UPCOMING EVENTS
Friday, June 6, 2025, 10:30am EST @ Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia
Museum Storytime - Women Musicians & Songwriters
Date: Friday, June 6, 2025 (Monthly on first Fridays)
Time: 10:30 a.m. ET
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum Learning Center
Cost: Free and open to the public
Theme: Women Musicians & Songwriters
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Join us in the museum’s Learning Center for our monthly Museum Storytime program. Aimed at toddler-age children and their grown-ups, we gather on the first Friday of each month for a music- or Appalachia-related storybook, a tune or two by WBCM Radio Bristol show host Ella Patrick, and a related activity or coloring sheet. The craft for June's Storytime program will be Swiftie-style friendship bracelets.
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Books that will be featured at June Museum Storytime include:
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Little Rosetta and the Talking Guitar by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow
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Little People, Big Dreams: Ella Fitzgerald by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara (Author), Bàrbara Alca (Illustrator)
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Little People, Big Dreams: Taylor Swift by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara (Author), Borghild Fallberg (Illustrator)
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Saturday, June 14, 2025, 7pm EST @ Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia
Community Square Dance
Date: Saturday, June 14, 2025
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Bristol Ballet (330 Buford St, Bristol, VA 24201)
(Please park at the back of the building and go in the entrance framed by columns)
Cost: Free but any donations at the door will support the museum and Bristol Ballet.
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Come do-si-do and promenade with us!
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Join the Birthplace of Country Music Museum and Bristol Ballet for a community square dance on Saturday, June 14. Caller Tyler Hughes will lead a square dance with a lively string band with John Bills.
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This event is open to all ages and no experience or partner is required; we recommend sturdy shoes so you can dance all night! Space is limited so sign up to participate soon!
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Friday, June 20, 2025 @ Hands On! Discovery Center, Gray, Tennessee
Bourbon, Bones, and the Big Bang
Go back in time and dive through the cosmos while trying the different mixtures bourbon has to offer! This event will include delicious food, refreshing bourbon concoctions, and activities to keep you captivated until the end!
Come enjoy this fun cocktail party while supporting Hands On! and exploring all of the exciting finds of Gray Fossil Site!
July 21-25, 2025 @ Create Appalachia, Kingsport, Tennessee
Digital Summer Camps: Week 2: Level Design and Game Development in Unreal Engine
Week 2, July 21-25
Level Design and Game Development in Unreal Engine
Create Appalachia Computer Lab, 225 W Center Street, Kingsport, TN 37660
Instructor: Jane Anderson
Ages 13-18
With 3D art and game development becoming more accessible than ever, interest in these fields is growing – especially within our Tri-Cities community. This course introduces students to the exciting world of digital media using free, professional-grade tools like Blender and Unreal Engine. Throughout the week, students will learn the fundamentals of 3D modeling, game development, level design, and basic gameplay scripting. By the end of the course, they will apply these skills to bring their own original project to life, limited only by their imagination.
Registration Link: https://www.createappalachia.org/event/summer-camp-level-design-game-development-in-unreal-engine/
Saturday, November 1, 2025, 6pm @ Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia
1927 Society Concert Series: Jontavious Willis
1927 Society Presents
Jontavious Willis
Tickets on Sale Now
The Birthplace of Country Music proudly presents the intimate
1927 Concert Series experience with cocktails
and catering on Saturday, November 1,
starting at 6 p.m. with Jontavious Willis!
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About Jontavious Willis
Jontavious Willis is resolved in his mission: to reinvigorate today’s Blues with the spirit of the past. Inspired by a time when the Blues were plentiful and rhythm reigned supreme, Jontavious leverages his unique sound—a synthesis of his Georgia heritage and reverence for traditional Blues—to get the world dancing again. A Grammy-nominated musician and songwriter, Jontavious performs original, toe-tapping tunes in the style of Delta, Piedmont, Texas, and Gospel Blues. Dynamic vocals, technical prowess, and an abundance of Southern charm keep Jontavious sending jolts of vitality through the Blues community.
Jontavious was born and raised in rural Georgia, an environment with deep cultural roots that provides the inspiration he has continuously drawn upon to create his unique sound. He spent much of his childhood singing Gospel music at the Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church with his grandfather, which provided him his first setting to perform for an audience. An early phenom, his passion for the Blues was sparked at age 14 when he came across a YouTube video of Muddy Waters playing “Hoochie Coochie Man.” He achieved widespread acclaim when living legend Taj Mahal invited Jontavious to accompany him onstage in 2015, with Taj describing him as his “Wonderboy.” Jontavious was invited to open for Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ during their joint TajMo tour in 2018, giving him an opportunity to present his work on a national stage.
Blue Metamorphosis, his acoustic debut album released in 2016, garnered rave reviews in Living Blues and Blues & Rhythm and won the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge 2018 Award for Best Self-Produced CD. His Grammy-nominated sophomore album, Spectacular Class, sees Jontavious survey an array of Blues styles with lively ensemble performances.
His upcoming album, signed with Strolling Bones Records, is a testament to his love for songwriting. With solo tracks as well as duo, trio, and full band works, he articulates a totally original take on traditional Blues.
Jontavious features prominently in shows and festivals across the world, sharing his unique blend of time-honored yet modern, intellectual yet danceable Blues with all.
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About the 1927 Concert Series
The 1927 Concert Series is an intimate concert experience set in the “acoustically perfect” Performance Theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. It’s more than a night of music, it’s a very personal event with some of the most renowned roots music artists performing today. Guests are asked to arrive promptly at 6 p.m. to enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and an open bar (ages 21+ with valid ID) before the show begins. Food and drinks are included in the ticket price.
Members of the Birthplace of Country Music’s 1927 Society are given access to exclusive ticket pre-sales to the 1927 Concert Series and other events before they go on sale to the public. Learn more about the many benefits of 1927 Society membership or email Lillie Snuggs, our Director of Development at lsnuggs@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.
Saturday, June 7, 2025, 1-3pm EST @ Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia
Music and Art Workshop for Kids
Date: Saturday, June 7, 2025
Time: 1–3 p.m. ET
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum Learning Center
Cost: $20 + tax (includes art supplies)
Class Size: Limited to 16 participants
Join Ellen Elmes for an Art & Music workshop on Saturday, June 7, 1–3 p.m. for youth artists or artists-to-be! With this program, kids will get the chance to enjoy their creative side through hands-on art exercises and live music. Ellen will guide participants in the artistic process using a variety of materials to discover the shapes and colors of music – singer-songwriter Ella Patrick will play a tune or two while the art is being made. The cost of this program includes the necessary art supplies.
This event is complementary programming to the Ellen Elmes: The Art of Music & Mountains exhibit on display at the museum through September 30. Special thanks to the United Company Foundation for their support of programming related to this exhibit.
June 16-20, 2025 @ Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia
Pick Along Summer Camp: Beginner Level
Pick Along Summer Camp - Beginner (Recommended ages 8-14)
Dates: Monday, June 16 - Friday, June 20, 2025
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Times: Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: **$200 for current annual Birthplace of Country Music Museum members
$250 non-members
$25 optional instrument rental
*** Discounts are available for families with multiple campers. Scholarships may be available upon request.
At Pick Along Summer Camp, students receive instruction on the same style of acoustic instruments played on the 1927 Bristol Sessions recordings – banjo, guitar, and fiddle. Campers also learn Appalachian music history, receive instruction in folk singing and dancing, and work on activities with the museum’s in-house radio station, WBCM Radio Bristol. Campers get the chance to hone their skills as a budding musician while busking in Historic Downtown Bristol, and at the end of camp week, students give a final performance for family or caregivers in the museum’s Performance Theater.
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June 23-27, 2025 @ Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia
Pick Along Summer Camp: Intermediate Level
Pick Along Summer Camp - Intermediate (Recommended ages 10-16)
Dates: Monday, June 23 - Friday, June 27, 2025
Times: Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Cost: **$200 for current annual Birthplace of Country Music Museum members
$250 non-members
$25 optional instrument rental
*** Discounts are available for families with multiple campers. Scholarships may be available upon request.
At Pick Along Summer Camp, students receive instruction on the same style of acoustic instruments played on the 1927 Bristol Sessions recordings – banjo, guitar, and fiddle. Campers also learn Appalachian music history, receive instruction in folk singing and dancing, and work on activities with the museum’s in-house radio station, WBCM Radio Bristol. Campers get the chance to hone their skills as a budding musician while busking in Historic Downtown Bristol, and at the end of camp week, students give a final performance for family or caregivers in the museum’s Performance Theater.
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Wednesday, July 23, 2025, 7pm EST @ Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia
Radio Bristol's Farm and Fun Time: Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes
ON SALE NOW: Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes, A. Lee Edwards, plus host Kris Truelsen and the House Band take the Farm and Fun Time stage at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum on Wednesday, July 23.
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When a stage four lymphoma diagnosis forced him off the road and into the hospital, Chuck Prophet didn’t know if he’d live long enough to see the end of the year, let alone get back on tour.
“I was going through a tunnel,” he recalls. “It was dark. But I had music: music to play, music to listen to, music to get me out of my head. Music was my savior.”
That much is plain to hear on Wake The Dead, Prophet’s extraordinary new album. Recorded with band of brothers ¿Qiensave?, the collection explores the world of Cumbia music, which consumed and comforted Prophet during his illness and subsequent recovery. The songs are intoxicatingly rhythmic, all but demanding you move your body, with arrangements that blur the lines between tradition and innovation. There are flashes of rock and roll, punk, surf, and soul, all filtered through the streets of San Francisco and wrapped up in the rich legacy of a genre that traces its roots back to the jungles of South America.
Captured live in the studio, Wake The Dead resumes Prophet’s streak of more than a dozen critically acclaimed solo albums stretching all the way back to 1990, when the California native first shifted focus from pioneering neo-psych band Green on Red to working under his own name. Since then, Prophet—who’s now in full remission—has earned raves everywhere from Rolling Stone to NPR, landed songs in a slew of films and television shows, and seen his work covered by Bruce Springsteen, Solomon Burke, and Heart, among others.
Farm and Fun Time is recorded for broadcast and syndicated on PBS television stations nationally.
Tuesday, June 10, 2025, 7pm EST via Zoom
Dr. Charles L. Hughes on Country, blues, and their connections
You're invited to explore the complex relationship between country music and the blues with historian and author Dr. Charles L. Hughes as part of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum's Speaker Sessions series. The event will be held virtually only, via Zoom at 7 p.m. ET, June 10. Monthly Speaker Sessions are free and open to the public.
"The entwined histories of country and blues reveal not only a profound musical kinship, but also a window into the social, cultural, and racial dynamics that have shaped the United States," said Museum Director Dr. Rene Rodgers. "This session offers an engaging exploration of that enduring relationship."
Dr. Hughes is a Professor of History and Urban Studies at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn., whose book "Country Soul: Making Music and Race in the American South" was critically acclaimed for its groundbreaking exploration of how race, music, and industry intersected in southern recording studios in the 1960s and 1970s. Drawing on extensive research and interviews, Hughes challenged conventional narratives by revealing the complex collaborations between Black and white musicians in shaping country, soul, and rock music.
For more information on the Speaker Session and to pre-register for the Zoom link, please visit the Events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org. The video will post later to the website.
Thursday, June 19, 2025, 7pm EST @ Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia
Radio Bristol's Farm and Fun Time 10th Anniversary Celebration: The War and Treaty & Madeline Edwards
Get ready for an unforgettable evening as Radio Bristol celebrates its 10th anniversary in style, bringing together the inspirational sounds of The War & Treaty - Americana's beloved powerhouse husband-and-wife duo - for a special Farm and Fun Time filled with joy, positivity, and musical magic. Join the celebration at 7 p.m. ET, June 19 - the Juneteenth holiday - at Paramount Bristol as these chart-topping guest stars ignite the stage with their signature blend of Americana, soul, and pure heart.
CMT "Next Women of Country" nominee Madeline Edwards will also take the spotlight. The artist has been heralded as "a one-to-watch vocalist with charisma to burn" by Rolling Stone, and adds her captivating and genre-defying songwriting into the mix. Radio Bristol's very own Kris Truelsen will be hosting the evening, joined by his stellar Farm and Fun Time House Band, ensuring the night is packed with the perfect blend of music heritage, good vibes, and uplifting entertainment.
In honor of 10 years on the air, representatives from the twin cities of Bristol will present Radio Bristol with a special proclamation. Radio Bristol will also take time recognize on-air talent - many of them volunteers - for their service to the community-supported station.
July 14-18, 2025 @ Create Appalachia, Kingsport, Tennessee
Digital Summer Camps: Week 1: Intro to Animation: Bringing Drawings to Life
Week 1, July 14-18
Intro to Animation: Bringing Drawings to Life
Create Appalachia Computer Lab, 225 W Center Street, Kingsport, TN 37660
Instructor: Miguel Caffey
Ages 13-18
Jump into the world of animation in this immersive week-long course! Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to sharpen your foundational skills, this class will guide you through the core principles of animation. Each session will begin with a look at inspiring animation examples, breaking down what makes movement feel dynamic and believable. From classic 2D techniques to an introduction to 3D concepts, we’ll explore how animation brings characters and stories to life. The second half of each class will be hands-on, with guided exercises to practice fundamental animation principles like squash and stretch, timing, anticipation, and more. By the end of the week, students will have created their own short animated exercises and gained a solid understanding of how to bring movement to the screen.
Registration link: https://www.createappalachia.org/event/intro-to-animation-bringing-drawings-to-life-july-14-18-9-am-to-3-pm/
Thursday, August 28, 2025, 7pm EST @ Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia
Radio Bristol's Farm and Fun Time: Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes
ON SALE NOW: The Kody Norris Show, Sarah Kate Morgan, plus host Kris Truelsen and the House Band take Radio Bristol's Farm and Fun Time stage at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum on Thursday, August 28.
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Whatever you do, don’t call The Kody Norris Show ‘retro.’
Because while the reigning SPBGMA Entertainers of the Year are known for the rhinestones that shine from their lapels and the fringe that hangs from their collars seem to conjure up memories of times gone by, The Kody Norris Show are very much directing their gaze forever forward. Now, more than ever before.
The talented group, made up of frontman Kody Norris, Josiah Tyree, Mary Rachel Nalley-Norris, and Charlie Lowman, finds themselves with a growing legion of fans craving the comfort that comes from their retro look, but equally craving dynamic instrumentation and thought-provoking lyrics – all of which can be heard throughout their epic new album Rhinestone Revival.
With the release of Rhinestone Revival comes a feeling that listeners have just begun to witness The Kody Norris Show’s very own revival, as the band finds themselves sprinkling their iconic rhinestones on a few different music genres to solidify their place on the musical landscape. And the fans can’t get enough.
They ain’t retro. They have something different. They have something uniquely theirs. They have something that makes them stand out.
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Born of Appalachian soil in Sharps Chapel, Tennessee, Sarah Kate Morgan sings, plays, and writes like she’s been in these hills since the dawn of time. She’s had plenty of varied influences, beginning with hearing a classical music CD belonging to her family and going on to discover old time music through a dulcimer built by her grandfather. She began playing dulcimer at age seven.
She’s gone on to build a unique personal style which honors mountain dulcimer giants such as Jean Ritchie while working across genres to build something new. Well-known and widely respected as one of the leading experts of the mountain dulcimer, Sarah Kate is also a first-rate singer and songwriter. Her earthy and poetic lyrics embrace the highs and lows of southern Appalachian life while her voice does the same – moving between alto and soprano parts with ease. Her crystal-clear but rootsy vocal style combines the best of country, old time, bluegrass, and gospel influences who, like Morgan, foreground their cultural roots. All of this goes hand in hand to create a musical experience akin to a sonic baptism.
None of this is lost on the giants of roots music. Sarah Kate has performed and/or recorded with artists like Tyler Childers, Amethyst Kiah and Erynn Marshall & Carl Jones.