April 11, 2026 | 10 am @ Birthplace of Country Music Museum
BRISTOL, TN-VA:Radio Bristol presents the Radio Bristol Record Expo April 11from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in downtown Bristol. This event is a celebration of radio culture, community broadcasting, music discoveryand independent voices—and is a benefit for Radio Bristol.
This Radio Bristol Record Expo is designed for music and history lovers in the community to gather and shop local for thousands of records, to enjoy live music performances, a panel discussionand more.Radio Bristol is thrilled to welcome the regional community of DJs, artists, record collectors, scholarsand radio-adjacent organizations for a full day of connection, discovery and conversation.
"Radio Bristol and our dedicated listeners are serious about music, so putting together our first ever Radio Bristol Record Expo was a no brainer," says Kris Truelsen, Radio Bristol's program director. "We're thrilled to welcome and celebrate DJs, artists, record collectors, scholarsand fans for a full day of connection, discovery and conversation at this one-day-only free event.We hope you'll be part of it and show your support for Radio Bristol."
Visitors can spend the morning digging through the vendor booths and connecting with other record enthusiasts, and then at noon, Radio Bristol hosts a panel discussion titledAppalachia on Record — The Rich-R-Tone / Folk Star Story, moderated by Radio Bristol's Kris Truelsen.
Appalachia on Recordwill explore the milestone documentation of The Rich-R-Tone / Folk Star Story, which brings together the complete surviving recordings from two of Appalachia's most fascinating labels for the first time—Rich-R-Tone and Folk Star Records.
Founded in 1946 in Johnson City, Tennessee, Rich-R-Tone was the first label to release the Stanley Brothers, and its output reached far beyond early Bluegrass. From Country Gospel to Hillbilly Boogie; from fiddle breakdowns to regional country ballads—these recordings are a treasure trove of musical heritage.
TheAppalachia on Recordpanel discussion features four moderators. Matteo Ringressi, an avid record collector with one of the most complete collections of small-label Bluegrass 78RPM records in Europe; Dr. Ted Olson, a professor of Appalachian Studies at East Tennessee State University and nine-time grammy nominee as a music historian; Lonnie Salyer, host of Radio Bristol's weekly vinyl record show, "Diggin' with Big Lon;" and Abe Partridge, a heralded musician, singer/songwriter, visual artist, storyteller and documentarian.
Following theAppalachia on Recordpanel discussion, there will be live music featuring regional artists Lightnin' Charlie, Abe Partridgeand Bailey George.
From 2-4 p.m. theSongwriters Circle Showcasewill be held in the Performance Theater at the museum. The Songwriters Showcase event is an extension of the monthly Songwriters Circle program organized by Songwriters of Highlands Appalachia, and is structured similarly to "in the round" events. For April, we are excited to feature local songwriters Julia Maggard, Jonathan Shortand Hannah Rae Adams.
The Radio Bristol Record Expo is a fundraising benefit that directly supports our programming, educational outreachand community initiatives.
Category: Fundraiser