Bristol, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

The Crooked Road

Virginia's Heritage Music Trail

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Bristol

The Crooked Road panel image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), July 2, 2026

1. The Crooked Road panel

Inscription. The Crooked Road
Virginia's Heritage Music Trail Old-time mountain music, bluegrass, and gospel can be enjoyed all year long. Several museums are devoted to showcasing the area's rich music heritage and historical influence. The Crooked Road winds over 330 miles through the mountains, connecting 10 major vneues and over 40 affiliated sites. Annual festivals, weekly concerts, radio shows, square dances, and jam sessions all ring out to large audiences and intimate gatherings.

Southwest Virginia is home to a legacy of traditional bluegrass and old-time mountain music. The mountains are home to more than two dozen contemporary venues that showcase the region's musical traditions on a regular basis. Spanning from the Coalfields to the Blue Ridge, The Crooked Road leads visitors through the mountains and valleys, connecting these cultural institutions. This musical road trip will immerse visitors in the rich culture of Southwest Virginia as travelers find themselves hopping up on the dance floor, strumming along in the jam, or singing along with the band.

Major Venues

❶ Ralph Stanley Museum Clintwood, VA
❷
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Country Cabin Norton, VA
❸ Carter Family Fold Hiltons, VA
❹ Birthplace of Country Music Museum Bristol, VA
❺ Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace Abingdon, VA
❻ Rex Theatre Galax, VA
❼ Galax Old Fiddler's Convention Galax, VA | 1st week in August
❽ Blue Ridge Music Center Galax, VA
❾ Floyd Country Store Floyd, VA
❿ Blue Ridge Institute & Museum at Ferrum College Ferrum, VA

Bristol In 1927, the Victor Talking Machine Company sent producer Ralph Peer to Bristol to discover new talent for their record label. Over a ten-day period, 19 musical acts from across Central Appalachia stepped up to record for Peer, setting the foundation for early commercial country music. Among the artists who sold the most records were Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family. Bristol's role in country music history continued in the 1940s and 1950s with the popular radio show, Farm and Fun Time. Performers on the program included bluegrass stables such as the Stanley Brothers, Flatt & Scruggs, and Jim and Jesse McReynolds.

The history and impact of the 1927 Bristol

Bristol panel image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), July 2, 2026

2. Bristol panel

Sessions comes to life through the exhibits and programs at Bristol's Brithplace of Country Musuc Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. The legacy of Bristol's role in country music is carried on through the museum's radio station, WBCM Radio Bristol, yearly summer camps for budding musicians, and the annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival.

Erected by The Crooked Road.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Communications • Entertainment • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1927.

Location. 36° 35.843′ N, 82° 10.886′ W. Marker is in Bristol, Virginia. It is on Lee Street north of Cumberland Street (Virginia Route 113), on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 Lee St, Bristol VA 24201, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Tri-Cities Area,

in Southwest Virginia,

and in the Blue Ridge Highlands.

It is

The Crooked Road / Bristol Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), July 2, 2026

3. The Crooked Road / Bristol Marker

also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Dr. Charles Spurgeon Johnson (1893-1956) (within shouting distance of this marker); Lee Street Baptist Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Bristol Confederate Soldier Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); You Are Not Forgotten (within shouting distance of this marker); Founding of Goodson-Bristol Virginia (within shouting distance of this marker); Bristol Veterans Memorial (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Overmountain Patriots of the American Revolution (about 300 feet away); A Tribute to Sgt. Carl Lee Powers, A Korean War Veteran (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of

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all markers in Bristol.

Another marker is no longer nearby. The Crooked Road / Bristol (has been replaced with this marker).

Credits. This page was last revised on July 7, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 7, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 21 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 7, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.

The Crooked Road

Virginia's Heritage Music Trail

⎯⎯⎯Bristol

⎯⎯⎯
Bristol