Birthplace of Country Music Museum

Bristol’s reputation as a Mecca for music was launched in 1927, along with the careers of musical legends the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers and others, in what has been lauded the “Big Bang” of country music — the historic Bristol Sessions.

How big a role did the 1927 Bristol Sessions play in country music?

The legendary Johnny Cash called them “the single most important event in the history of country music.”

In 1998, Congress designated Bristol the official “Birthplace of Country Music.” Today, the Birthplace of Country Music® (BCM) keeps local music traditions alive and continues to tell the story of the musical and cultural heritage of the region, its role in the birth and development of country music, and its influence on music around the world.

Country Music features never-before-seen footage and photographs, plus interviews with more than 80 country music artists. The eight-part 16-hour series is directed and produced by Ken Burns; written and produced by Dayton Duncan; and produced by Julie Dunfey.

Learn More

The Birthplace of Country Music® Museum, a 24,000 square foot facility, which opened in August, 2014, in affiliation with the Smithsonian Institute, tells the story of Bristol’s musical heritage. The Museum provides the BCM with a permanent facility to house its operations, including the museum, educational programs, and artistic programming.

The museum documents Bristol’s story as the Birthplace of Country Music and the Bristol Sessions through permanent, technology-infused exhibits, a special exhibits gallery, educational programs, multiple film experiences and a theater dedicated exclusively to live, year-round music performances.