music
Ralph Blizard Museum
Long-bow fiddler · NEA National Heritage Fellow · old-time Appalachian music
Blountville, Tennessee
- City
- Blountville
- Cell signal
- moderate signal
- Admission
- Free admission
Housed in Blountville's 18th-century Anderson Townhouse, the Ralph Blizard Museum honors Tri-Cities native and Hall of Fame fiddler Ralph Blizard (1918–2004). On display are Blizard's personal belongings, his workbench and soundproofed fiddle-tuning chamber, and notepads from his lifelong research into long-bow technique. The museum is the headquarters of the Traditional Appalachian Musical Heritage Association, Friday-night old-time jam sessions are free and open to the public.
Blizard played WOPI 'Voice of Appalachia' radio by age 14, founded The New Southern Ramblers in 1982, received the NEA National Heritage Fellowship in 2002, and co-founded TAMHA the same year. He remains one of the most influential interpreters of long-bow Appalachian fiddle.
Visit Info
fri: Open for jam sessions (free, public)
Open by appointment outside Friday jams. Call Historic Sullivan for tours.
Anderson Townhouse, Main St, Blountville, TN 37617
Parking: Free street parking in Blountville Historic District.
Visitor Tips
- ›Friday-night jams are the best way to experience the museum
- ›Bring an instrument if you play
- ›Pair with a walk through the Blountville Historic District
Stay near this stop
Turn this into an overnight trip.
These places to stay are closest to Ralph Blizard Museum. Use them as your base, then add nearby food, trails, and events.
Featured in Routes
What to know before you go
- Access
- Historic 18th-century structure; some steps. Call ahead for accommodations.
- Parking
- Free street parking in Blountville Historic District.
- Cell signal
- Moderate cell signal — main areas covered, expect dead spots
- Tips
- Friday-night jams are the best way to experience the museum
- Bring an instrument if you play
- Pair with a walk through the Blountville Historic District
Pair this with
Pair Ralph Blizard Museum with Old Deery Inn, Sullivan County Courthouse, and Ron Ramsey Regional Agriculture Center.
Within 6 miles, you can chain these into a half-day without driving back.
Verified by us
Verified 2026-05-21 · next review 2026-08-19