Joe Morrell was a musician, an accomplished businessman, the former owner of WOPI
radio station, and the owner of the Grand Guitar Music Museum on I-81. As a young
man, he played professionally with country music bands across New England, and his
performances with Curly King became regionally popular on the Farm and Fun Time radio
program in the 1950s. Music was an important part of Joe's life, and he continued
to play steel guitar into his retirement with his band, Blue Country.
In 1960, Joe founded Morrell Music, a family business that continues to bring music
into the lives of area residents to this day. His reputation for fair business practices
made him locally popular and eventually enabled him to expand his business to include
the Joe Morrell Music Distributing Co., which supplies musical products to other retailers
across the nation.
In the 1980s, Morrell designed and built the Bristol landmark the "Grand Guitar,"
off of Interstate 81. The structure, 70 feet long and three stories tall, has been
featured in newspapers and magazines worldwide. It houses a country music museum and
the weekend operations of the historic WOPI radio station. He opened the museum to
the public and did not charge admission in order to ensure his love of music and history
could be shared regardless of financial situations.
Joe Morrell loved the Bristol area and country music. The Joe Morrell Scholarship
was established by his friends and family in honor of his memory and to continue his
legacy as a patron of the arts in East Tennessee.
