This town - where the Virginia-Tennessee state line runs right down the main street - bills itself as "the birthplace of country music" thanks to the recording sessions which took place here in the summer of 1927 - hailed as the "Big Bang" of country. The Birthplace of Country Music Museum lays it all out for you, with exhibits, displays, and live performances. In addition to that, there are several great live-music venues, and the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is a three-day festival held in September.

Bristol can also serve as starting point for following the aptly named Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail, a 330-mile winding driving route through 19 counties and more than 50 towns, and covering more than 60 affiliated music venues and festivals. Along the way, visitors are introduced to sounds that have been kept alive over generations in living rooms and on porches, as well as clogging and “flat footing,” dances that often form part of the percussion for the local tunes. Whatever your musical preferences, you’re likely to find places to enjoy them away from the better known cities and stages; the crowds will be smaller - and who knows, perhaps you’ll discover the next star who will make it big. 

Read more about this and other similarly musical destinations in Tripatini member Victor Block's post  9 U.S. Towns and Cities with Big Music Chops.