Bristol, Tenn./Va. (May 17, 2021) – The Birthplace of Country Music (BCM) is making up for lost time and ramping up the excitement for its annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival with a monthly outdoor concert series starting in June.
The Road to Bristol Rhythm Concert Series, sponsored by Virginia is for Lovers, will offer our community and visitors a taste of what they’ve been missing during the pandemic, with elements of the September festival’s best features – great live music by premier talent set in a glorious location in Historic Downtown Bristol.
“Bristol is the birthplace of country music, but one important element has been missing – live music in the streets of Downtown,” said BCM Executive Director Leah Ross. “We’ve partnered with Virginia is for Lovers and The Sessions Hotel to bring it back this summer!”
The Road to Bristol Rhythm lineup includes performances by Morgan Wade, Jim Lauderdale, and Amythyst Kiah, all scheduled to appear at the festival in September. Dates are as follows:
Saturday, June 19: Morgan Wade
Saturday, July 17: Jim Lauderdale
Saturday, August 7: Amythyst Kiah
Each concert will take place on the grassy lawn outside The Sessions Hotel on State Street in Historic Downtown Bristol starting at 7:00 p.m. EDT.
Morgan Wade is among our region’s ascending singer-songwriters, one who is fast emerging on a national level. The Floyd, Virginia native’s latest release Reckless is a country-rock truth-teller, bleeding with longing, intimacy and achingly conveyed in Wade’s evocative vocals. The recording is receiving rave reviews from the likes of Rolling Stone and American Songwriter, among others.
The Grammy Award-winning Jim Lauderdale is the undisputed rhinestone-studded King of Americana, having worked with just about everybody who’s anybody in Nashville over the course of his distinguished, decades-long career. His songs have sold millions of records for the likes of George Strait, Patty Loveless, Lee Ann Womack, Blake Shelton, and Vince Gill, among others, and artists from Willie Nelson to John Oates line up to collaborate with the iconic songwriter. Jim is also a big fan and supporter of Bristol and its music heritage, and often takes time to promote the efforts of the Birthplace of Country Music.
Though Amythyst Kiah is a Chattanooga native, Johnson City and Bristol have long claimed her as their own since she moved here as a teen to attend East Tennessee State University. During her time there, she was deeply influenced by her studies at the institution’s Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music program, and developed a deep reverence and love for old-time and roots music. Amythyst also interned at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, aiding in research efforts prior to opening. Since then she has taken her Southern gothic sound to the world stage, having toured internationally and been honored with a Grammy nomination for her song “Black Myself.” With a recent guest spot on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and a new album, Wary + Strange, due out this summer, there is little doubt that her upward trajectory is well-deserved and isn’t likely to slow down any time soon.
The Road to Bristol Concert Series is sponsored by Virginia is for Lovers. Tickets to the Road to Bristol Concert Series are $25 per ticket per show and on sale now. To purchase, visit the Events pages at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.
Weekend passes to the 20th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival are on sale now for $115 plus tax and fees, with a simple payment plan that gives guests the option of purchasing in monthly installments. For more information visit BristolRhythm.com.