Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Celebrates 25th Anniversary

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Sierra Ferrell. Photo: Cora Wagoner

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion has wrapped its 25th year, bringing another weekend of music and community to Bristol, Tennessee.

St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Sierra Ferrell and Old Crow Medicine Show were among the featured acts, joining a mix of established and emerging artists.

“This festival is yours, forever,” said Festival Director, Richard Oakley, to the crowd of fans, volunteers, and team members before Sunday’s closing performance.

St. Paul and the Broken Bones. Photo: Billie Wheeler

Day one festivities began in the late afternoon with Jim Lauderdale and Donna the Buffalo opening the State Street Stage with a special 25th anniversary jam. It marked Lauderdale’s 14th appearance at the festival. Later, fans gathered at Paramount Bristol for performances from German songwriter and producer Toby Gad and Bristol cellist and composer Dave Eggar. The pair performed songs Gad helped write, including “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “My Immortal,” and “Viva La Vida.” As the evening continued, Los Lobos and St. Paul and The Broken Bones brought a soulful rock sound to the Piedmont Avenue Stage, while Johnny Mullenax closed out the night with an energetic set on the Country Mural Stage.

Day two featured sets from Josh Mitcham and Possum Creek Playboys before a brief rain shower moved through Bristol. While the weather caused a short delay for the outdoor stages, the music continued inside Paramount Bristol with Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time. The festival favorite, inspired by the classic WCYB program, served as the official 25th anniversary celebration and featured Cruz Contreras & The Black Lillies, Trousdale and The Band Loula.

Old Crow Medicine Show. Photo: Billie Wheeler

Once the rain cleared, performances continued across the festival grounds, including sets from Acoustic Syndicate: “The Bristol Reunion,” Franklin Jonas & The Byzantines, Johnson City’s Florencia & The Feeling, and the Del McCoury Band. Ferrell headlined the Cumberland Square Park Stage, returning to the festival after making her debut at the 6th Street Stage in 2021. The night ended with energetic performances from Clay Street Unit and Braxton Keith, who brought their mix of swagger and grit to the 6th Street and Piedmont Avenue Stages.

The final day of Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion opened with performances from Virginia West, Logan & McKenna and Erin Lunsford. The Bristol Sessions Super Raffle also announced more than $250,000 in cash and prizes benefiting the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.

Denitia brought her Texas-rooted mix of soul and country to the 6th Street Stage, while River Shook energized the Piedmont Avenue Stage. The Band Loula drew a crowd at Cumberland Square Park, and Bristol native Aaron Dowdy led Fust through a set of indie rock and Americana at the 6th Street Stage. Maggie Antone had fans singing along with her blend of country, soul, and Southern rock, while Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives brought their cosmic-country sound to Cumberland Square Park.

Old Crow Medicine Show closed the festival with a high-energy set on State Street. The band welcomed Hannah Dasher to the stage for a performance of “Just Someone I Used To Know,” honoring Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner. Old Crow also paid tribute to Jimmie Rodgers during the set, helping launch the Birthplace of Country Music’s year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 1927 Bristol Sessions. The festival ended with “Rocky Top” and “Wagon Wheel” echoing across State Street, bringing Tennessee and Virginia together and closing out another year of music on the state line.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion will return Sept. 10-12, 2027.

Dave Eggar and Phil Paconti. Photo: Earl Neikirk

Farm and Fun Time. Photo: Heidi Holloway

Fust. Photo: Grace Carter

Photo: Earl Neikirk

Madison Hahnen
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