More on the Crooked Road

Heritage music tourism at its finest.

ContraCostaTimes.com | 04/01/2007 | Fiddles, banjos, a beat: It's Virginia bluegrass: "As author Joe Wilson explains in 'A Guide to the Crooked Road,' bluegrass got its start on the eastern shores of Virginia when violins carried over by European settlers were first played alongside banjos brought by African slaves. This Colonial-era fiddle-and-banjo music eventually moved west to the Appalachians, mingling with the traditional songs of the Scots-Irish and Germans traveling through the Shenandoah Valley. Some of these travelers stuck around, and their descendants play songs passed down through the years, each generation keeping the sound fresh with modern interpretations...

What's so special about the Friday Night Jamboree [in Floyd, VA]? For starters, $3 gets you four bands in four hours -- a musical mix typically kicking off with a beat-the-devil gospel set that primes the mixed-age crowd for the dancing and instrumental wizardry to come. Then there's the quality of the music. Everyone in town seems to be a musician, the descendant of a musician or at least good friends with somebody who plays banjo. Finally, there's the crowd, which often spills out into the street. Since 'granny rules' are in place -- no drinking, smoking or abusive language -- everyone's here for the sheer love of bluegrass."

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Funding to promote local music history

TriCities.com, 3/15/07 - Birthplace of Country Music celebrates 80 years: "Assisted by a $5,000 grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance, in conjunction with the Bristol Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Rhythm and Roots Reunion Festival, and Believe in Bristol’s Main Street program will work together during 2007 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the historic Bristol Sessions and encourage visitation to the area by drawing attention to the regularly recurring events and activities in downtown Bristol, highlighting the region’s living musical heritage.

'Our goal is to make residents and visitors aware of Bristol’s unique living musical heritage and encourage them to visit Bristol and experience this legacy firsthand,' commented Bill Hartley, Executive Director of the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance. Hartley noted that the downtown area historically has been a site of great music, including Ralph Peer’s 1927 and 1928 field recordings, as well as live radio shows on stations WOPI and WCYB. 'We’re very fortunate in this community to still have that music being played in downtown at venues such as the Country Music Mural, jam sessions such as the Star Barber Shop, and at a major festival such as the annual Rhythm and Roots Reunion,' added Hartley

Among the efforts that the grant will fund include advertising campaign, a direct mail campaign to over 15,000 individuals, and electronic advertising targeted to fans of traditional Appalachian music. 'The demographics for this market match up well to the visitor profile for Bristol and the general heritage tourist,' commented Hartley. He added that these travelers are interested in an authentic experience and tend to stay longer and spend more in a community. Officials estimate that the marketing campaign will result in 7,770 new visitors to Bristol creating a potential economic impact $ 909,090 which helps to lower taxes and create a better quality of life for our residents."

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Promoting the Crooked Road to tourists

The Crooked Road now has a website to promote its collection of musical venues.

The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail

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Teaching bluegrass in schools to promote tourism

Printer-Friendly Version: The Rocky Mount Town Council "is urging local colleges to include bluegrass and traditional mountain music in their music-department curriculum, alongside jazz and classical music.

"The council sent its suggestion in a letter mailed to nearby Ferrum College, Patrick Henry Community College in neighboring Henry County, and Southwest Virginia Community College in Roanoke....

[Mayor Steve] Angle acknowledged the council also has ulterior motives: Rocky Mount is the easternmost point on Virginia's increasingly popular Crooked Road, a 250-mile driving trail through Southwest Virginia that links sundry bluegrass venues under one marketing campaign. The council, Angle said, hopes to increase knowledge of the Crooked Road by enlisting the colleges to spur interest in bluegrass."

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Music draws visitors to rural Virginia

Rural Virginia markets its music roots as a collection of stops along what is called The Crooked Road. The second article says the places have to be developed on their own, and then the collective marketing of them can happen.

Virginia hills come alive with mountain music: "In 1974, after the Carter family had gained widespread success in the music industry, Janette Carter decided to start inviting bands and performers of bluegrass, old-time and traditional country music to the Carter family homeplace in Hiltons, about 30 miles west of Bristol.

"The Carter Family Fold was formally established in 1979, and it still attracts performers every Saturday night throughout the year.

"Today, Rita Forrester, Janette Carter's daughter, continues the tradition.

"Forrester estimates that the Carter Family Fold typically draws anywhere from 300 to 500 people for the Saturday night shows, during which both dancing and enjoying from the stadium seating are encouraged.

"'I'm amazed, considering how far out we are,' Forrester said.

"The site also includes the restored cabin where A.P. Carter was born and the Carter Family Museum.

"But three things, she said, have helped keep the Carter Family Fold alive, particularly in the past four years – the Internet, the so-called 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' phenomenon and The Crooked Road marketing effort.

"Part of the southwestern region of Virginia has been dubbed The Crooked Road, and an organization was established three years ago to economically develop this mostly rural section of the state, 'using music as a metaphor,' said Bill Smith, executive director of The Crooked Road project.

"'On the surface, we're just signs on the side of the road that connect the venues. but the real story is the people and the music,' Smith said. ...

"The Crooked Road is a 250-mile stretch that winds through 10 counties and 13 cities and towns in Southwestern Virginia. It promotes eight featured venues that highlight the history of traditional old-time, bluegrass, folk and country music."
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Carving a niche on the Crooked Road - Roanoke.com: "'Those places didn't happen because the Crooked Road was initiated -- the Crooked Road happened because those places were already there,' said Wayne Angell, chairman of the Franklin County Board of Supervisors. 'To add a new one, you've got your work cut out for you. ... It's just a hard, hard task to make yourself different enough and significant enough that you'll attract a lot of people.'...

"'People are turning this a whole bunch of different ways, hopefully to their advantage,' Smith said. 'That's the strength of the Crooked Road, and that's its appeal. The music played in Franklin County is subtly different from the music played in Galax which is subtly different from the music played in Bristol which is subtly different from the music played in the coalfields.

"'With the Crooked Road, there's a new show every night,' Smith said."

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