Affiliate Profile

Birthplace of Country Music logo

Birthplace of Country Music

Bristol, Virginia
http://www.birthplaceofcountrymusic.org

In 1927, record producer Ralph Peer set up a portable recording studio in Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia, and in two weeks he recorded acts that included the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers.  These events became known as the 1927 Bristol Sessions and continue to influence musicians today.  The Birthplace of Country Music Museum tells the story of the 1927 Bristol Sessions and explores the musical roots and cultural heritage of country music.  As a Smithsonian Affiliate, it has hosted New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music, an exhibition created by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES).