[ Guitar playing ] ♪ Two slick silver tracks ♪ ♪ Both coming, both run back ♪ ♪ Through hollowed-out space in this mountain ♪ ♪ Pale horse hauls him away ♪ ♪ I'll wait right here long as it takes ♪ ♪ Every pass a minute I'll be counting ♪ ♪ Till that Southern railroad steam ♪ ♪ Brings my baby back to me ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Boxcars rattle ridges and blow blackberry bushes ♪ ♪ Rhythm of the rails are warning me ♪ ♪ That mountain knows ♪ ♪ He's coming home ♪ ♪ Back down here to Bristol, Tennessee ♪ ♪ That Southern railroad steam ♪ ♪ Brought my baby back to me ♪ ♪ I said the Southern railroad steam ♪ ♪ Brought my baby back to me ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Edgar: My name is Jacob Edgar.

I'm an explorer, but I don't search for lost cities or ancient ruins.

I'm on the quest for a different kind of treasure -- music.

[ Man singing in foreign language ] ♪♪ As an ethnomusicologist and world music record producer, I travel the globe hunting for the best songs the world has to offer, and I suffer through some of the worst so you don't have to.

♪♪ I've got a backstage pass to the world's music and I won't stop until I've heard it all.

♪♪ [ Southern music playing ] ♪♪ The state of Tennessee is home to incredible musical diversity that has deeply influenced the popular soundscape of America and the world.

♪♪ ♪ Well, I got fair weather on my mind ♪ ♪ Just like the things I left behind ♪ Driving from east to west across Tennessee is like traveling through a living panorama of American music history, from the old-time folk music and bluegrass of the Appalachian Mountain region to the commercial country powerhouse of Nashville to the blues, rock 'n' roll, soul and hip-hop of Memphis.

It's no wonder the interstate that crosses Tennessee is often referred to as the Music Highway.

♪♪ I start my journey in Bristol, a quaint city in the northeastern corner of Tennessee that many call the birthplace of country music.

That's because of the famous Bristol Sessions of 1927, a multi-day recording session that was one of the first to expose the sounds of Appalachian folk music to a wide national audience.

♪♪ In the summer of 1927, record producer Ralph Peer brought a mobile recording studio to Bristol and offered musicians $50 to come and record.

♪♪ 19 different ensembles answered the call, including soon-to-be superstars Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family.

And the sessions have gone down in history as the Big Bang of country music.

♪ We're taking the old road ♪ ♪ Back to the old place ♪ ♪ We're taking our time ♪ ♪ We're making time to take ♪ The last surviving participant of these legendary sessions is Bristol native Georgia Warren, now 96 years young.

I meet Miss Warren at her home to hear her stories about that day.

Little did she know at the time the two short songs she sang would become part of one of the most impactful recording sessions in American music.

How old were you when the Bristol Sessions?

I was 12 years old.

You were 12 years old?

Can I get the record and take a look at it?

Yes.

♪ Miracle ♪ So what we have here is the original 78.

You have "At the River" and "Standing on the Promises."

And this is from the 1920s, this record?

Yeah.

Do you ever play it?

Do you ever play this record?

I had a Victrola and I gave it to one of my grandsons, but I haven't heard that record in a long time.

I bet.

So I'm going to play this song on a newfangled CD player.

Alright?

So we can hear "At the River."

As you recorded it in 1927.

♪ Shall we gather at the river?

♪ ♪ Where bright angel feet have trod ♪ ♪ With its crystal tide forever ♪ ♪ Flowing by the throne of God ♪ ♪ Yes, we'll gather at the river ♪ You still remember your part, too.

You're singing your actual part of the song.

Thank you so much for letting me come and visit you today.

Really a pleasure.

♪♪ Edgar: Musicians from throughout the Appalachian region often pass through Bristol.

One of the artists I come across is Megan Jean and the KFB, a nomadic duet that spends most of the year on the road, often living out of their car, and performing foot-stomping sounds that makes for a unique and colorful musical mash-up.

[ Up-tempo music plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ These bones, these bones ♪ ♪ So far from home ♪ ♪ Mister, can you tell me the reason why I roam?

♪ These bones, these bones ♪ ♪ So far from home ♪ Edgar: How is it that you find yourselves here?

Basically, it's just very easy to play music in this region because people listen to you.

Yeah.

People down here love music so intensely.

If they're into your band, they tell their friends, they tell their families, they bring out their grandmas, and you see grandma tapping a toe.

♪ Send you postcards, postcards from the afterlife ♪ ♪ Send them postmarked, postmarked from hell ♪ ♪ Send you postcards, postcards from the afterlife ♪ ♪ Damnation, degradation, the apple fell ♪ ♪♪ For a band like this, where, you know, Appalachian music and folk music and rockabilly and country and Latin music and gypsy music and -- all kind of smushed into one 'cause we have genre ADD.

We just can't stick to it all.

But it kind of -- The unifier is the instruments.

♪ These bones, these bones ♪ ♪ So far from home ♪ ♪ Mister, can you tell me the reason why I roam?

♪ ♪ These bones, these bones ♪ ♪ So far from home ♪ ♪ Mister, can you tell me, will I be buried alone?

♪ ♪ I'll send you postcards, postcards, from the afterlife ♪ ♪ Damnation, degradation, the apple fell ♪ ♪ Oh, damnation ♪ ♪ Degradation ♪ ♪ The apple fell ♪ ♪♪ Byrne: One, two, three.

[ The Black Lillies's "Three in the Mornin'" playing ] ♪♪ ♪ Bonnie said, "Son, it's time to go home" ♪ ♪ "It's three in the mornin', and I'm closin' the doors" ♪ Edgar: The city of Bristol has embraced its musical heritage and hosts numerous concerts and events throughout the year, including the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, a festival that takes place every September and features dozens of big names and rising stars from the country and roots music scene.

During the summer, Bristol hosts a weekly concert series that takes place downtown in front of a large mural that commemorates the city's country music history.

I'm heading to the Border Bash, a summer concert series here in Bristol, Tennessee.

Or maybe it's Bristol, Virginia.

I can't really tell because the dividing line between the two states is right here in the middle of the street.

I'm in Tennessee.

No.

I'm in Virginia.

Tennessee.

Virginia.

[ Chuckling ] Tennessee.

♪ Three in morning, and I'm going home ♪ Edgar: Performing The night I'm in town is The Black Lilies.

The leader of the group is Cruz Contreras.

Edgar: How would you describe the music that you do?

Well, you know, the Americana label has come in handy.

Americana?

Yeah.

You know?

I feel like -- What is Americana?

I think present-day Americana really embodies a lot of what made rock 'n' roll and country and alt country important and powerful back in the late '60s.

It's evolving, and it does leave room for something new always.

And I think that's something we try to do with this band is, like, one foot in the past, but two feet in the future.

So, you're going to play "Little Darlin'."

Yeah.

It's a duet.

Trisha and I do together, almost like a June and Johnny back-and-forth.

♪ Hey, little darlin' ♪ ♪ Show your face to me ♪ ♪ I'll do your bidding ♪ ♪ Would you belong to me?

♪ ♪ Would you belong to me?

♪ ♪ Would you belong to me?

♪ ♪ I'm not your darling ♪ ♪ And yours I'll... ♪ Edgar: Who has better moonshine?

Virginia or Tennessee?

Tennessee.

No doubt about it.

I think you're a little biased.

I am biased.

Announcer: [ Speaking indistinctly ] Edgar: Bristol is known for more than music.

It's also home to one of the most famous NASCAR racing tracks in the country, the Bristol Motor Speedway.

I'm about to take a ride around the track in a pace car.

♪♪ How fast does a car normally go when they're doing a race here?

During a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, they're going to go about averaging 125 miles an hour.

That's amazing.

Yeah.

'Cause this is actually a much smaller track than a lot of racetracks, right?

Just over a half-mile of speedway.

♪♪ I forgot to tell you.

I don't have a driver's license.

Caldwell: [ Chuckles ] ♪♪ I think not eating lunch was the wisest thing I did today.

♪♪ I'm really tempted to, like, do a donut or burn rubber or something.

I'll resist.

Edgar: I played plenty of car video games, but there's nothing like the real experience of going around a bank at high speed and seeing the stands extending above you.

That was -- That was awesome.

Red: Hey, y'all, welcome!

[ Cheers and applause ] Welcome to the Blue Plate Special.

Here we are in beautiful downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, right here on the corner of Gay Street and Summit Hill Drive.

Today we are being joined by the Music Voyager.

Jacob Edgar is here with us.

Make him feel welcome.

[ Cheers and applause ] Edgar: Thank you.

Edgar: The host of the show is Red Hickey, a colorful personality who invites me to join her on the show.

Well, Jacob, have you ever seen anything like the Blue Plate Special?

No.

This is very unique.

It's a combination café, visitors center, live performance, and radio station.

It's amazing.

A really unique place.

♪ Well, Mary ♪ ♪ Oh, Mary, how many times I call?

♪ ♪ No, I don't want anything ♪ ♪ But to know you're there, that's all ♪ Edgar: Appearing that day on the Blue Plate Special, are local musicians Scott Miller and RB Morris.

♪ Oh, lost John brought a jug ♪ ♪ He set it on a rug ♪ ♪ We learned to moonshine, too ♪ ♪ Distillery, don't touch my still ♪ Edgar: After their sets, Scott and RB take me on a tour of Knoxville.

Morris: ♪ Distillery, don't touch my still ♪ You are in Market Square, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Alright.

And this is right in downtown.

Right.

Right.

It's beautiful.

I love the old buildings here.

And I like, too, how the businesses here, most of them are local businesses.

And it has a real nice local flavor to it.

Is there any kind of musical point of interest in this part of town?

All music.

It's all music, everywhere you go.

♪ Well, I'm out on the dance floor having a good time ♪ ♪ Dancing with the girl who is not mine ♪ ♪ Her beau gets mad, and we shake hands ♪ ♪ And leave that bar as only best friends can ♪ ♪ Ciderville, Ciderville, Ciderville Saturday night ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ciderville, Ciderville, Ciderville Saturday night ♪ ♪♪ Miller: Knoxville is a small town, so we want to take you to every every place we know somebody.

This is a cool place.

This is Yee-Haw.

This is hand-printed, you know, like hat, shirt prints.

Posters and all that old stuff.

Posters and shirts, and all that stuff they do here.

World-famous Yee-Haw.

♪ Sneak out to the car and smoke a little wood ♪ ♪ Makes the band sound better and the girls look good ♪ ♪ Just two sips from a Fort Marx jar ♪ ♪ Keeps the bass sound round and the banjo sharp ♪ ♪ Ciderville, Ciderville, Ciderville Saturday night ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ciderville, Ciderville, Ciderville Saturday night ♪ Morris: Wow.

I haven't seen that in years.

Here you go, with the naked women.

Got a lot of mileage out of that head.

Edgar: I like this quote.

This is an RB Morris quote here.

"Knoxville, Tennessee -- the Bermuda Triangle of the Appalachians."

How did you come up with that one?

This is the last place Rachmaninoff was seen alive.

Disappeared after he performed here.

And we go down the street, you'll see Hank Williams, where, the Andrew Johnson Hotel, spent his last night here.

And Bob Dylan played a show here where a huge light fell and crashed on the stage right beside him.

That could have been the end of him, and the curse would have really been in place then.

So, should I be worried?

Should I -- I think so.

Our careers are not really going anywhere.

[ Up-tempo guitar music playing ] [ Applause ] Morris: Well, Knoxville's got a wonderful history.

I mean, it's a rich history, goes way back.

I think they were always playing music here.

Chet Atkins, Roy Acuff, all those folks, Homer and Jethro, the Everly Brothers.

Just think how rich that is.

And Dolly Parton, you know -- she counts for two people.

[ Laughter ] ♪ I got an ABC store on the other side ♪ ♪ And a solid... ♪ RB Morris, tell me about our friend Scott here.

He comes from the great Commonwealth of Virginia, just like I was saying earlier, the Bermuda Triangle of the Appalachians.

Yes.

He's the greatest example.

He got sucked in the cyclone.

He came down here, and it was to our great fortune, started playing here, just built his way straight up from here to being a national, international star, one of the greatest songwriters and players to ever come around anywhere.

♪ I want to take my boots off ♪ ♪ Whew, leave 'em in the snow ♪ ♪ I'm gonna tip that bottle ♪ ♪ There ain't no more ♪ ♪ Forget my troubles forevermore ♪ Scott... Miller: Yeah?

...tell me a little bit about RB Morris and who he is.

Easy.

Poet laureate of East Tennessee, Knoxville born and bred.

This guy, founder of a lot of this scene in this town, raised me from a pup, when everything and I started here, taught me a lot of what I've learned in East Tennessee, as far as they're -- Guys like RB -- they showed me how to do it.

[ Song ends ] [ Cheers and applause ] Edgar: One group that traveled to Tennessee all the way from New Brunswick, Canada, in search of their dream to become the next big stars of Appalachian music are the bluegrass band The Roys.

♪ Well, his morning starts before the sun's out ♪ ♪ And he's lucky if he sees it rise ♪ ♪ 'Cause that deep, dark holler that he goes down ♪ ♪ To earn a dollar is dark as night ♪ ♪ Yeah he's a coal ♪ ♪ Coal ♪ ♪ Coal minin' man ♪ ♪ Coal minin' man ♪ ♪ Just like his dad ♪ ♪ Just like his dad ♪ ♪ And his dad before him ♪ ♪ And his dad before him ♪ Siblings Lee and Elaine Roy grew up listening to Appalachian music, and they represent the wide reach of the style.

You didn't grow up in Tennessee, now, did you?

No.

No.

We were born in the "Mecca of music," as I say, Fitchburg, Massachusetts.

And really, that's where our music took a hold of us.

Grandma would play fiddle, and aunts and uncles would play guitar and sing.

Yeah.

And so we were always around the music, and it was bluegrass and traditional country music.

♪ So that coal man takes out his frustrations ♪ ♪ With a stick ♪ ♪ Of good old dynamite ♪ ♪ Of good old dynamite ♪ Lee: The Appalachian mountain music -- the realism of the music up there is phenomenal.

That's the beauty of music.

I think, when it's so polished...

Right.

...it's not really real.

And to hear it just in its raw form and, you know, hear somebody just really singing something they really believe in, it's -- it's pretty amazing.

And there's, you know -- It's second to none in the Appalachians for sure.

♪ His lungs are black ♪ ♪ His lungs are black ♪ ♪ That coal mining man ♪ ♪ That coal mining man ♪ [ Song ends ] ♪♪ Edgar: You can tell that music is a part of the fabric of life here in Tennessee when even the ever-present Cracker Barrel restaurants have their own country music record label.

This guy, Jason Michael Carroll -- apparently, he was a singing waiter in the Cracker Barrel stores and was discovered and signed to the Cracker Barrel label.

So, that's pretty cool.

♪♪ ♪♪ I leave Knoxville and head Southwest to Chattanooga, driving past the rolling green hillsides of the Appalachian Mountains.

Appalachian music traces its history back to English, Irish, and Scottish immigrants that first began settling here in the 1700s.

They brought with them their folk songs, reels, and ballads, some of which remain a part of the standard country music repertoire to this day.

I'm in Chattanooga, Tennessee's fourth largest city.

I'm crossing the Tennessee River on the Walnut Street Bridge.

This city has been revitalized.

They call it the Renaissance City because it used to have a lot of industrial damage and pollution, and over the last 25 years, they've brought in incredible architects.

They've created one of the most livable cities in America.

A lot of celebrities come from here -- Samuel Jackson, Megan Fox, as well as musicians like Usher and "American Idol" runner-up Lauren Alaina.

♪♪ The city's official nickname is the "Scenic City," and there's no better place to catch the view than at Rock City, one of Chattanooga's most popular attractions.

♪ I went to see my Betsy, and, boy, she's strutting proud ♪ ♪ She lives out on the mountain ♪ ♪ There's smoke behind the clouds ♪ ♪ Hey, ho, pretty little gal all dressed up so fine ♪ ♪ I took her to Chattanoogie, and the preacher made her mine ♪ Edgar: Rock City is also a great place to catch a performance by the New Binkley Brothers.

My name's Matt Downer.

Clark Williams.

And I'm Daniel Binkley.

♪♪ ♪ Knoxville is a pretty place and Memphis is a beauty ♪ ♪ If you want to see some big old girls ♪ ♪ Hop to Chattanoogie ♪ ♪ Hey, ho, pretty little gal all dressed up so fine ♪ ♪ I took her to Chattanoogie, and the preacher made her mine ♪ Whoo-hoo!

Edgar: So, how would you describe the kind of music that you do?

What would you call it?

I'd call it old-time string-band music, probably best documented in the mid to late '20s when string bands, a lot of Atlanta, Bristol, Nashville, had recording sessions.

But a lot of people confuse it with the bluegrass music.

But bluegrass music really came around later in the '40s.

Yeah, it's an outgrowth of it.

And this would be -- Right.

This would be some of the early American music probably brought over by the Scots, Irish, even African.

♪♪ ♪ The time draws near, my dearest dear ♪ When you were singing, it was loud.

It was like... Clark: Oh, yeah.

...you could imagine that you were singing that in an unamplified space, which is probably why you had that style.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

You know?

You guys have kind of ruined my stereotype a little bit.

I picture old-time music being played by really old guys.

Maybe half their teeth are missing, you know?

But you're young, and, you know, it doesn't seem like the kind of music I would expect you to be playing.

What is it about this music that makes you gravitate towards it?

Music served a different purpose back then, and I think that's kind of the purpose it serves for us, like having fun and just getting together and playing and having good, you know?

♪♪ [ Music ends ] ♪♪ Edgar: Another fixture on the Chattanooga music scene is hammered dulcimer virtuoso Dan Landrum.

When he's not performing at Ross's Landing in front of the famed Tennessee Aquarium, Landrum is touring the world with New Age music star Yanni.

♪♪ Edgar: Now, tell me more about the instrument that you play, the hammered dulcimer.

Landrum: It's a primitive instrument in that it's something that you strike.

So, it's related to drums.

♪♪ Now, tell me about the kind of music you play, specifically the song you played today.

Remember when you were a kid and... Vaguely.

...windows rolled down all the way and you could put your arm out of the window and it's instantly an airplane?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I still do that.

Yeah.

Me too.

That's sort of what that's about.

It's like -- It's just kind of a driving, moving song.

♪♪ Now, one thing I have to ask you about because it's something that people are going to be able to connect to is Yanni.

Yes.

I know him.

Because you actually toured and performed with Yanni.

I've done six tours with him so far.

How did that come about?

How did the connection with Yanni -- I was street performing out here.

Oh, really?

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

I was right back over there.

And a guy walked up and he watched for a while and he bought a CD and he came back and said, "Look, I just got to tell you, I work for this guy, Yanni.

Do you know him?"

And I'm like, "Yeah, I make jokes about him all the time."

[ Laughs ] That's a good job Interview right there.

Yeah, that was bad.

I shouldn't have done that.

And so he bought a CD and he sent it down to Yanni and they called me for an audition and I got the gig.

♪♪ [ Music ends ] ♪♪ ♪ I know you road's been hard ♪ ♪ And your heart's been strained ♪ ♪ But, Abilene, I know you're more than just your name ♪ Edgar: If you like free live music, summer in Chattanooga is a great place to be.

Here along the banks of the Tennessee River, they have the Riverbend Festival, which is a massive festival.

They set up a main stage out in the river on a barge, and then the rest of the summer they have Riverfront Nights, which is where I am tonight.

Tonight they have a country band from Brooklyn, of all places -- Yarn -- and they've invited Dan Landrum, the dulcimer player I met earlier today, to join them.

And it was really cool to see the hammered dulcimer in that context.

[ Yarn's "Abilene" playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I wanna pull you out ♪ ♪ Lift you up ♪ ♪ Let you take a bow ♪ ♪ Just like a dream ♪ ♪ At least for me ♪ ♪ Abilene ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I heard you lost your crown ♪ ♪ A long, long time ago ♪ ♪ And now you're on these streets ♪ ♪ And looking for somewhere to go ♪ ♪ Well, you just might find ♪ ♪ You just might see ♪ ♪ You're an angel without ♪ ♪ The best of company ♪ ♪ Pull you out ♪ ♪ Lift you up ♪ ♪ Let you take a bow ♪ ♪ Just like a dream ♪ ♪ At least for me ♪ ♪ Abilene ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Abile-e-ene ♪ ♪ Oh, Abilene ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Abile-e-ene ♪ ♪ Oh, Abilene ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I know your road's been hard ♪ ♪ And your heart's been strained ♪