Bristol, VA/TN -- The Birthplace of Country Music (BCM) is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with Eastman Credit Union (ECU) that will help fund the Radio Bristol Presents: Farm & Fun Time show over the next five years.
"Eastman Credit Union has been a great community partner to BCM over the years, and we are very grateful for their support and generosity." said Leah Ross, Executive Director of BCM. "Their commitment to sponsor Radio Bristol's Farm & Fun Time helps us create a quality program that ensures the show's success for years to come. It also helps us further our mission of outreach in preserving the rich music heritage of our region."
ECU presented a check in the amount of $100,000 to the Birthplace of Country Music during a special announcement at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum just prior to the Radio Bristol Presents: Farm & Fun Time live show on Tuesday evening. ECU will be the presenting sponsor for Farm & Fun Time, committing $20,000 annually over the next five years.
"Eastman Credit Union is delighted to support the Birthplace of Country Music and Radio Bristol's Farm & Fun Time show," said Olan O. Jones, President and CEO of Eastman Credit Union. "For more than 80 years, ECU has served local families, preserving our foundations of extraordinary service and constantly seeking new opportunities to better serve our members. That's why it's an honor and privilege to assist BCM in preserving the local heritage that makes this region great and combining that with forward thinking that supports economic growth and drives tourism."
Radio Bristol Presents: Farm & Fun Time is a revival of WCYB radio's Farm & Fun Time show which broadcast live from a studio inside the General Shelby Hotel in downtown Bristol. In the 1940s and the 1950s, Farm & Fun Time was an important program in the history of early bluegrass music and helped to establish the careers of legendary performers including Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, the Stanley Brothers, the Osborne Brothers, Jim and Jesse McReynolds, Mac Wiseman, The Sauceman Brothers, and Curly King & The Tennessee Hilltoppers.
Radio Bristol Presents: Farm & Fun Time live radio show was introduced to audiences during the Grand Opening of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in August of 2014. Performed and recorded before a live audience, the one-hour variety show was co-hosted by WCYB broadcasting veteran Johnny Wood and featured legendary Farm & Fun Time alumni Dr. Ralph Stanley and Jesse McReynolds. During the show, McReynolds wielded an antique fiddle that was originally played during the 1927 Bristol Sessions. One year later, WBCM Radio Bristol signed on to the airwaves from the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. Tuesday evening's program was the first Radio Bristol Farm & Fun Time production to broadcast live on the air.
In keeping with the tradition of the original, Radio Bristol Presents: Farm & Fun Time featured lively performances by renowned old-time act The Foghorn Stringband, Corbin Hayslett, and Bill & the Belles. Hosted by Radio Bristol's producer Kris Truelson, the one-hour program featured segments including "The ASD Farm Report." In cooperation with Appalachian Sustainable Development, "The ASD Farm Report" segment will continue in future shows, and will focus on music, family, food and farming in the region.
Radio Bristol Presents: Farm & Fun Time will broadcast live before a studio audience monthly on WBCM Radio Bristol 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, online at www.BirthplaceofCountryMusic.org, and through the station's free mobile app.
Radio Bristol is a network of channels that showcase the diversity of American roots music from the early recordings era to today. Reaching the world through their online media center, Radio Bristol produces original programming through recordings and live sessions from the Birthplace of Country Music Museum and the Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee region. Radio Bristol broadcasts at 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, online at www.BirthplaceofCountryMusic.org, and through the station's free mobile app.
Founded in 1934, ECU is a not-for-profit, financial services cooperative with over $3.2 billion in assets. With over 170,000 members worldwide and more than 600 employees, ECU operates 24 branch offices and more than 70 ATMs, and provides access to over 55,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide via the Allpoint network. ECU serves those who live, work, worship, attend school, or own a business in most of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, as well as a portion of Texas. For additional information about ECU, visit www.ecu.org or call 1-800-999-2328.