The Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion (BRRR) is a vigorous annual road pageant on the Tennessee/Virginia borderline that celebrates the musical historical past of the Southern metropolis often called the “Birthplace of Nation Music”. Earlier this month, greater than 100 bands— from nationwide headliners to regional Appalachian bluegrass pickers—got here to Bristol to play on 17 phases all through downtown over a span of three days. The second weekend of September felt extra just like the years earlier than the pandemic, with massive crowds gathering to listen to their favourite bands, even within the rain.
BRRR was established in 2001 to assist have fun the legacy of the genre-defining 1927 Bristol Periods, and accordingly the pageant hosts high artists within the roots music world.
This 12 months’s lineup included nation icons Tanya Tucker and Rosanne Money. As well as, each sort of Americana music (nation, blues, people, bluegrass, rock, and extra) was represented, with artists like JJ Gray & Mofro, The Wooden Brothers, 49 Winchester, The Battle & Treaty, Sierra Ferrell, and Del McCoury Band taking part in all through the weekend.
Whereas sounds rang by the air, artisan distributors lined State Avenue promoting all the pieces from tie-dyed shirts to sizzling sauce. Interweaved into the streets of downtown Bristol have been among the greatest meals distributors from all through the area. Cumberland Sq. Park additionally hosted a beer backyard the place concertgoers might chill out and seize a drink underneath a shade tree whereas listening to tunes.
Rising root music buzz band 49 Winchester performed to the most important crowd at this 12 months’s BRRR, with the viewers extending midway down State Avenue. The group, native to close by Russell County, had individuals singing and dancing within the streets to their gritty southern rock tunes.
Sierra Ferrell packed the Nation Mural Stage and soothed these listening along with her hypnotizing soft-toned voice and jazz/country-style music. The Battle & Treaty led an energy-packed set on the State Avenue stage, which gained the eye of many concertgoers, and fellow artists comparable to Tanya Tucker, who had them be a part of her on stage later that night.
Tuatha Dea, a household band taking part in Celtic and rock classics, was among the best up-and-coming acts to carry out and refreshing discovery for a lot of.
Closing out this 12 months’s pageant, Rosanne Money, Johnny Money’s eldest daughter, and four-time Grammy winner said, “So a lot of my private historical past and cultural historical past is tied up on this very spot on earth.” referring to the Carter Household’s participation within the Bristol Periods. Money later stated, “I owe the Carter household an amazing debt as a result of all of these Carter ladies, the primary issues I realized on the guitar was these Carter Household songs.”
A big crowd gathered to take heed to her play lots of her hit songs. And similar to that, it appeared like all the pieces was again in rhythm.
Images by Josh & Jody Moore
