Near Clintwood in Dickenson County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Crooked Road
Virginia's Heritage Music Trail
⎯⎯⎯ Dickenson County
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), July 3, 2026
1. The Crooked Road side of the marker
Inscription.
The Crooked Road, also, Dickenson County. Virginia's Heritage Music Trail /.
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 Country Cabin Norton, VA ❸ Carter Family Fold Hiltons, VA ❹ Birthplace of Country Music Museum Bristol, VA ❺ Southwest Virginia Cultural Center and 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 and Museum at Ferrum College Ferrum, VA
Dickenson County. The traditional music of Dickenson County has a special sound. Basedo n songs from Primitive Baptist and "Dunkard" churches, this sound has influenced singers in the string bands of the region. One of the most famous of these singers is Ralph Stanley. In 1946, Ralph Stanley, and his brother, Carter, formed a band that riveted the world's attention to the coalfields of Virginia and adjacent areas. The Stanley Brothers and their "Clinch Mountain Boys" began touring the nation and made notable recordings., Many honors were presented to Ralph Stanley, including a National Heritage Fellowship and the America's Medal for the Arts. This honor was presented to him in 2006 at the White House by President George W. Bush. The Ralph Stanley Museum and Traditional Mountain Music Center in Clintwood tells the boyhood of his brothers, celebrates Realph Stanley's contributions to music, and is a rich source of information about the sounds of the region., The Ralph Stanley Festival is held on Memorial Day weekend at the Hills of Home Park, located between McClure and Coeburn. This festival attracts devotees from all over the world, well-known bluegrass bands, as well as Ralph Stanley's descendants and other noted performers who have performed in his bands.
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
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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
Dickenson County
The traditional music of Dickenson County has a special sound. Basedo n songs from Primitive Baptist and "Dunkard" churches, this sound has influenced singers in the string bands of the region. One of the most famous of these singers is Ralph Stanley. In 1946, Ralph Stanley, and his brother, Carter, formed a band that riveted the world's attention to the coalfields of Virginia and adjacent areas. The Stanley Brothers and their "Clinch Mountain Boys" began touring the nation and made notable recordings.
Many honors were presented to Ralph Stanley, including a National Heritage Fellowship and the America's Medal for the Arts. This honor was presented to
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), July 3, 2026
2. Dickenson County side of the marker
him in 2006 at the White House by President George W. Bush. The Ralph Stanley Museum and Traditional Mountain Music Center in Clintwood tells the boyhood of his brothers, celebrates Realph Stanley's contributions to music, and is a rich source of information about the sounds of the region.
The Ralph Stanley Festival is held on Memorial Day weekend at the Hills of Home Park, located between McClure and Coeburn. This festival attracts devotees from all over the world, well-known bluegrass bands, as well as Ralph Stanley's descendants and other noted performers who have performed in his bands.
Location. 37° 7.881′ N, 82° 32.458′ W. Marker is near Clintwood, Virginia, in Dickenson County. It is on Dickenson Highway (Virginia Route 83) east of Red Onion
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), July 3, 2026
3. The Crooked Road / Dickenson County Marker
Prison Road, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 400 Dickenson Highway, Clintwood VA 24228, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southwest Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 8, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 8, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 3 times since then. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on July 8, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
