Where is the birthplace of country music located? That really depends on where you’re standing in the lively town of Bristol. In the downtown area, “Main Street” is referred to as State Street, and a marker located in the center of the road signifies the division between two states.
On one side of the road, you’ll find yourself standing in Tennessee. On the other side, Virginia. Known as the city where “Tennessee meets Virginia,” its geographical location offers a certain amount of whimsy to travelers, but its history involving the early rumblings of country music is even more impressive.
A Visionary in Music
That year, Victor Talking Machine Co. music executive Ralph Peer packed up his car and headed to Bristol. According to Mark Zwonitzer, a biographer for country music group the Carter Family, he loved traveling to cities and towns across the South to discover “the people’s music.” In addition to having an ear for music, Peer was a bit of a marketing guru, and he decided to place newspaper advertisements in Bristol and surrounding areas.
He let readers know that for 10 days, he was in town with revolutionary recording equipment and they had access to it. The ad acted as an open call for any musician who’d like to come by his studio to record music.
In another bout of creativity and ingenuity, when Peer arrived in town, he turned an old, abandoned hat factory into a makeshift studio. Starry-eyed musicians quickly lined up outside of the factory, hopeful that their opportunity with Victor would be their chance to go professional.
The Bristol Recording Sessions
In less than two weeks, between July 25 and Aug. 5, 1927, Peer recorded 76 compositions featuring 19 different groups and performers. Now known as the famous “Bristol Sessions,” these first professional recordings of early country music included musicians who would go on to become some of the genre’s most treasured figures. During these pivotal recording sessions, he discovered Jimmie Rodgers, who eventually became Victor’s best-selling artist, and Maybelle Carter and the Carter Family, which became one of country music’s historically significant groups.
Later, country music icon Johnny Cash would call the Bristol Sessions “the most important event in the history of country music.”
The sessions acted as a catalyst not only for the performers, but also for the budding country music genre itself. With Peer’s use of recording technology paired with his marketing prowess, many listeners across the nation were able to hear country music for the first time. The young genre featured all-acoustic setups, with Americana, gospel, and bluegrass stylings often blending together. Many times, vocals, harmonies, and rhythm guitar were the main focus. While the art of fiddling is generally regarded as a complementary sound in country music production today, recordings from the 1920s often featured the violin as the only instrument.
This rich history is preserved in Bristol at The Birthplace of Country Music Museum. At the museum, which is associated with the Smithsonian Institution, visitors can immerse themselves in the historic recordings of 1927 and get to know country music’s first performers. From vintage instruments and early recording equipment to historic concert posters and multimedia exhibits, the museum’s collections beautifully detail the momentous effects the Bristol Sessions had on the music industry as a whole.
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum also hosts a yearly music festival and heads up Radio Bristol, an independent radio station that focuses on country music’s historic recordings and contemporary country music with a traditional focus. The museum’s dedication to country music history permeates throughout the town, creating an inviting environment for music lovers everywhere to come and learn about an inspiring part of America’s past.
