This week marks the 88th anniversary of the Bristol Sessions, the historic week and a half at the border of Tennessee and Virginia in a town called Bristol which launched the careers of two of country music's most influential artists: the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers. Often referred to as the "Big Bang" of country music, the time between July 25 and August 5, 1927 brought Victor Talking Machine Company producer Ralph Peer to the rural Appalachian region to seek out blues, ragtime, gospel, ballads, topical songs, and string bands. Though he had embarked on such missions before, Peer struck "gold" and changed the course of music forever with the discovery of Jimmie Rodgers and A.P., Sara, and Maybelle Carter.

On August 1 and August 2, after traveling from Maces Springs to Bristol, the Carters recorded "Wandering Boy," "Poor Orphan Child," "The Storms Are On the Ocean," and "Single Girl, Married Girl," all released later that year. By 1931, the Carters had sold 300,000 records-- only the beginning of a remarkable country music dynasty.

On August 4,  Jimmie Rodgers recorded two songs with Peer: “Sleep, Baby, Sleep” and “The Soldier’s Sweetheart.” For the recordings, he received $100 (approximately $1300, adjusted for inflation). Victor released the record on October 7, 1927. It achieved "modest" success. In November, he recorded again with Peer, this time in Camden, NJ, and laid down four songs, one of which was "T For Texas," released as "Blue Yodel." This song propelled Rodgers to stardom, selling half a million copies. His career was cut regrettably short by his death from tuberculosis in 1933.

Though Atlanta had hosted the historic Okeh recordings of John Carson, along with many other notable country music sessions before Peer's twelve days in Bristol, the Bristol sessions launched the careers of what were to become two of the biggest acts in country music history. The Bristol Sessions also resulted in notable recordings from Alfred Karnes, Blind Alfred Reed, Norm Edmonds, and the Shelor Family.

Below, the recording of the first Carter Family record, released by Victor on November 4, 1927. The other side held "The Wandering Boy." The second video is Rodgers' first release from Bristol, "The Soldier's Sweetheart." The third holds another fantastic, though less famous, Bristol recording from Blind Alfred Reed, "I Mean To Live For Jesus."