Country Music Quiz: Only True Fans Will Score 30/30!
Written by Rachel Bortles
Last updated · 10 min play time
As one of the south's greatest gifts to the world, country music holds a rich history filled with notable names, unique instruments, and catchy lyrics. How well do you know this influential genre? Let's find out!
Over the years, country music has transformed from the classic old-timey tunes into new rhythmic numbers that have changed the way we view the genre as a whole forever. You might already know that country music got its start with ballads, folk songs, and musical creations from foreign settlers of the Appalachian Mountains, or maybe you didn't! Get ready to be enlightened on this truly one-of-a-kind music style. Now, it's on to the quiz!
Test Your Knowledge of Country Music
Sure, you may love Carrie Underwood and Blake Shelton, but how much do you really know about the heart of country music? If you want to call yourself a true country fan, you need to be well-versed in this influential genre. Have no fear because we've put together 30 fun and fascinating questions to challenge even the most devoted country music enthusiasts. So, it's time to throw on a pair of cowboy boots and hurry on over to the quiz!
Expand Your Mind With Our Other Music Quizzes
Whether it's great rock performers of the 20th century, influential female musicians through the decades, or trailblazing icons of alternative rock - the evolution of music is endlessly fascinating, and we have a quiz for it all! Journey down the road of music history and discover what makes it the most universally captivating art form known to humankind. Now, it's time to start the quiz!
Quiz written by
Rachel BortlesHi there! I'm a writer, yoga teacher, bartender, and mother. I'm passionate about spending time outside, space exploration, anything Harry Potter, and pizza.
Country Music Trivia Quiz Questions
30 Questions · 468 Plays · No comments
Question 1
Which city is considered the "Country Music Capital of the World"?
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ALouisville
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BKnoxville
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CDenver
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DNashville
Nashville
Not only is Nashville, Tennessee the first place people think of when it comes to country music, but it's also considered by many to be the "Songwriting Capital of the World". This city is where hopeful musicians, especially country artists, turn to for their big break.
Question 2
Who is recognized as the first African American country singer?
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ADarius Rucker
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BCharley Pride
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CConway Twitty
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DMerle Haggard
Charley Pride
Charley Pride is not only recognized as the first African American country singer to experience radio success, but he also became the best-selling performer for RCA Records since Elvis Presley. On January 7, 1967, country singer Charley Pride made even bigger waves by being the first African-American singer to perform at the Grand Ole Opry.
Question 3
Country singers Buck Owens and Roy Clark hosted a variety show called _____.
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AThe Ford Show
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BLaugh-In
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CCountry Hoedown
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DHee Haw
Hee Haw
Country music stars Buck Owens and Roy Clark hosted <i>Hee Haw</i>, a variety show inspired by Rowan & Martin's <i>Laugh-In</i>. The show was known for its cornpone comedy and cast of attractive women.
Question 4
Which of the following country legends recorded two albums inside of a prison?
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AJohnny Cash
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BKris Kristofferson
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CMerle Haggard
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DWillie Nelson
Johnny Cash
In the late '60s, Johnny Cash went to Folsom and San Quentin prisons and created two of the best country albums ever recorded. While he never spent any great length of time behind bars, he was arrested 7 times and spent his time performing for other inmates.
Question 5
Who is regarded as the king of the "singing cowboys"?
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ATex Ritter
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BGene Autry
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CSmiley Burnette
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DRoy Rogers
Gene Autry
Around the 1930s and 1940s, western music gained immense popularity from its appearance in Hollywood films. Many of these films featured the king of the "singing cowboys", Gene Autry, who is also the voice behind countless classic holiday songs such as "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer", "Frosty the Snowman", "Here Comes Santa Claus", and "Up on the Housetop".
Question 6
By the end of World War II, "mountaineer" string band music began to emerge. What is the more common name for this subgenre of country music?
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ARockabilly
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BBoogie-Woogie
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CHillbilly
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DBluegrass
Bluegrass
When mandolinist, singer, and songwriter Bill Monroe joined forces with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs at the end of World War II, "mountaineer" string band music, better known as bluegrass, began to take shape. Introduced to Roy Acuff at the Grand Ole Opry, Bill Monroe would come to be known as the "Father of Bluegrass".
Question 7
What country music artist rose to fame after releasing their own version of the Bill Mack song "Blue"?
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ALeAnn Rimes
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BTrisha Yearwood
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CShania Twain
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DCarrie Underwood
LeAnn Rimes
At the tender age of 13, LeAnn Rimes became the youngest country music star by releasing her version of the Bill Mack song "Blue". Rimes was the youngest country star since Tanya Tucker in 1972.
Question 8
In what year was the first all-country radio station established?
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A1945
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B1953
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C1967
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D1973
1953
In 1953, the original KDAV was the first radio station to program exclusively country music. This radio station was established in Lubbock, Texas.
Question 9
What famous country singer is Miley Cyrusโs godmother?
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AReba McEntire
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BDolly Parton
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CEmmylou Harris
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DLoretta Lynn
Dolly Parton
That's right! The beautiful blonde singer-songwriter, Dolly Parton is the godmother of Miley Cyrus. The feisty Tennessee native holds deep roots in country music with her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, holding his own in the genre.
Question 10
Who had a number one hit in 2016 with the song โBlue Ain't Your Colorโ?
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AKeith Urban
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BBrad Paisley
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CTim McGraw
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DLuke Bryan
Keith Urban
Not only did the 2016 song โBlue Ain't Your Colorโ reach number one on the charts, but it is also regarded as Keith Urban's biggest hit to date. It's also his longest-running number one hit on the Hot Country Songs chart, spending 12 weeks in the top spot.
Question 11
Which female country singer worked with Brad Paisley on "Whiskey Lullabyโ?
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APatty Loveless
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BRhonda Vincent
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CEmmylou Harris
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DAlison Krauss
Alison Krauss
Beautiful bluegrass-country singer and musician Alison Krauss teamed up with Brad Paisley for the hit song "Whiskey Lullaby". Composed by Bill Anderson and Jon Randall, the tune reached number three on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts and won the 2005 Country Music Association Song of the Year Award.
Question 12
What musical instrument was scorned by early country musicians as being "too loud" and "not pure"?
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AHarmonica
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BDrum
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CGuitar
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DBanjo
Drum
Prior to 1935, drums were scorned as being "too loud" and "not pure" by early country musicians. However, when Western swing big band leader Bob Wills added drums to the Texas Playboys, it marked the start of a whole new sound in country music.
Question 13
The song "Little Log Cabin in the Lane" by Fiddlin' John Carson is widely considered to be the first country song featuring vocals and lyrics. In what year was this revolutionary song released?
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A1936
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B1923
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C1953
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D1944
1923
On June 14, 1923, old-time fiddler and singer, John Carson, recorded what is widely considered to be the first country song featuring vocals and lyrics. The famous song was called "Little Log Cabin in the Lane" and recorded for Okeh Records.
Question 14
In what year was the Country Music Association founded?
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A1958
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B1967
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C1945
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D1973
1958
The Country Music Association, or CMA, was founded in 1958 as a result of the heavy influence rock and roll was having on country music. Founded in Nashville, Tennessee, the CMA originally consisted of 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre.
Question 15
Who was the first female artist to win Country Music Entertainer of the Year at the CMA Awards?
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APatsy Cline
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BReba McEntire
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CDolly Parton
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DLoretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn
In 1972, Loretta Lynn made history by becoming the first woman to win Country Music Entertainer of the Year at the CMA Awards. In the first 20 years of the CMA Awards, only four women won the Entertainer of the Year a total of five times.
Question 16
Who holds the world record for the most number one hit singles over any other artist in the history of country music?
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AAlan Jackson
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BGarth Brooks
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CGeorge Strait
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DTim McGraw
George Strait
George Strait undoubtedly holds the title of having the most number-one singles. This country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer has accumulated a total of 60 number-one hits across all music charts.
Question 17
During what generation did "barn dance" shows featuring country music begin to gain popularity?
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AThird Generation (1950s to 1960s)
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BSecond Generation (1930s to 1940s)
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CFourth Generation (1970s to 1980s)
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DFifth Generation (1990s)
Second Generation (1930s to 1940s)
As radios became more prevalent during the second generation in the 1930s and 1940s, "barn dance" shows sprang into the forefront of entertainment. The shows, which featured country music and stars, started in the south and spanned as far north as Chicago, and as far west as California.
Question 18
In what decade was country music popularized in the Southern United States?
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A1910s
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B1920s
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C1930s
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D1940s
1920s
Country music as a genre made its roots in the Southern United States in the early 1920s. During the early days of music recording, country music was "introduced to the world as a Southern phenomenon".
Question 19
Who was NOT a leading practitioner behind the subgenre of country music known as the Bakersfield sound?
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AWynn Stewart
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BMerle Haggard
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CDave Dudley
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DBuck Owens
Dave Dudley
While Dave Dudley was influential in the development of trucking songs, Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and Wynn Stewart were pioneers of the Bakersfield sound. Other leading practitioners behind this subgenre were Tommy Collins and Gary Allan.
Question 20
In what year did the first female musicians record and release country songs?
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A1924
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B1918
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C1936
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D1947
1924
In April 1924, "Aunt" Samantha Bumgarner and Eva Davis made history by becoming the first female musicians to record and release country songs. The pair recorded songs for Columbia Records and "Aunt" Samantha Bumgarner also received immense praise for her astonishing work with the fiddle and banjo.
Question 21
Which of the following is NOT among the primary Western stylistic origins of country music?
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ABrown Dirt
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BRed Dirt
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CNew Mexico
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DTejano
Brown Dirt
Country music takes its roots from various genres, including the cowboy Western music styles of Red Dirt, New Mexico, Texas country, and Tejano. These stylistic origins are still prevalent in mainstream country music and helped shape an incredibly unique genre.
Question 22
_____'s music scene played a key role in creating country music's earliest recording artists.
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AAtlanta's
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BNew Orleans's
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CLouisville's
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DNorfolk's
Atlanta's
As the first generation of country music emerged, Atlanta's bustling music scene played a key role in launching some of country's earliest recording artists. Among these musical pioneers is James Gideon "Gid" Tanner, a fiddler and one of the first real stars of what would later be known as country music.
Question 23
According to Rolling Stone magazine, what is the greatest country song of all time?
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A"I Walk the Line" by Johnny Cash
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B"Crazy" by Patsy Cline
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C"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" by Hank Williams
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D"He Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jones
"I Walk the Line" by Johnny Cash
According to <i>Rolling Stone</i> magazine, "I Walk the Line" by Johnny Cash is the greatest country song of all time based on its heartfelt lyrics, austere rhythms, unique hums, and, of course, Johnny Cash's transcendent baritone. "Crazy" by Patsy Cline holds the second-place spot, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" by Hank Williams is third, and "He Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jones comes in fourth.
Question 24
Which of the following popular songs was NOT written by Dolly Parton?
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A"Dagger Through The Heart" by Sinead O'Connor
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B"My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion
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C"I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston
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D"There'll Always Be Music" by Tina Turner
"My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion
While Celine Dion's signature song "My Heart Will Go On" was written by Will Jennings, "There'll Always Be Music", "Dagger Through The Heart", and most famously, "I Will Always Love You" were all written by Dolly Parton. The bodacious blonde is responsible for countless popular songs throughout the decades.
Question 25
Who is known as the "queen of country music"?
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AKitty Wells
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BCarrie Underwood
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CLoretta Lynn
-
DDolly Parton
Kitty Wells
Ellen Muriel Deason, known best by her stage name Kitty Wells, was a pioneer of female country music singers. She broke down walls for future female country artists with her 1952 hit recording "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels".
Question 26
What famous fiddler commercially recorded the first country music songs?
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AClark Kessinger
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BBenny Thomasson
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CEck Robertson
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DEd Haley
Eck Robertson
Alexander Campbell "Eck" Robertson is recognized as a source of country music's hidden history. This American fiddler was the first to commercially record country music songs in 1922 alongside Henry Gilliland.
Question 27
Who did Natalie Maines replace in the Dixie Chicks?
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AMartie Erwin Maguire
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BLaura Lynch
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CEmily Strayer
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DKelly Clarkson
Laura Lynch
Natalie Maines replaced lead singer Laura Lynch in 1995 after leaving Berklee College of Music. Following the change in members, the talented trio achieved commercial success, earning 10 Country Music Association Awards and 13 Grammy Awards between 1998 and 2007.
Question 28
Where did Willie Nelson famously write the lyrics to his hit song "On the Road Again"?
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ABarf Bag
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BHis Pants
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CToilet Paper
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DBig Mac Wrapper
Barf Bag
In 1980, Willie Nelson was approached during a flight by the executive producer of the film <i>Honeysuckle Rose</i> and asked to write a song about life on the road as the film's theme song. Willie Nelson got to work right away, pulling out one of the complimentary barf bags from the seatback and writing the lyrics.
Question 29
Who recorded the first country song to sell one million copies?
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ACarson Robison
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BGene Austin
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CVernon Dalhart
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DAl Bernard
Vernon Dalhart
Marion Try Slaughter, better known by his stage name Vernon Dalhart, recorded "The Wreck of the Old 97", the first country song to sell one million copies.
Question 30
What Tennessee city is formally recognized as the "Birthplace of Country Music" by the U.S. Congress?
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ABaneberry
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BNashville
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CKnoxville
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DBristol
Bristol
Based on the Bristol recording sessions of 1927, it has been formally recognized by the U.S. Congress as the "Birthplace of Country Music". Additionally, it has been home to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum since 2014.
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