The Southern Dozen are twelve rides based in Johnson City that travel all around the region.
Each one is an adventure in itself that will take you through winding curves, breath taking natural scenery, historic landmarks, local points of interest, and fun attractions. Whether you feel like exploring caves, seeing wolves, touring historic sites, leaning into heart-pounding curves or just taking in the views, you’ll find a ride that’s exactly what you’re looking for.

This is part 5, called Music to Your Ears and takes us to the the roots of Country Music.

The ride is officially 88 miles round-trip from Johnson City to Bristol and mainly Highway. To make the ride more interesting we will ride via country roads back to Johnson City and visit some interesting sites.

Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia are famous for their music. Bristol as the home of the legendary Carter Family and the Birthplace of Country Music, this area laid the foundation for America’s modern music scene. See the Burger Bar, where Hank Williams was last seen alive, visit the auditorium that June Carter and Johnny Cash called home, and see where the first “country” recordings were made in 1927.

In Bristol you can visit
RP4 Bristol Motor speedway
RP7 Birthplace of Country Music Way
RP10 Have lunch at the Original Burger Bar located in downtown Bristol, a classic diner since 1942. Famously known as the last place Hank Williams, Sr. was seen alive. Serving only the freshest, juiciest burgers available.

The ride continues over scenic roads to the The Carter Family Memorial Music Center (RP14), a non-profit organization, serves fans and supporters of old-time country and folk music through the presentation of weekly performances at the Carter Family Fold. It also honors the memory of the first family of country music, the legendary Carter Family.

We continue our trip and will pass small villages like Weber City, Fort Blackmore and Clinchport before we reach Kingsport (RP17), where you'll have the opportunity to stop for a break in one of the many restaurants and bars.

Downtown Kingsport you can visit the The Mountain Music Museum (RP20), with exhibits from legends as Ernie Ford, Dr. Ralph Stanley, Flatt and Scruggs, Archie Campbell, The Carter Family and more, there’s no end to the musical treasures to be uncovered. The Mountain Music Museum is also home to the long running Pickin’ Porch Show.
Next door you can visit the Hook and Ladder Moonshine Distillery Shop. Founded by Drew Draper and his father Kenneth Draper, a decorated Senior Captain for Kingsport Fire Station One, they intended to honor firefighters all across the country. Exposed brick walls adorned with firefighting memorabilia honor those who have served, and consist well with the urban vibe of the downtown area.
Utilizing an old, thumper-style still, father and son are proudly producing a high proof moonshine with quality mash and a superior taste. Offering free samples to visitors, as well as a wide range of merchandise. Explore the flavors now and then come by for a taste of real Tennessee moonshine.

From Kingsport we continue our trip back to Johnson City, we will ride through the Warriors Path State Park.

I rate this route with 4 stars, because of the nice scenic roads and interesting sight seeing options along the route.

Useful links:
Source of the Music to your Ears
Promotional Video of the Music to your Ears
RP4 Bristol Motor speedway
RP7 Birthplace of Country Music Way
RP20 Hook and Ladder Moonshine Distillery Shop

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René Plücken (RouteXpert)

Tennessee

Tennessee ( (listen), locally ; Cherokee: ᏔᎾᏏ, romanized: Tanasi) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th largest and the 16th most populous of the 50 United States. Tennessee is bordered by eight states, with Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina to the east, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to the south, Arkansas to the west, and Missouri to the northwest. The Appalachian Mountains dominate the eastern part of the state, and the Mississippi River forms the state's western border. Nashville is the state's capital and largest city, with a 2017 population of 667,560 and a 2017 metro population of 1,903,045. Tennessee's second largest city is Memphis, which had a population of 652,236 in 2017.The state of Tennessee is rooted in the Watauga Association, a 1772 frontier pact generally regarded as the first constitutional government west of the Appalachians. What is now Tennessee was initially part of North Carolina, and later part of the Southwest Territory. Tennessee was admitted to the Union as the 16th state on June 1, 1796. Tennessee was the last state to leave the Union and join the Confederacy at the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861. Occupied by Union forces from 1862, it was the first state to be readmitted to the Union at the end of the war.Tennessee furnished more soldiers for the Confederate Army than any other state besides Virginia, and more soldiers for the Union Army than the rest of the Confederacy combined. Beginning during Reconstruction, it had competitive party politics, but a Democratic takeover in the late 1880s resulted in passage of disenfranchisement laws that excluded most blacks and many poor whites from voting. This sharply reduced competition in politics in the state until after passage of civil rights legislation in the mid-20th century. In the 20th century, Tennessee transitioned from an agrarian economy to a more diversified economy, aided by massive federal investment in the Tennessee Valley Authority and, in the early 1940s, the city of Oak Ridge. This city was established to house the Manhattan Project's uranium enrichment facilities, helping to build the world's first atomic bombs, two of which were dropped on Imperial Japan near the end of World War II. After the war, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory became a key center for nuclear research. In 2016, the element tennessine was named for the state.Tennessee's major industries include agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism. Poultry, soybeans, and cattle are the state's primary agricultural products, and major manufacturing exports include chemicals, transportation equipment, and electrical equipment. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the nation's most visited national park, is headquartered in the eastern part of the state, and a section of the Appalachian Trail roughly follows the Tennessee-North Carolina border. Other major tourist attractions include the Tennessee Aquarium and Chattanooga Choo-Choo Hotel in Chattanooga; Dollywood in Pigeon Forge; Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies and Ober Gatlinburg in Gatlinburg; the Parthenon, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and Ryman Auditorium in Nashville; the Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg; Elvis Presley's Graceland residence and tomb, the Memphis Zoo, the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis; and Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol.

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