Although many people think of auto racing when they think of Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia — understandably so since Bristol Motor Speedway is the fourth largest racetrack in America and one of the most popular tracks on the NASCAR circuit. But its bigger calling card is history — specifically, country music history.
Located in the northeast corner of Tennessee and southwestern Virginia, the twin cities of Bristol, Tennessee, and Bristol, Virginia, share a state line, which just so happens to run along State Street in the shared historic downtown district. But they have more in common than geography. They share the Congressional designation of the “Birthplace of Country Music.”
In 1927, record producer and talent scout Ralph Peer came to Bristol as part of a road show in Southern cities looking for musical talent on behalf of the Victor Talking Machine Company. The Bristol area was known for its distinctive “hillbilly” music traditions, and it was here that Peer first recorded the debuts of Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family. His visit — and the subsequent 76 recordings he made featuring 19 performers — became known as the Bristol Sessions and launched the country music genre.
Credit: Randy Sartin Photography
Credit: Randy Sartin Photography
Today, the importance of the Bristol Sessions and the rich musical heritage of the area are preserved at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, a 24,000-square-foot Smithsonian-affiliated museum filled with interactive and educational displays and exhibits, theater experiences, live radio station broadcasts and more.
Among the museum’s collections are photographs, printed music, concert posters, vintage microphones, stringed instruments, radio equipment and decades of country music recordings in both physical and digital formats.
Interactive permanent exhibits feature interviews with people who attended the Bristol Sessions like Ernest Stoneman, Ralph Peer and Maybelle Carter; an ode to the songs that were steeped in the church; and a celebration of “Will the Circle be Unbroken” narrated by Johnny Cash’s son and featuring renditions of the legendary song by a mix of modern and old-time artists on a 180-degree LED screen.
There are also rotating temporary exhibits like “A Cardboard History of Blue Ridge Music,” which highlights the music of the Blue Ridge region through vintage show cards, concert posters and other advertising paraphernalia that runs Jan. 16-July 21.
Honoring Bristol’s cultural heritage is the Country Music Mural, a larger-than-life depiction of the musical genre’s pioneers, located at the Downtown Center along State Street, home to the State Street Farmers Market and a summer concert series.
A good time to visit Bristol is in the fall during the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, a weekend-long festival of Americana, country, bluegrass, rock, Piedmont Blues and Celtic music. The Avett Brothers, Old Crow Medicine Show, Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris, Dr. Ralph Stanley and Steve Earle & The Dukes are among past performers. The lineup for the 23rd reunion — scheduled for Sept. 13-15 — will be announced in the coming months.
There are lots of other ways to get a live music fix in Bristol, including year-round shows at various venues including Delta Blues BBQ, State Line Bar & Grill, Cascade Draft House and Bristol Casino, future home of Hard Rock Bristol opening in July. You can also tune in Radio Bristol, featuring three channels streaming varied country, bluegrass and Americana music broadcast live from the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.
Credit: David Grace
Credit: David Grace
Touring acts like Asleep at the Wheel (March 2) and Twitty and Lynn (March 3) perform at the historic 1931 art deco Paramount Bristol theater. Restored in 1991 and refreshed again in 2021, the 743-seat theater features original lights, sconces, seats (although reupholstered) and display cases from 1931, along with a working 1925 Wurlitzer organ. Although not original, the massive floor-to-ceiling frescoes along the side walls are recreated from original artwork. The theater today hosts a wide variety of concerts, speakers, comedians and the Bristol Ballet, celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.
Once you’ve gotten your country music fix, there’s plenty more to do and see in Bristol. One of the most iconic and oft-photographed destinations is the Bristol sign. Stradling State Street, this lighted landmark, which advertises Bristol as “A Good Place to Live,” has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1915 and allows visitors to be in two places at one time with one foot in Tennessee and the other in Virginia.
Outdoors enthusiasts will want to travel 10 miles southeast to South Holston Lake, a 7,580-acre reservoir operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority and boasting hundreds of miles of shoreline ideal for fishing and boating. The South Holston Dam is one of the world’s largest earthen dams at 285 feet high and 1,600 feet long. Visitors can walk across the top to take in stunning views of the lake. Much of the lake is located in the Cherokee National Forest, home to several hiking trails including stops on the Appalachian Trail.
Located on an island along the South Holston River, the 1.8-mile Osceola Island Loop Trail affords forest walking, along with a fishing pier, varied footpath trails, picnic tables and a visitors center.
North of Bristol is the 12.5-mile Mendota Trail, a rails-to-trails favorite among hikers, bikers and dog walkers along the original 1890 rail line from Bristol to Mendota, Virginia, with the trailhead just a few miles out of town.
There’s plenty of shopping to be had in Bristol. Antique collectors will want to peruse the collectibles among several antique stores along the four-block shopping district. Willow Creek Antiques and Collectibles boasts 80 booths of high-end treasures in a 14,000-square-foot building on State Street. Bristol is also a good place to pick up some Western wear at Wiseman’s Western and rugged work shirts, jackets, jeans and overalls at L.C. King Factory Store, the retail outlet for the family-owned, cut-and-sew factory that has been continuously operating in Bristol for 100 years.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Accommodations include two independent boutique hotels that have opened in recent years, both paying homage to Bristol’s history.
The 65-room Bristol Hotel is housed in the former Executive Plaza, originally known as the Reynolds Arcade. Built in 1925 by Bristol developer and physician Dr. Hardin W. Reynolds, the building has been lovingly restored to its architectural splendor, telling the story of Bristol’s rich industrial history with locally inspired and handcrafted pieces like L.C. King denim patterned cloth on chairs in the hotel’s restaurant, tanned leather installations reflecting Bristol’s early-1900s leather industry and original (and recreated) terrazzo flooring. A glass sculpture of vintage soda bottles honors Dr. Pepper, a Bristol physician for whom the famed soft drink is named. The restaurant, Vivian’s Table, features chophouse dining with an Appalachian twist. For libations, check out Lumac Rooftop Bar.
The Sessions Hotel pays homage to the Bristol Sessions, with 70 modern and eclectic rooms in three industrial buildings that once housed a mill, candy factory and grocery store. Each room comes with its own vintage record player (with albums available in the lobby), retro Victrola clock radios, room signage that look like record labels and light fixtures that look like microphones. The hotel also features an indoor music venue, an outdoor music lawn, a rooftop bar and Southern Craft BBQ.
Other standout dining options in the downtown area include Blackbird Bakery for sinful breakfasts and decadent desserts; Burger Bar, serving up burgers since 1942 (and purportedly, the last place that Hank Williams Sr. was seen alive); and Union 41, where Hell’s Kitchen alum Chef T celebrates the heritage and flavors of the African diaspora using Appalachian ingredients.
Given all of these options beyond famed Bristol Speedway, it’s easy to see why Bristol is music to many ears.
IF YOU GO
Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia, is 300 miles northwest of Atlanta via I-81, on the Tennessee-Virginia border.
WHAT TO DO
Bristol Motor Speedway. See website for race schedule and tickets. Track tours available during summer months, $12-$15. 151 Speedway Blvd. 423-989-6900, bristolmotorspeedway.com.
Birthplace of Country Music Museum. $11-$13. 101 Country Music Way. 423-573-1927, birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.
Country Music Mural. Free. 810 W. State St. 423-989-5500, explorebristol.com/country-music-mural.
Paramount Bristol. See website for events and pricing. Free guided tours are available with advance notice. 518 State St. 423-274-8920, paramountbristol.org.
Bristol Sign. Free. State Street. explorebristol.com/bristol-sign.
South Holston Lake and Dam. Free. Dawn to dusk. Visitors center and picnic area open April-October. 918 S. View Dam Drive. explorebristol.com/south-holston-lake-dam.
Mendota Trail. Free. 3460 Island Road. mendotatrail.org.
SHOPPING
Willow Creek Antiques & Collectibles. High end antiques and collectibles. 619 State St. 276-466-4064, willowcreekbristol.com.
L.C. King Manufacturing Company. Men’s rugged workwear. 24 7th St. 423-764-5188, lcking.com.
Wiseman’s Western. Western apparel. 519 State St. 276-644-1290, wisemanswestern.com.
WHERE TO STAY
The Bristol Hotel. $149 and up. 115 Country Music Way. 276-696-3535, bristolhotelva.com.
The Sessions Hotel. $169 and up. 833 State St. 276-285-5040, sessionshotel.com.
WHERE TO EAT
Vivian’s Table. Chophouse. Entrees $27-$125. 115 Country Music Way. 276-696-3664, vivians-table.com.
Southern Craft BBQ. Southern BBQ. Entrees $11-$30. 15 Commonwealth Ave. 276-285-5044, southerncraftbbq.com.
Blackbird Bakery. Bakery and café. 188 Piedmont Ave. 276-645-5754, blackbirdbakerybristol.com.
Burger Bar. Classic burger joint. $4.95-$11.95 entrees. 120 Piedmont Ave. 276-466-6200, theoriginalburgerbar.com.
Union 41. Comfort food with an Appalachian twist. $12-$45. 171 Piedmont Ave. 276-285-2202, union41bristol.com.
TOURIST INFO
Explore Bristol. explorebristol.com.
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