In 1927, Ralph Peer brought a recording team from the Victor Talking Machine Company to Bristol in search of regional music. What he discovered was a wonderful sound that still reverberates through the hills of Bristol Country and around the world.

He spent two weeks recording in Bristol, Tennessee, and found musicians coming from as far away as Bluefield, WV (it was much farther to Bluefield then than it is today.) Mr. Peer recorded the original members of the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Ernest Stoneman, the Shelor family, Alfred G. Karnes, and others. Folks, here's where it all began.

In 1991, the Country Music Foundation, Inc., released a two-CD set of recordings, titled "The Bristol Sessions, Historic Recordings from Bristol, Tennessee."
On the cover of the box Charles Wolfe tells us that the set is a tribute to the Bristol Sessions, as these recordings came to be known, and that "Together, these recordings show the rich diversity of the music that was on the threshold of becoming one of America's most distinctive commercial art forms."

Look for it. THE BRISTOL SESSIONS, 1991 Country Music Foundation, Inc., CMF-011-D.

In 1998, the U.S. Congress officially declared Bristol (VA/TN) the "Birthplace of Country Music." This recognizes the role Bristol Country played in the history of American music.

So, now you know somethng about the Bristol Sessions, both the event and the CD set. If you counted, you've noticed that 2002 is the 75th anniversary of these legendary recordings, and we are celebrating from July 25th to August 3rd. Come to Bristol Country and hear the music, right here at home.

Here's a sampling of performers and locations:

Mac Wiseman and Patsy Stoneman and others will be at the Paramount Theatre in Bristol on July 25th.
Earl Scruggs with Family and Friends, Blue Highway, and others at the Bristol Motor Speedway, in Bristol, TN on July 26th.
Loretta Lynn, Mike Snider, and others will be at the Bristol Motor Speedway on July 27th.
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, the McPeak Brothers, and others will play for a gospel show at the Wohlfahrt Haus Dinner Theatre in Wytheville, VA on July 28th.
Jim & Jessee, Patsy Stoneman, and others will be at the Rex Theatre in Galax, VA on July 29th.
Little Jimmie Dickens & the Grand Ole Opry Band will be at the Capital Theatre in Greeneville, TN, on July 30th.
Joe Shannon (Celtic), Alternate Roots (Old Time), Strictly Clean and Decent (Celtic & Bluegrass), and David Johnson will be at the Boone United Methodist Church in Boone, NC, on July 31st.
Doc & Richard Watson, the VW Boys, and Bobby Spencer will be at the Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap, VA, on August 1st.
And, folks...ya gotta go...to Hiltons, VA, to the Carter Fold on August 3rd and 4th to the Carter Family Memorial Festival. Such a list...Janette and Joe Carter, John McCutcheon, The Home Folks, the Old Dominion Cloggers, Mike Seeger, Tim White & the VW Boys, and more, and more...

That's enough. I don't get excited about lists, but couldn't help myself.

Check out the Birthplace of Country Music Alliamce.

I'll be back soon. Keep checking in on us.

Update to the Mendota Trail News: Judge Charles Flanagan has recused himself from the case. He is a new neighbor of Bristol VA mayor, Doug Weberling and says that he feels it would appear to be a conflict of interest for him to handle the case. It's a shame. We'd have a straight legal situation with Judge Flanagan overseeing it.

I'm told that the Carter Fold was busy last weekend. They had a tribute to June Carter Cash and Johnny Cash was there. It isn't announced when he'll be at the Fold - I don't think it'll handle 30,000 or so of his local fans.

We went to see the Barter Theatre's version of 1776 last week. They did a great job of interpreting the characters and the Declaration of Independence story. And did it without Stan Lee, Ang Lee, or Spike Lee (it's a pun from the show, if you haven't see it.)

Bristol and Southwest Virginia are well represented at the Smithsonian's Folk Life Festival in Washington DC. If you get a chance, stop by and see the Country Music Mural, the Carter Fold, and the Pickin' Porch. Don't miss performances by the VW boys, and especially Ralph Blizard from Blountville TN, one of my favorite fiddlers. The VW boys - Dave Vaught, a magician and musician, and Tim White, an artist and radio DJ, are good, too. If you get a chance to say "Hi y'all!" to 'em, tell them you're from this area. If you're not, don't tell them that - just tell them BristolCountry said you should be neighborly and stop by to say hello.

It's warm in BristolCountry. My thermometer said ninety degrees today, but the news is that we've gone about four or five days without rain. But, thunderstorms are expected tomorrow or tomorrow night.

Keep readin' and keep on the sunny side.

Folks, I haven't been here too often, and the goal was to let you know what's going on in Bristol Country. If you have relatives and friends that are away from the area, let 'em know about us. If you're homesick, or just want to know what's going on in Bristol, check us out. Let us know if you have questions, or maybe you just wonder what happened to the old Shelby Street Post Office in Bristol TN or the old King's Mountain Hospital in Bristol VA. We'll research it and post it - might even have a photo for you. We're not an official arm of the government, the local news media, or even the movers and shakers of Bristol. We're just people interested in what's going on in our town. Let us hear from you. And now, the news from Bristol Country:

+++ The Beaver Creek Walk. Beaver Creek is still dirty, the walk is still nowhere to be found. We were waiting for the U S Army Corps of Engineers to give their presentation for dealing with the Beaver Creek flood threat. It is our understanding that the cost was well below what the cities' governments had hoped for, and we're waiting for the next step. If you know anymore details, please post them below.

+++The Trainstation Renovation. The trainstation is still standing, weeds are growing up, and it's looking worse with each passing season. But, wait! There's news: The Trainstation Foundation has reported that they have two grants approved, totaling $800,000 and will apply for a third one worth $550,000. The city of Bristol TN has a pending grant for $500,000 from Tennessee. The first step is to deal with the excavation and exterior work on the building, then the interior, and then improvements to make space for a minimum of three occupants (businesses or organizations). What, no ticket office for the Bristol-DC rail service??!!

+++The Mendota Trail. The Mendota Trail, after two years, is still an abandoned rail line, weeds, private driveways and backyards, and is going to court. Bristol VA bought the old rail right-of-way for $225,000, but some of the residents claim that when the railroad stopped using the line, the land reverted back to the original owners. So, to get it on a "fast track" and get it moving, Bristol sued all the owners of property who might dispute the city's claim. Judge Charles Flannagan has ordered a survey of the property. We'll follow the story when the survey comes in.

+++Downtown Bristol. It's hard to tell about downtown Bristol. It's growing. It's dying. It's asleep. It's vibrant. Depends on who you're talking to. Go downtown on Wednesday at noon in the summer to Cumberland Square Park or Anderson Street Park and listen to free music (the location alternates each week). Go to the area around the city bus stop (where the Country Music Mural is) on Tuesday night and hear live music. This Friday night, and once each month you can attend the Border Bash with food and live music on State Street from 5pm to 8pm. We've got a Chinese restaurant, a coffee shop, a bagel shop, bar and grill and a couple of other nice places to eat. We've got antique stores and a furniture store, a couple of banks, a pawn shop, a computer repair business, vending machine (video game and pool tables, etc.) sales, and restaurant supply (they sell to the public). Oh yes, and did I tell you that downtown Bristol is now on the National Register of Historic Places as a national historic district? The Downtown Center, you know - where the buses stop, where they do some great pickin' on Tuesday nights, just got federal funding for $523,000 for improvements! We've got the restored Paramount, and the Cameo, but State Street is generally quiet. Where are the people during the day? Walk down the street and you'll see folks. Folks who work in town, mostly. Not folks from southwest Virginia on shopping trips, not folks who went out of their way to go downtown to eat, and not folks who are just excited about going to downtown Bristol. There are too many empty buildings. There are too many stores where they cater to a particular taste. I guess I just miss the variety stores - the five-and-dime stores, with something for everyone. And the National Register? That's nice. What does it mean? The city can pass new restrictions on the remodelling and use of the buildings? Higher property taxes if you fix up your store and increase its value? I dunno. We'll see.

+++Exit Seven. Where it's at. Where the growth is. Interstate 81, Exit 7, Bristol VA. Still growing. They just announced that Office Depot is moving in. So is Chili's Bar and Grill. So is Bob Evans' restaurant. Bob's going across the Interstate, but it's close enough to count! Wal-mart? Still there, but the story is that the Wal-Mart by Bill Gatton's on the Volunteer Parkway in Bristol TN will be open by Christmas, 2003.

+++Appalachia High School. After hearing rumors for some months now, that the Wise County School Board intended to close Appalachia High School, the discussion finally surfaced at a meeting. Funny thing, the folks in charge had been denying that there was any truth to the rumors. The rumors started when Wise County leaders came up with a budget to remodel/improve all the high schools in Wise County EXCEPT Appalachia High. Now, they're suggesting that they can save bundles of money by sending the Appalachia students to Powell Valley! Local folks got together and cleaned, scrubbed, painted and helped spruce up the school. That's caring! These folks want to keep their school! School spirit doesn't appear to be just at the football games, where the 'dogs have a long and exciting history, but throughout the town and surrounding communities. Kudos to the folks of Appalachia!

Folks, I hope this'll hold you for a day or two. Let us know what you think. email us at Bristol@BristolCountry.com or post your comments for all the world to read here below. If you're in Germany, Japan, Bosnia, or Iraq or if you're in Bristol, Texas, Alaska, or Arizona, we'd like to hear from you.

I took a Quiz! I took a Quiz? Here are my results of John's Geek Quiz:

Take the Polygeek Quiz at Thudfactor.com