Bristol: The Twin Towns That Birthed Country Music

In 1927, a small town split between Tennessee and Virginia became the birthplace of country music as we know it. Bristol's downtown literally straddles the state line—one side of the street follows Tennessee law, the other Virginia—but in late July of that year, the two towns united around something revolutionary: the Bristol Sessions.

Record producer Ralph Peer brought electric microphone technology to this Appalachian border town and recorded 19 acts over two weeks, including first-time performers who would become legends: Jimmie Rodgers (the "Father of Country Music") and The Carter Family (the "First Family of Country Music"). These weren't the first hillbilly music recordings, but the combination of new technology, Peer's visionary production, and the caliber of artists created what Congress would later designate as the birth of commercial country music.

Join Shane Waters as he speaks with Renee Rogers, Head Curator of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, about how a quirky two-state town, a furniture store advertisement, and Ernest Stoneman's impressive royalty check combined to create one of the most significant weekends in American music history. Discover why this location recording session changed everything—and why you can still hear its influence in country music today.

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