Bristol TN and the Carter Family Fold (PS I'm tired of trying to catch up)

Wow, we are so far behind with blog posts. . . .Cajun Country, the Mississippi Delta, Memphis, Nashville and more, but . . . .

Mighty pretty up here in The Blue Ridge Mountains!

Spring has sprung and there are more dogwoods blooming than you have ever seen

We were staying at Natural Tunnel State Park and this is the tunnel. This place was way cool. . . .Coal trains still going thru the 850 foot tunnel 10 times a day. . . .a total boy thing. You can't tell that we are at the bottom of a 500 foot cliff which was impossible to photograph but during the summer they actually run a ski lift to get folks down here. . . . 

Hi Friends, I hope this doesn’t mess with your mind too much but I am jumping ahead for some recent news. We just finished a few days in Northeastern Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia in what many people call the birthplace of country music. In 1927 the town of Bristol, Tennessee was where record producer Ralph Peer first recorded the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers within just a few short days of each other.

Today these 2 legendary artists/groups are known as the 2 founding schools of country music. The Carter family came to represent family, home, and hearth along with a big dose of Christian values, while Mr. Rodgers was known for ramblin’, riding the rails, and hard livin’. In 1927 it was known as hillbilly music and I can assure you that the music was not invented that year. However, the record industry and many tourist associations today like to pair the recording of music with its invention, or birth.

If they had invented the music that same day they recorded it, I highly doubt we would be talking about it today. None-the-less the town of Bristol is working hard to keep this wonderful myth alive. The downtown association and Chamber of Commerce have placed reminders throughout the downtown. The only thing missing is a real music scene to back it up.

Downtown Bristol TN

Jimmie's Plaque downtown in front of the building where the recordings were made although it burned down many years ago

Lots of Monuments 

and cool street signs. . . .

and cool murals . . . .not so sure about the choice of stage placement. . . . 

and monolithic road markers. . . .

and, oh my goodness, is that Fidel Castro heading in for some supplies? what are the chances. . . . .

and giant guitars. . . . and 

There is a museum in a shopping mall, I kid you not. . . .the Mountain Music Museum . . . a mile from downtown. 

There is also a performance space in the mall, The Pickin’ Porch that has live Bluegrass every Thursday night. . . . for free. The music is also broadcast live on the radio on a show by the same name. The museum is run by volunteers and it is quite good. It includes a section on the close relationship between African American and European American musicians in the early days of country music, a subject that is often ignored.

For some reason the downtown association seemed disconnected from the museum and the live music, but they are planning another museum downtown even though the folks at the mall have been working with the Appalachian Cultural Music Association (ACMA) and having live music for close to 15 years. It all seemed a bit confusing.

I never got to chat with these folks but it looks like 4 generations of Tennesseans to me (Oh yea the baby is gone from the shot)

The bass player was 15 and the banjo player was 14 and they were good. I will post a video soon.

Also in all fairness there is an annual music festival in downtown Bristol, The Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion Music Festival, held every fall but there still seemed to be some kind of disconnect between the current scene and what the chamber of commerce wishes they had. . . .