Cause and Effect

1927 Bristol Sessions (RVA Playlist Hosts)

Sat, Sep 16, 2023

Today on Cause and Effect, Andrew from RVA Playlist travels to 1927 Bristol, Virginia to discuss the history and influence the Bristol Sessions had on American culture.

The Bristol Sessions occurred in 1927 when Ralph Peer, producer for the Victor Talking Machine Company brought a field unit to Bristol to record musicians from the Appalachian region where they recorded fiddle tunes, sacred hymns, vocal ballads, and other types of songs. These sessions marked the commercial debuts of artists like Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family and the recordings influenced country music for decades to come. As a result, Bristol has been since called the “birthplace of country music” where modern artists are still paying homage to the songs born in this time.

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