1927Reputable sourceWell documented
The Bristol Sessions: The Birth of Country Music
On the timeline · around 1927 · The Recording Age
What happened
In the summer of 1927, the Victor producer Ralph Peer set up portable recording equipment in Bristol, on the Tennessee–Virginia line, and captured local string bands, ballad singers, and gospel groups. The sessions produced the commercial debuts of Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family, and Bristol became known as the birthplace of country music.
Why it matters
Often called the 'Big Bang' of country music, the Bristol Sessions launched the careers that defined the genre and showed how recording could turn regional folk traditions into a national commercial music.
Sources
- Smithsonian Magazine. How the Bristol Sessions Created Country Music · Reputable source