In 1927, Victor Records’ Ralph Peer began recording local musicians in Bristol in an attempt to recreate the tone of the region’s traditional “folk” music. The Carter Family, who got their start on July 31, 1927, when A.P. Carter and his family traveled from Maces Spring, Virginia, to Bristol to audition for Ralph Peer, who was looking for new talent for the fledgling recording industry, created one of these local sounds. For each song they recorded, they were paid $50. The earliest recordings by Jimmie Rodgers were made during Peer’s tour to Bristol.

The Birthplace of Country Music Alliance has promoted the city as a destination for learning about country music and the city’s significance in the development of a whole music genre since 1994. The alliance is planning the construction of a new Cultural Heritage Center to educate the public about the region’s country music tradition. To celebrate the historical significance of the Bristol sessions, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum opened on August 1, 2014 in Bristol, Virginia. A 24,000-square-foot building includes the museum’s core displays, as well as room for special exhibits, a performance theater, and a radio station.

The Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is a music festival that takes place every year during the third weekend in September. The festival takes place in the heart of Bristol, where Tennessee and Virginia collide, and honors the city’s history as the birthplace of country music.