The Crooked Road Music Heritage Trail is dedicated to the musical history of southwest Virginia
IAN STALKER
Tyler Hughes says there’s no better time for country music aficionados to visit Virginia than now and there’s no better place for them than his jurisdiction as well.
Hughes, executive director of The Crooked Road Music Heritage Trail — a 300-mile trail dedicated to the musical history of southwest Virginia and which links 19 countries and four cities with venues regularly featuring bluegrass and old-time music — notes that Virginia is this year celebrating the what has been declared the Year of Country Music. Hughes reports there will be several key anniversaries coinciding with the celebration, among them the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons marking its 50th anniversary, honouring the “First Family of Country Music” with special concerts, including a “significant event on Aug. 3.”
As well, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, celebrates its 10th anniversary, showcasing the 1927 Bristol Sessions’ impact on country music history. It will also host the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion music festival in September, while the Floyd Country Store in Floyd commemorates the 40th anniversary of its Friday Night Jamboree, a weekly celebration of old-time and bluegrass music.
Furthermore, the Ralph Stanley Museum in Clintwood and the “Song of the Mountains” concert series in Marion both are celebrating their 20th anniversaries, highlighting the legacy of traditional Appalachian music and its contemporary significance.
“This is definitely the ultimate year for country music fans to visit Virginia,” Hughes says. “There are multiple musical milestones taking place across the mountains of Southwest Virginia. The Crooked Road is the perfect place to be completely immersed in the musical culture of Virginia!
“Virginia is home to the Birthplace of Country Music — Bristol, Virginia,” Hughes continues. “It’s practically in our DNA to love country music. These traditions have been such an important part of our culture and identity in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. Our music has connected our people and communities for generations. We’ve danced and sang to celebrate harvests, weddings, barn raisings, and we’ve used our music to get through tough times as well. It’s a completely immersive experience and one that we invite everybody to join in. Bring your guitar and play along in the jam or hop up on the dance floor with us — everyone is welcome!”
The Crooked Road and cultural arts tourism provide huge benefits to the area economy, with Hughes noting many communities have enthusiastically embraced area traditions as a means for economic and community development. For instance, the town of Rocky Mount has adopted the moniker, “The Gateway to The Crooked Road” and that slogan appears in local murals across the town. The Ralph Stanley Museum is another example. Built in Dickenson County — an historic coal and timber based economy, the museum celebrates the legacy of the Stanleys, band rehabbed an historic structure and provided a destination for visitors that today attracts fans from across the globe while also providing much needed tax revenue to the community.
“The Crooked Road continues to be one of the most unique and immersive experiences for visitors in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Hughes states. “Here you can play along with the band, take a dance lesson at the country store, build an instrument from scratch with legendary luthiers like Wayne Henderson and Mac Tranyham or just sit back and listen to the songs and tunes that have defined life in our mountains for generations. I always tell folks that every person has a song in their heart and they can find it along The Crooked Road.”
Hughes says old time, bluegrass, and country music all find their roots in Virginia and date back hundreds of years.
“Our music is a microcosm of American culture,” he states. “This music is derived from ballads and fiddle traditions of the British Isles, the African banjo, the Spanish guitar, and dance traditions from all around the world. These traditions came together and evolved in the mountains of Virginia to create the foundation of country music as we know it today.” Legendary musicians like Pop Stoneman and the Carter Family honed their skills as musicians before auditioning at the historic Bristol Sessions. The success of that event launched the country music industry and established the city of Bristol as the Birthplace of Country Music. Over the decades, Virginia launched numerous country and bluegrass stars from its hills, including the Carter Family, Ralph Stanley and Jim & Jesse McReynolds. The traditions are carried on today by hundreds of musicians living along The Crooked Road. Many are award winning, internationally recognized bands, including the Lonesome River Band and Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice.
“Today, thousands of music fans make their pilgrimage to Southwest Virginia to experience the institutions where country music was born.”
Hughes labels Virginia music as both distinctive and authentic. “There is nowhere else in the world where the musical culture is quite as vibrant,” he adds. “It is no exaggeration to say that you can experience live music almost every day of the week along The Crooked Road in Southwest Virginia. From small community jams, to annual festivals, square dances, and weekly dance hall shows there is no shortage of Appalachian culture on display here in Southwest Virginia.”
This year’s musical milestones are being celebrated each and every day in Southwest Virginia, with the Crooked Road hosting special performances and events every couple of weeks throughout the year. “We are excited to be showcasing each of our major venues with a special celebration at each as well as partnering with more than two dozen long standing festivals and fiddlers conventions to showcase the immense talent that lives and thrives in the mountains here,” Hughes states.
A full list of anniversary events can be found at thecrookedroadva.com.
