Article Contributed by Photo Foo Foo
Published on 2026-09-26
photos by Jon Rosenberger
Bristol Tennessee is also Bristol Virginia. And Bristol Virginia is also Bristol Tennessee. The State border runs right down main street downtown which is aptly named State Street. And you might think that a city would have an identity crisis with having two fire departments and two police forces and two mayors, a bit of a split persona. But Bristol knows who it is and has a very unified identity. This is where Country Music got its start. The Birthplace of Country Music, and the whole town cherishes this part of its history and since 2001 has held a music festival each year to celebrate. That first gathering was fairly modest: just a few 1,000 locals who gathered near the town mural and watched as traditional regional artists like fiddler champion Ralph Blizard performed gospel and old-time tunes accompanied with a soup and cornbread dinner. A decision was made before the next year to try to include more progressive artists and the festival has evolved and grown since then, now encompassing ten stages across the greater portion of the downtown area with a footprint nearly a half mile long.
But what is the celebration about?
In 1927 a gentleman named Ralph Peer was a New York city record executive. He had had some success with recording roots or old timey artists who had come to NYC. Ernest Stoneman, a multi-instrumentalist and singer was one of them and he regaled Ralph with stories about the talented brethren he had left behind in the Appalachian region. Changing technologies in the industry were making it possible to create portable recording facilities and Ralph and two engineers made a road trip in the middle of that year selecting the upstairs loft of the Taylor Christian Hat company at 408 State Street as a space in which to record in as it was central to many of the Appalachia's smaller towns. Ernest came and recorded again but the real surprise was in the authentic rural based musicians who, lured by the promise of $50 a recording, came to imprint their sounds on wax and vinyl. That second week Ralph hit gold when he recorded both Jimmie Rogers and the Carter Family. Both of whom were able to easily rework their traditional songs into the required 4 minute lengths. The carters became a national phenomenon. The very first inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame and broke all the records for sales before they even kept records of sales. Jimmie Rogers whose yodeling style has truly never been matched became the first solo country artist, a former railroad brakeman, who had to give up that life due to a Tuberculosis diagnosis and chose to try music as a way of earning a living instead. The Bristol sessions as they came to be known include 76 recordings by 19 artists and were completed in 10 days. It was the big-bang of country music and Ralph’s agreement to pay artists 2.5 cents on every single sold was the start of music royalties. Ralph retained all rights to the recordings themselves so also the start of the music industry getting rich off the talents of impoverished talent. The results were amazing however, the Carter family and Jimmie Rogers became stars in the nascent entertainment industry forever changing their fortunes. Ernest Stoneman cut over 200 songs from 1925 to 1929 alone and continued to record until the late 1960s performing at the Monterey Pop Festival and eventually had their own TV show. El Watson an american negro from nearby Johnson city recorded blues and he backed up the caucasian Johnson brothers on their recordings in what is perhaps one of the earliest known “integrated” recordings. This is the pride that Bristol feels. This is the legacy stamp that imprints the city of 45,000 and the hallmark of its downtown. This is home to the Smithsonian affiliate “Birthplace of Country Music Museum” opened in 2014 as a byproduct of this festival and that same Bristol pride. Radio Bristol a volunteer led local radio station broadcasts from the museum 24 hours a day and hosts live music broadcasts throughout the year.
This year's festivals featured over 100 artists performing 135 hours of music in just 3 days; attendance was about 35,000 per day. But the fest rarely feels crowded or confined due to the large area of its footprint..
Friday kicked off with a hangover as Scythian had held a VIP pre party the night before at the Sessions Hotel. The day was a bit overcast and muggy warm as vendors pulled covers off of their booths and stagehands setup and tested equipment, crowds trickling in after the 3 PM open. Local Kris Truelsen kicked off the day on the Piedmont Stage before Madeline Edwards brought her sultry R&B stylings there. Cumberland park really is almost its own festival with food and bevvies and porta potties all arranged near a permanent stage and many festies set up chairs here and never move again. Those folks were treated to sets by the Floydfest perennials Big Daddy Love, Scythian and the Creekers.
The Lauderdale stage which is nestled in the courtyard of the beautiful Sessions Hotel held really the surprise of the weekend for me, Laid Back Country Picker is a duo, guitar and drums and they are neither laid back nor country. Wails of rock guitar and Nazareth cover songs had the crowd fired up and the rooftop bar was the best place to look down over the show. The Meels followed LBCP and although I had heard good things about them I was underwhelmed by their show. Los Lobos played the piedmont stage at sunset and the crowd really warmed to their laid back so cal sound. They were a bit too chill for me so I scooted over to the 6th street stage for Florencia and the Feeling delivering their high energy horn driven blues. Florencia can really belt it out and in my opinion is the preeminent band in this style for the region. Do not miss them if they pass near ya.
Jon Stickley Trio did an amazing performance inside the Paramount Theatre that sadly was not well attended. Lyndsay and Jon leaned into it even harder though and cranked out near meta-physical instrumental tunes including a cover of Phil Collins “Thats All” you really haven't lived til you have seen a handful of hardcores get up and dance to a Phil cover being ripped on fiddle. Thats is definitely how you pruett! If Jazz is to rock, as bluegrass is to country, how in hades do you classify what the JS3 does onstage? They are Beefheart and Zappa-esque and I love the fact they are out there and pushing it every single night. No one is even close to as progressive in Americana today as they are ..FusionGrass!
State Street Stage is the closest to where the sessions were actually held back in 1927 and was actually a bit quiet on the first day only hosting 2 sets of music. Jim Lauderdale and Donna The Buffalo performed a 25th Anniversary Jam together in the early evening and then maybe the set of the day.
War and Treaty headlined the night with a monster of a show, Michael and Tanya never fail to put on a show but I have never seen them onstage with this many co-horts. A full horn section, backup singers, and a solid tight group of musicians ran through their songs with them. The highlight was definitely when Michael gave tribute to the 9/11 tragedy , remembering how the nation came together as 1 people without division during that time and then launched into an absolutely soul healing version of the star spangled banner which was easily the best rendition of it I have ever heard. St. Paul and the Broken Bones, The Creekers, Johnny Mullenax and Organ Fairchild all turned in late night sets but post War and Treaty most of the crowd headed for either home or any number of the watering holes lining State Street.
Saturday’ morning showed gorgeous clear blue skies and sunshine but it didn't last. As we neared the noon opening time skies had clouded over and went permanently gray for the remainder. There were some early acts like Possum Creek Playboys and Adrian Bundy with the Honky Tonk Hearts getting the early arrivals moving but the fest was notably more chill early in the day. The Freak Rangers and East Tennessee State University Bluegrass band played early afternoon as well ETSU is always fun to see and this was the very first performance for this years band which features a Canadian and a Brit, International Bluegrass flavors make for great lunch companies and I worked my way through a trio of hot dogs while watching the sky rapidly go from gray to black. The rain that all the locals told me falls without fail at some point every year and all stages and outdoor events were put on hold as the sky opened up and did a noah impression for nearly two hours.
Fortunately I had already planned on catching the Corklickers inside at the tiny Bristol Theatre and they put on a great show, keeping the packed house both entertained. and dry. The Corklickers have played every single one of the 25 BR&RR festivals and are celebrating their 50th year as a band. They all play pure acoustic instruments, no plug-ins and they run through some old timey favorites. An Ernest Stoneman Tribute, a Charlie Poole song and tons of crowd pleasing stories from their years of playing together. It was a very special show and the Bristol Theatre staff did a great job presenting it. Larry Keel and Jon Stickley had their State Street stage set rained out but performed over at the Birthplace Museum instead which was recorded by Bluegrass Situation for later broadcast. The rain hadn't quite let up yet so I popped over to catch the start of the Farm and Fun show being broadcast live from the Paramount next door. Trousdale, The Band Loula and the Black Lillies all joined host Kris Truesdale for the show and Band Loula stole it from the others in my opinion.
The rain slid south just in time for the set of the weekend in my opinion Acoustic Syndicate on the State Street stage. AC is one of my all time favorite bands and when they announced in 2022 that they were done I thought I would never get the chance to see them again. I spent nearly 30 years looking for the band that plays the music I have always heard in my head and Acoustic Syndicate is very much that band. Their performance was like they have been on tour the whole time, the same sweet vocal melodies, the same incredible musicianship and sounds like wind through a Kansas wheatfield at night. No one else can do this. To my knowledge no other band has ever even tried. So incredibly special to have them here at the 25th Anniversary Festival.
Mon Rovia do a set at Cumberland then Del McCoury and the boys close out Stage Street stage. Del is such an Icon at this point, all the things that have ever been written about him before are legendary and I don't have a need to say any of them again. He is always great and this was no exception. Del turned 87 this year and is fit as a fiddle. Voice is spot on and his kids may just retire before he does so its a good thing his grandkids are sitting in now too.
Sierra Ferrell follows Del over on the Cumberland stage but is delayed as another thick band of rain moves through. She does finally play a short set but by then I have moved off to catch Braxton Keith at Piedmont stage and then Clay Street Unit on 6th street stage to round out my night. Braxton was interesting being way more Nashville country then Bristol country and I watched several young ladies lose their minds like he was the second coming of Elvis.
I start my Sunday in the traditional Appalachian southern way. Reggae and Bloody Marys over at the Machaviallis stage. The Soulamanders were a delightful sorbet to all things country throughout the weekend and were exactly what I needed to get moving. River Shook and her band did a set on the Piedmont stage as Sunny Sweeny was called away due to a family issue. Then back over to the Cumberland stage for Band Loula. Their set with a full band which is not the norm went down massively with the crowd and was the set that this Big City Yankee didn't want to leave but had to. Seriously folks if you get the chance to see these guys live the remainder of this year or early next do it. Cos by next summer they are going to be blowing up festivals all over with such an amazing unique sound and incredible songwriting.
Arguably there are 3 flat picking guitarists in the world who are better than Billy Strings. Larry Keel and Jon Stickley are two of the three and getting the chance to see them go at it fret to fret, string for string and neck to neck was about the only thing prying me away from Band Loula. Such and incredible privilege to see these guys go to town and I have been looking forward to this all year having gotten to see each of them separately multiple times. Jon doesn't usually sing with JS3 but he does here. More than adequately running through an ol Burle Galloway tune that the dusters also cover before Larry sings a few and I notice Ms Jenny Keel out in the crowd, whooping it up as well. They trade off a few before doing an instrumental number “Kickin in the Wind” which they play so fast and so clean every guit player there wants to give it and take up playing the spoons instead. They make everything seem effortless and this is incredibly technical fretwork. This is one of two sets of the weekend I stayed for the entire thing, plopped down on the pavement in front of Mural Stage with my jaw slung open just in absolute awe. I was rewarded for my tenacity as they covered Acoustic Syndicate's “Sailor Suit” with Jon introducing the song as one he got to pick in the parking lot with his friend Steve the night before. Flat Pickers covering my fave band.. Instant heaven!!!!
Heaven is hungry work though and the second best thing about Mural stage is the hot dog place is right there. 2 for $5 has been keeping my little photographer's legs moving all weekend. Highly recommended. Now the sprint to the finish for the day, a fast run back to Cumberland to catch Marty Stuart and the Superlative Fabulousas! My first time seeing them and I was blown away by how roots rock and roll I found them to be. Lots of twang and swang! Old Crow Medicine Show has the honor of closing out the festival and seemingly everyone onsite somehow makes their way to the state stage to see them. JD was as fired up as I have ever seen him and the band ripped through super fast takes of crowd favorites. There is an after party kind of a thing with a combination of some bands at the Paramount to allow the clean up crews to start working and as I walk back towards my hotel a small army of workers has already begun the tedious process of tear down. By noon the next day as I come back down town there are few if any reminders that a festival was held the day before. Just an incredible clean up effort.
Most of the musical acts that performed at this year's Bristol Rhythm and Roots won’t be back next year. But next year will be the 100th anniversary of the Bristol sessions and as great as it was to get to celebrate the 25th festival with them, the Centarian celebration happening September 10th to 12th 2027, is going to be off the chain, with plenty of surprises planned by new festival director Richard Oakley. So some things you should know to prepare for your trip next year. Firstly Bristol has no uber service to speak of, so either drive a car there (parking $20ish daily) or get in touch with the fine folks at Tri City Shuttle to arrange for transport during the fest. I used them multiple times for my weekend in Bristol and could not be more happy with how things turned out. Super pleasant professional drivers and clean well running cars. Do verify your times and days with them as they get super busy. Secondly the Bristol Sessions hotel downtown is for sure THE place to stay, and they know it, so if you want to have accommodations right in the thick of it book now and expect to pay the premiums associated with that location. It's an upscale beautiful space that hosts one of the stages and the Pre fest VIP party. Other hotel accommodation is spotty downtown. I stayed at the Bristol Parkway Inn about a half mile away. Walkable but a stretch of the legs for sure and it's older and run down particularly in the plumbing. The beds were shockingly comfortable however and it is a value option. There are also a string of hotels a bit farther from downtown that have a shuttle service to and from the festival. Do check the festival website. Tickets for next year's fest are already available Here. Just a few days left for the $160 three day GA which is the Family Reunion price and it will not get any cheaper.
Hot Dogs are way cheap but all of you that don't eat your food while running to the next stage have more options and all of the food you could possibly imagine is available either at a food truck or at one of the fine bars and restaurants inside the fest. Prices are VERY reasonable for a fest of this size. A Rice or Noodle bowl made fresh goes for about $20. Beers etc are about $8 each and there are multiple water stations to fill up your own bottles. Bag Chairs.. You need em. Shoes..
Even though you are going to walk way less than the 30,000 steps I stomped per day all of this is on pavement and while the vast majority of the females seem to wear cowboy boots in an infinity of styles and colors I’d think anything that keeps your feet from burning and your ankles from turning will do. This is not a flip flop fest.
Do 100% plan to visit the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. About 2 hours should cover it. The museum also hosts shows throughout the weekend in its theatre so keep an eye out to see if your faves are gonna do a smaller unannounced set.
And finally there is a survey if you were lucky enough to attend in 2026. Here. Survey participants are entered to win a merchandise package but mostly it helps the festival staff know what worked for you and what didn't so they can make changes. Every single person that I talked with in Bristol from the tiny lil airport to the festival staff and attendees were just as nice as could be, super helpful and super welcoming and not a single one of them made fun of my mid-western accent. If you have the means and the time I cannot recommend highly enough that you include next year's fest in your festy plans. I plan on going back, this time as a civilian so I can sit more and bask in the amazingness of this party Bristol throws.
