New exhibit on display at BCMA

March 6 – August 7, 2022 @ Birthplace of Country Music Museum

"It'll Tickle Yore Innards: A (Hillbilly) History of Mountain Dew" exhibit is on display at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Bristol, Va.This fun but scholarly exhibit explores Mountain Dew’s storied history, which began in the hills of Appalachia. The content also examines the region’s moonshining history and its ever-present “hillbilly” stereotype, both of which play an important role in the soft drink’s success.

Starting with the origins of the phrase “mountain dew” in Europe,“It’ll Tickle Yore Innards!”opens with the history of distilling, prohibition, moonshining, and its impact on the rise of “soft” versus “hard” drinks. The hillbilly stereotype – later depicted vividly on the drink’s marketing and branding – grew out of tales published by local writers after the Civil War, was reshaped amid New South ideology, and found fruition in the mid-1900s with pop culture hits likeThe Beverly HillbilliesandHee-Haw.

The exhibit plays on these themes visually, through text and image, using oversized panels with bright imagery and that reference the drink’s history in shape and format. Audio-visual elements and text that plays with language influenced by the hillbilly stereotype give visitors the chance to fully immerse themselves in the story and have a truly engaging experience!

Public programming will be scheduled to go along with this exhibit – you can find out more on the museum's Events page.

Category: Exhibits

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