October jam will be lead by Ella Patrick, a.k.a. Momma Molasses. The event is free.
On Thursday, October 24 listeners are encouraged to tune in to WBCM Radio Bristol for the Radio Bristol Book Club for a discussion about A Walk in the Woods by author Bill Bryson. Hosted by staff from the Bristol Public Library and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, the Radio Bristol Book Club celebrates the joy of being a bookworm every fourth Thursday of the month live and on air. Listeners may access Radio Bristol at 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, online at ListenRadioBristol.org, and through the station’s free mobile app.