Virginia is for Music Lovers

1. Ralph Stanley Museum

Ralph Stanley was a well-known banjo player and singer who helped pioneer bluegrass-style music after World War II. Stanley donated his music memorabilia, which includes awards and instruments, to the museum.

However, beyond housing keepsakes, the museum’s information helps you to learn about traditional Appalachian music to keep the history alive. Located in Clintwood, the Ralph Stanley Museum also contains exhibits on more modern musicians, such as Patty Loveless and Ricky Skaggs.

2. Country Cabin II

Although it’s not the authentic Country Cabin of the late 1930s, the Country Cabin II was built to accommodate the larger audiences that were overflowing the original. Local singer and songwriter Katie O’Neill Peters Sturgill spearheaded the Norton, VA facility, which served as a venue for square dances and other events.

Today, the Cabin focuses on preserving the area’s traditions through dance, music, storytelling, arts, and crafts. Regional music takes centre stage each Saturday night, and the site hosts the annual Dock Boggs Festival each September. Another claim to fame is that the Cabin is The Crooked Road’s longest-running traditional music site.

3. Carter Family Fold

The Carter family was quite the sensation back in their heyday. Discovered in 1927 by Victor Recording Studio, the trio—A.P. Carter, his wife Sarah, and his sister-in-law Maybelle—recorded approximately 300 songs over the following 15 years. Their traditional, Appalachian style is often considered the inspiration for modern country music.

The Carter Family Fold is currently a large, rustic auditorium that seats 800 guests and features music each Saturday night in Hiltons, Virginia. The museum associated with the venue opens an hour before each show and is housed in A.P.’s former general store.

4. Birthplace of Country Music

The town of Bristol played a vital role in giving rise to country music’s emergence and cultivation. The Birthplace of Country Music consists of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, a music festival called the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, and Radio Bristol, which plays classic country and bluegrass on 100.1 FM.

The music festival takes place each September and is quite the exhibition with 15 stages and over 100 bands taking over Downtown Historic Bristol. The museum is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution and recounts the recordings and roots of early country music in Virginia.

5. Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace

The Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace in Abingdon serves as a home base for The Crooked Road. Live performances enable visitors to immerse themselves in string music, and the venue also contains exhibits highlighting Virginia’s rich musical heritage.

What music is to the ears, art is to the soul. While you are in Virginia, a stop at the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace yields unique souvenirs in the form of artisan goods. Jewellery, frames, stained glass pieces, pottery, fiber arts, paintings, baskets, and other handicrafts are available for purchase, all of which are made in Southwest Virginia. A stop here is a true delight for all of the senses.

6. Old Fiddlers Convention and Rex Theater

Music lovers will revel in the Old Fiddlers Convention, a week-long music festival filled with live performances celebrating music from Appalachia. A variety of competitions—such as old-time fiddle, bluegrass band, and flatfoot dance—give this event a unique atmosphere as locals cheer on their favourites. Started in 1935, The Old Fiddlers Convention is the oldest of its kind and takes place during the second week of August. Music lovers come from all over the world to have an auditory experience featuring live string music both on stage and throughout the grounds of the Old Felts Campground in Galax.

The historic Rex Theater also resides in Galax and music lovers should head there on Friday evenings to hear a unique live radio show featuring bluegrass and old-time bands performing on stage. Don’t miss the Blue Ridge Backroads Live that has been taking place at the theatre since 1999. It is broadcast live on radio and streamed over the internet. 

7. Blue Ridge Music Center

As the name indicates, the Blue Ridge Music Center is in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, right off of the parkway. The venue serves as a hub for celebrating local music, including bluegrass, country blues, folk, gospel, old-time, and Americana genres. Be sure to visit between May and October when the centre offers free live music every afternoon. 

The Blue Ridge Music Center has an indoor centre that houses a museum, gift shop, and theatre, but the outside also serves to accommodate guests. An outdoor amphitheater, interpretive path, and hiking trails function to enhance the experience further. The venue also presents an outdoor Roots of American Music concert series on Saturday nights from late May through to early September.

8. Floyd Country Store

The Floyd Country Store has served as a hub for its community since the 1980s, although now visitors come far and wide to experience Virginia’s deep musical heritage. Local dancers and musicians gather at the Friday Night Jamboree, but you never know what music-centric activities this working country store will have in store.

Appalachian songs bond people from all over with impromptu jam sessions and beginner musicians picking on the porch. While you are there, grab a hand-dipped ice cream cone and peruse the local handicrafts in the store. The Handmade Music School is located on-site and offers workshops and lessons from master teachers.

9. The Blue Ridge Institute and Farm Museum

Serving as the official State Center for Blue Ridge Folklore, the Blue Ridge Institute & Farm Museum in Ferrum features rotating galleries that highlight life throughout the Appalachian region. The museum is an authentic replica of a working Virginia-German farm in the 1800s. Visitors can participate in immersive activities, roam heirloom gardens, and see livestock with historical lineage.

When it comes to music, over 40,000 people attend the annual Blue Ridge Folklife Festival, which focuses on local music and handcrafts. The event also features exciting competitions, such as coonhound racing. Each May, the Blue Ridge Institute & Farm Museum holds the Crooked Road Dulcimer Festival, where visitors can take classes, attend workshops, and listen to a dulcimer orchestra.

1. Blues

Blues lovers are in for a treat in Virginia. A lengthy list of blues venues in the state includes places in Richmond, Rocky Mount, and Williamsburg , to name just a few. A particularly notable location is MOJO BONES BBQ & BREW in Norfolk, which features—you guessed it—BBQ, beer, and blues.

2. Jazz

Soulful jazz music can soothe the soul like no other, and although minds go to New Orleans or New York City, the state of Virginia holds its own with the genre. In addition to organising concerts, the Richmond Jazz Society serves to educate the community about the genre. The society also helped organise an exhibit at The Valentine to pay homage to the music style. Various festivals occur throughout the state, including the Hampton Jazz Festival and the Richmond Jazz and Music Festival. Ella Fitzgerald was also born in the Hampton Roads area.

3. Rock

Rock is one of the most popular forms of music, and there are opportunities to listen live all over the state of Virginia. The Golden Pony in Harrisonburg has pinball machines, two full bars, live music during the week, and a DJ on the weekends. In Vienna, Jammin’ Java—owned by two music lovers—offers live music from local and national acts seven nights a week.

4. Classical

Several of Virginia’s cities—such as Richmond, Alexandria, and Charlottesville, house symphonies that perform classical music. Norfolk and Roanoke also have opera houses for those who enjoy operatic performances. Located in Hot Springs, the Garth Newel Music Center features chamber music in an intimate yet informal setting.

5. Gwar

Richmond, Virginia’s capital city, features the unique style of Gwar music. Gwar is a heavy metal band formed in Richmond in 1984. Known for their garish, science fiction-inspired costumes, the musicians are also known for their shock value in lyrics, subject matter, and live show performances. While in Richmond, head to GWARbar for a unique taste in both food and music.

6. Concerts, shows and theatre

Music lovers rejoice!  From small-town playhouses and intimate music venues to historic concert halls and major stadiums, all are on hand in Virginia to offer everything from musical theatre to the latest artists.

Theatre lovers should head to Abingdon’s Barter Theatre, where theatre-goers initially could pay in produce, livestock, or dairy products to see a show, or to the American Shakespeare Center, where Shakespeare’s plays are performed in a replica of the playwright’s own theatre. Those looking for an intimate music venue should check out The National and The Broadberry in Richmond, The Birchmere in Alexandria, and The Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Vienna, the only National Park dedicated to the performing arts.

1. FloydFest

One of the state’s biggest music festivals, FloydFest is a five-day event held in the beautiful mountains of Southwest Virginia. More than 100 artists take to eight stages, and local vendors offer handmade goods and wellness workshops. Attendees can also camp on-site.

2. LOCKN’ Festival

In the heart of Nelson County each October, LOCKN’ is a three-day event filled with headlining artists, which have included Tom Petty, Willie Nelson, and Phish in the past. Although music is at the helm, the festival’s primary goal is to foster community while introducing visitors to local artisans, cuisine, and—of course—music.

3. Red Wing Roots Music Festival

Natural Chimneys Park in Mt. Solon is the setting for the Red Wing Roots Music Festival each July. The three-day festival blends folk and bluegrass music while hosting both regional and national bands. If you enjoy the great outdoors, the venue is also close to bike trails, hiking, and fishing areas.

4. Staunton Music Festival

Instead of being held in a field or park, the Staunton Music Festival utilises the city’s downtown area for its multi-day event. Twenty concerts feature 60 musicians in historic buildings throughout Staunton. Daily shows focus on various genres, and many of the restaurants and hotels offer specials to concert-goers.

5. The Richmond Folk Festival

Situated on Richmond’s historic riverfront, the Richmond Folk Festival is one of the state’s largest and draws locals and visitors alike for the three-day event. The festival is completely free and is a fantastic celebration of the diverse array of cultural traditions involved in folk music, featuring different groups across seven states. 

6. Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion

Held in the town of Bristol, this award-winning festivals is a lively celebration of the legendary 1927 Bristol sessions. Around 100 acts are featured over a three-day weekend during the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion each September.

7. Something in the Water Festival

It may be young, but it is one you certainly shouldn't miss. Despite only running for one year so far in 2019, the Something in the Water Festival drew a big crowd and it is expected to become one of Virginia's most noted and highest attended events when it returns in 2022. The three-day event was set up by and is organised by Pharrell Williams in an effort to celebrate and amplify the music of his home town.