MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — A local restaurant, a longtime Murfreesboro tradition and Middle Tennessee State University’s talented student musicians are coming together to give students a chance to experience what it is like to perform in a professional setting.

“MTSU Rhythm: Live & Local at Puckett’s” brings students from MTSU’s Department of Recording Industry and the School of Music to the stage at Puckett’s Restaurant at 114 N. Church St. in downtown Murfreesboro once a month during the academic semester, giving students opportunities to perform for the public, gain real-world experience and connect with the local music community.

MTSU students, faculty, staff, families and community members are invited to the upcoming performances, which are free, and run from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

The fall lineup includes:

• Sept. 22: MTSU String Band, featuring artists Daniel Rothwell, Coby Castle, Carson Deans and Carter Ishmael
• Oct. 20: MT Songwriters
• Nov. 3: MTSU Match Records
• Dec. 1: MTSU School of Music

The series also gives students hands-on experience beyond performing. MTSU students are involved in running sound and other aspects of producing the live shows, creating opportunities for students across MTSU’s entertainment-related programs to work together in a professional environment.

“Performing is a developed skill in the same way that learning an instrument is,” said Bess Rogers, a professor in the Department of Recording Industry. “No amount of class prep or rehearsal will give students the same experience as being live in front of an audience of strangers, with the pressure on and adrenaline pumping.”

Rogers said the partnership provides students with a supportive environment to develop those skills while also bringing together students from the School of Music and recording industry program.

“In the real world, there is so much overlap between commercial music, classical and jazz,” Rogers said. “This series has been the first time that Recording Industry and the School of Music have been able to showcase their talent in a united setting. That alone encourages collaboration, connection and friendship between all of our students, who will eventually be working toward a common goal after graduation.”

The partnership also gives students a chance to become part of the local music community while they are still in college.

“Successful music careers often start within one’s own community,” Rogers said. “Students need to build a strong foundation with local venues and fellow musicians so that they can steadily branch out and grow their audience and network regionally, and eventually nationally.”

For Puckett’s, the series is a natural extension of the restaurant’s connection to MTSU and its history of supporting emerging musicians.

“Puckett’s Murfreesboro exists because our founders, Andy and Jan Marshall, and I are MTSU alumni,” said Claire Crowell, CEO of Puckett’s. “We were so impacted by our respective experiences at MTSU and in Murfreesboro that we knew we wanted to be a part of the community if the opportunity presented itself.”

Puckett’s Murfreesboro will celebrate its 10th anniversary on the Murfreesboro Public Square in February 2027. Music has long been part of the restaurant’s identity, with Puckett’s stages providing opportunities for developing and established artists.

The restaurant has hosted artists including Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson and Chris Janson before their careers reached national prominence.

“We believe in being a gathering place for the community — to talk, to share a meal, to listen to great music and to have fun,” Crowell said. “Who knows where the next star will come from? Maybe it’ll be an MTSU student.”

Crowell said Puckett’s hopes the series will provide students with a supportive place to develop their skills while strengthening the restaurant’s relationship with MTSU and the broader Murfreesboro community.

The partnership also includes a benefit for MTSU students. Puckett’s offers 20% off to MTSU students with a valid student ID, all day, every day. The discount does not apply to alcohol, Blue Raider Happy Hour items or in combination with other discounts.

“We remember what it’s like to be a college student,” Crowell said. “You can only eat so much Ramen noodles! Hopefully, this will give them a place for a home-cooked meal at a price they can afford.”

The series provides another opportunity for MTSU students to experience Murfreesboro not only as a place to attend college but also as a community where they can build professional relationships and begin establishing themselves as working musicians and music-industry professionals.

“Puckett’s has long been a respected hub for local songwriters, both developing and established,” Rogers said. “Our partnership with them offers our students an important stepping stone.”

— Stacey Tadlock ([email protected])