Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion Returns
Earlier this month, Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion 2024 descended upon the quiet city of Bristol from September 13-15th. Although in its 23rd iteration, I was on my first go round at the festival, and I immediately felt at home. As I traveled down Cumberland Street toward the Birthplace of Country Music (BCM) Museum dressed up in 1970s-era pink and orange groovy festival banners it was clear that this historic place was one of a kind. Festival goers were elated to be back as they embraced each other with open arms and beaming smiles.
As it was my first time here, I wanted a fully immersive experience, including diving into the history, culture, and community of Bristol in addition to the loads of legendary and new music. While it certainly wasn’t the exact location and place in time that the style of music was invented but rather where it was introduced to the public and caught on like wildfire from there.
In 1998, Congress officially named the twin cities of Bristol, Tennessee and Virginia as the Birthplace of Country Music. I was actually surprised to learn that it wasn’t that long ago. I would have figured it was an honor bestowed upon the town many years ago, especially during the initial boom in the 60s. It all started during 12 days at the end of July in 1927 when a producer with popular phonograph manufacturer Victor Talking Machine Company, Ralph Peer, set out to find new talent to highlight on Victor’s newest phonograph. This endeavor, known as the Bristol Sessions, has gone down in history as the “big bang of country music” because he recorded 76 songs with 19 artists, including the famous first recordings of Jimmie Rogers and the Carter Family. From that moment on, country music and the tenacity and perseverance of the Appalachian and Southern way of life has maintained its relevance and reverence in the music industry.
While this article isn’t a history lesson on Bristol, I found it relevant to my experience since the history was unavoidable. From the plaques by the State Street Stage to the museum on the festival grounds to the countless murals honoring the Sessions and various recording artists, it was inevitable to learn about the big bang of country music while attending. And I welcomed the notion. I spoke with the general manager, Sean Copley, of the Bristol Hotel, a recent addition to the area (2018), about the history and continued partnership with the festival. Copley, energetic and a fast talker with loads of anecdotes about and appreciation for the town, which he remarks is one of the nicest places he’s lived in all of his travels, shared with me the origins of the hotel, the family that renovated it, and the prudent decision to partner with the museum and festival. It’s a multilayered relationship because the festival is a branch of the museum and the hotel is partnered with the museum, ergo, the hotel is partnered with the festival. I know it’s not that complicated, I really wanted to say “ergo.” As a regular benefit to hotel guests, showing a room key grants them access to the museum for free during their stay.
After our interview, Copley made sure to show me around the main lobby where he pointed out some original features of the building that remained during renovation, including the upper crown molding and the brick wall by the restrooms. He also enlightened me to the Dr. Pepper debate as he showed me the recycled antique soda bottle chandelier in the foyer from the nearby defunct bottling plant. A hotly contested tale in the area is that Dr. Pepper was invented in Bristol by the original Doctor Pepper. While a Dr. Pepper did live in the area–a confederate surgeon–it has not been confirmed as to the legitimate origins of the cherry/cinnamon-inspired soda.Whether an old wives tale or not, I think it’s a cool story that continues to bring interested soda sleuths to the area. I digress. But that is what Bristol and the festival is all about: discovering and honoring roots.
Among a busy schedule, I also had the honor of sitting down with husband and wife (Ben and Kassie Wilson) duo Goldpine to catch up with them about their latest stops on their tour including multiple festivals as well as singing the national anthem last year’s New Year’s Eve at a Kansas City Chiefs home game. Highly anticipated, they performed two sets at Rhythm and Roots. We got carried away in the interview–I’ll take full blame for this since they were just so dang easy to talk to and candid to boot–but we touched on everything from the importance of persistence to the state of music today.
Ben and Kassie, having now gotten to know them–even briefly–exemplify good old fashioned hustling and deep faith. While their music comes from an authentic place of experience and story telling, their belief in God plays a role in their music, attitude and overall work ethic which you can tell from the first beaming smile and grateful handshake upon first meeting. Between booking the majority of their shows, acting as their own publicist, maintaining a social media presence, and obviously writing their own music, Goldpine doesn’t have an off switch. This is a band that grinds for every lyric, live show, and late night conversation with fans yet will graciously acknowledge everyone who has gotten them there. That dichotomy is rare in today’s industry, but you can count on Ben and Kassie to carry the torch of sincerity in their work and personal lives. With a touring schedule averaging three or four shows a week, it makes sense that they travel around in their converted van, even sharing their experiences on their YouTube channel…like I said, no off switch. Stay tuned for their third album Three dropping in January and countless tour dates in the near future. Follow their socials or check them out online here.
Now discussing the meat of the festival: the performances. There were just so many acts to catch that I, as a single reporter, just could not get to. Some of my self-assigned accolades go to the following bands:
New band I haven’t heard of but they put on an incredible live show: The Kindest People and The Jared Stout Band
Bands I sadly missed but heard raving reviews of: Holy Roller and Hannah Dasher
Artist that made me emotional by the simple sound of his voice: Logan Ledger
Band that I’ve seen a thousand times but always makes me feel like it’s the first: 49 Winchester
Best bluegrass in my opinion as a new fan to the genre: Wyatt Ellis
Every band that set foot on the six stages over the three days deserves their own individualized award. They could not have made it to the legendary Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion if they were not, themselves, legendary. A full lineup from the 2024 festival can be found here.
Bristol really booked the gamut of Americana and country music this year. There were bands that were featured in Hollywood blockbusters like headliners Red Clay Strays and Wilderado from the new movie Twisters, to legends, The Steeldrivers and Ed Snodderly, all the way to local bands climbing the ranks, The Kindest People (Johnson City, TN) and Holy Roller (Richmond, VA). It was even a place to reinvent yourself as Silverada did earlier this year, changing their name from Mike and the Moonpies, best known for their honky tonk love song “You Look Good in Neon.” The bassist for the group, Omar Oyoque, was such a joy to watch on stage because of his enthusiasm and animated expressions as he danced-walked all over the stage the entire set.
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum hosts a monthly radio show, modeled after the WCYB Radio which launched many of the classic country and roots artists still honored today. It broadcasts on regional PBS stations and features farm reports, performances, and a showcase on local farms in the area. During Rhythm and Roots, Silverada and Logan Ledger graced the stage of the Paramount Theater for a special performance which equally brought the crowd to their feet and to tears.
It’s important to mention that it was an historic night for local, recurring Rhythm and Roots band 49 Winchester. The energy radiated from the stage to the crowd and right back to the band. It was a memorable night for the band as they were honored by the Commonwealth of Virginia’s House of Delegates ahead of taking the stage for their debut headlining set. It was a family affair for the guys as their wives and young ones watched from the side of the stage overjoyed that all of their personal sacrifices and time away from each other is finally paying off. 49 has played the festival for years as they grew up only an hour north of Bristol. Local legends in the making and so excited to see what’s next.
Aptly labeled the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion, that’s exactly what the gathering felt like: a reunion of friends and family that may have not seen eachother in a while, a reunion of the music with the fans, and a reunion of the history to the present in country, bluegrass, and Americana music. The city was created on the notion of common ground as it shares a state line with Virginia and Tennessee. Walking down the yellow line with “Virginia/Tennessee” plaques embedded in the pavement signaling which state your feet are in with each step reminds us that, despite our differences, we can peacefully coexist.
Letting the energy of the festival simmer for a bit, I can now clearly see what the entire weekend represented. It was a community of not only music lovers but history lovers too. People who not only acknowledge the roots of the music itself but embrace it and continue to honor its tradition of hard work, community, and love. Wasting no time, the festival announced the dates of next year’s reunion and displayed them on banners and pamphlets: September 19-21, 2025. Let your excitement start to build over the next year and stay tuned for lineup announcements!
Check out the festival here: https://bristolrhythm.com/
