Bluegrass on the Crooked Road

By Amy C. Balfour

Posted April 17, 2008, at 1 p.m.

If you feel the floorboards sagging on a Friday night at the Floyd Country Store, there's no need to look for the exit. Bouncing floorboards are simply a sign that the band's on fire and the crowd is dancing its approval.

Humpback Rocks Visitors Center. Blue Ridge Parkway.
© Stephen Saks. Lonely Planet Images.

Floyd's weekly bluegrass jam is just one stop along The Crooked Road, a 253-mile driving trail through the mountains of southwest Virginia. The well-marked route celebrates the state's bluegrass heritage, connecting music venues and friendly museums with gorgeous mountain views. It also follows a truly "crooked" path, winding west from the Blue Ridge Institute & Museum in Ferrum to the Ralph Stanley Museum in distant Clintwood. Consider the four stops below for a music-filled weekend.

Floyd: Banjos and Fiddles Every Friday Night

There's only one stoplight in Floyd, Va., a sleepy little town resting in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Floyd jolts from its nap once a week for the Friday Night Jamboree when bluegrass fans gather for the Country Store's energetic lineup of bands. Keep an ear out for the shuffle-kicking flatfooters — metal taps on the bottom of their shoes amplify their boisterous dance steps.

But Floyd isn't a one-note town. Spend an hour flipping through stacks of bluegrass CDs at County Sales, a music warehouse just south of the stoplight. The store claims to have the world's largest selection of bluegrass and old-time recordings. If you're looking to buy a handcrafted fiddle or banjo, try The Pickin' Porch outside town. This friendly shop boasts an impressive, wall-covering display of locally made instruments.

Overhead of forested hills and visitors at Twenty Minute Cliff. Blue Ridge Parkway.
© Stephen Saks. Lonely Planet Images.

Before the show, grab dinner at Oddfella's Cantina for steak, fish or pasta, then cap your meal with a slice of decadent black bottom pie from nearby Blue Ridge Restaurant. But dawdling is not advised. The Country Store jam starts at 6:30 p.m., and those in the know grab the best chairs early. It's $3 for three bands. Dancing heats up around 7:30 p.m.

Galax and the Parkway: Heart of the High Lonesome Sound

Tiny Galax welcomes the music-loving masses during the annual Old Fiddlers Convention the second weekend in August. Now in its 73rd year, this bluegrass and old-time music fest lures an all-ages mix of pickers, fiddlers and dancers for friendly but heated competition. Drop a chair in front of the yellow-tented stage for fast-moving, toe-tappin' sets or stroll the camper-filled parking lot for lively impromptu jams — just look for crowds bunched tight behind somebody's truck.

The Blue Ridge Music Center and Museum, sitting a few miles outside Galax along the Blue Ridge Parkway, offers live music in a grassy outdoor amphitheater. From late April to October, the complex opens its interpretive center, which highlights the area's bluegrass past.

Bristol: Birthplace of Country Music

Bristol, which straddles the Tennessee-Virginia line, calls itself the Birthplace of Country Music. And this bold claim appears to be true. Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family and other local performers of "hillbilly music" recorded their unique sounds here during The Bristol Sessions in 1927. Their popular recordings kick-started a mountain music hot streak that still inspires country music and bluegrass performers today.

For more background on the Bristol Sessions and the area's musical heritage, visit the Mountain Music Museum inside the Bristol Mall. Exhibits include a 19th-century banjo made from groundhog skin, a gourd and sassafras, as well as informative displays about the area's mountain music legends. From May to October, catch live jams in front of the Birthplace of Country Music Mural — a bright, wall-sized tribute to these musical pioneers.

Hiltons: Homestead of the Carter Family

The Crooked Road lives up to its name as it twists from Bristol to Hiltons. Hiltons is the home of the legendary Carter Family — famous for its version of "Keep on the Sunny Side" — as well as the Carter Family Fold. Outside, the fold resembles a jumbo-sized tool shed. Inside, the spacious building seats about a thousand, but feels cozy with its stage decorated like a good friend's living room, complete with comfy couch and family portraits.

Before the popular Saturday night show, mingle with descendants of A.P., Sara and Maybelle — the original Carter Family trio. These friendly proprietors still run the snack bar, gift store and museum next door, where you'll find loads of Carter Family memorabilia. Live music's the main draw, though, with crowds arriving by the busload for the evening concert. Performers typically include Carters, local favorites or nationally recognized musicians.

Before your trip, grab "A Guide to the Crooked Road," by Joe Wilson. This 225-page guide offers a lively mix of photos, history and points of interest. Best of all? It includes two CDs sizzling with Virginia's best bluegrass.

Bio: Amy C. Balfour is the author of Lonely Planet's "Los Angeles Encounter." A native of Virginia, she can't wait to return to The Crooked Road.

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