BRISTOL, Tenn.-Va. (April 25, 2025) – You’re invited to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum for a unique and historic Listening Party that brings a wonderfully restored, live recording of The Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys vividly to life. This free event will be held at 6:30 p.m. ET, May 1 in the museum’s performance theater.
Captured during a broadcast of WCYB Radio’s classic Farm and Fun Time program sometime in the 1940s-1950s, this extraordinary audio was recovered from a fragile and damaged transcription disc donated in 2017 by Glen Harlow, owner of Bristol-based station WZAP-AM. Containing performances that haven’t been heard in over 60 years, the disc was in extremely poor condition – unplayable and at risk of being lost forever.
During the Listening Party, participants will hear selected tracks from the disc and see the original transcription disc on display. You’ll learn more about its discovery and meticulous preservation from the museum’s curatorial team and gain valuable insight into the legacy of Farm and Fun Time from Radio Bristol Program Director Kris Truelsen, who helped to revive the show for newer audiences.
Thanks to support from the Virginia Association of Museum’s Top 10 Most Endangered Artifacts initiative, along with technical expertise from the Northeast Document Conservation Center, the museum was able to restore several tracks over the course of a year-long digital preservation process. This labor of love has resurrected a vital piece of music history, offering a rare and powerful glimpse into the early careers of The Stanley Brothers.
Though admission is free, space is limited. Those interested in attending are encouraged to RSVP via the Events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org to reserve a spot.