Bristol, Virginia is a town divided. Right down the middle of State Street, the town’s main road runs the Virginia-Tennessee border, and crossing that border is as easy as crossing the street. This town in southwest Virginia is considered by many to be the birthplace of country music. In 1927, a record label looking to record the folk music of the region came to Bristol and discovered the Carter family, whose music delighted the airwaves for decades, and whose daughter was June Carter, who married and performed with Johnny Cash. The Birthplace of Country Music Museum is a centerpiece of the town, and it explores Bristol’s rich musical heritage and the role it continues to play in worldwide country music. Every September, the town hosts the Bristol Rhythm and Roots show, a three-day festival of the music of Appalachia past and present.

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