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Tennessee Bill That Would Create a Live Music Fund for Indie Venues Passes State Legislature

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Tennessee Bill That Would Create a Live Music Fund for Indie Venues Passes State Legislature


A bill to create a new statewide live music fund in Tennessee has passed in the state’s Senate and House. It will now head to the desk of Governor Bill Lee, who is expected to sign it into law.

SB2508/HB2712 — composed of identical companion bills carried by Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson and House Majority Whip Johnny Garrett — was introduced as a collaboration between the Music Venue Alliance Nashville, the National Independent Venue Association and the Broadway Entertainment Association. The bill creates the structure of a live music fund that will one day provide grants to live music and performance venues, promoters and performers.

The legislation also defines elements of the live music industry in code for the first time, marking a fundamental step toward directing future support. The fund is set up to be administered by the Tennessee Entertainment Commission under the Department of Economic and Community Development. 

Though the bill does not allocate any government money to the fund during this fiscal year, it does allow it to receive donations and grants from individuals and the private sector. The opportunity for government-appropriated funds remains on the table for future years. Stakeholders will also soon come together to evaluate revenue streams flowing into similar funds in other states and determine if any opportunities exist that might be a good fit for the Tennessee fund.

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“We are truly excited by the unanimous and bipartisan support for our independent venues,” said Chris Cobb, board president of the Music Venue Alliance Nashville, in a statement. “It has become increasingly difficult to own, operate, or grow an independent venue in today’s climate, and a fund like this will be a difference maker to ensure that independent venues across Tennessee not only survive, but thrive.”

“The Live Music & Performance Venue Fund creates a massive opportunity for us to protect and preserve Tennessee’s live music industry for years to come,” said Bob Raines, executive director of the Tennessee Entertainment Commission, in a statement. “Independent venues and performers across the great state of Tennessee are the foundation of our complex and vibrant ecosystem and we know their success is directly tied to the vibrancy and growth of our communities across the state.”

While Tennessee is only the second state in the nation to define a live music and performance venue in the state cod, similar funds have been created in cities and states across the United States. Texas provided over 650 micro-grants to individual creatives in 2023 through a similar fund and also provided a grant to the historic Austin, Tex., independent venue Hole in the Wall that enabled it to secure a 20-year lease extension.

“We applaud Leader Johnson and Representative Garrett for their leadership, and thank the entire Tennessee General Assembly for their unwavering support of independent venues, promoters, and the entirelive entertainment sector in Tennessee,” Stephen Parker, executive director of the National Independent Venue Association, said in a statement. “Whether investment to bolster the fund comes from the live community, the private sector, or government, we look forward to rallying support and growing this fund in the years ahead to ensure the preservation of Tennessee’s legendary live music economy.”



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4-Star Tennessee Lineman Drawing Clemson Interest, Planning Visit

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4-Star Tennessee Lineman Drawing Clemson Interest, Planning Visit


Clemson is showing interest in this Volunteer State lineman, and the standout two-way prospect is planning a visit to Tiger Town in the near future.

Last week, new Clemson offensive line coach Matt Luke stopped by the school of Jefferson County (Dandridge, Tenn.) four-star Nic Moore, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound rising senior in the 2025 class.

“Coach Luke has called me and told me that he was interested in me as a prospect,” Moore told The Clemson Insider. “He said he apologized for being late to the game, but he just got there to Clemson, so he saw me on the board and said that he liked me. Me and him have kept in a fairly decent communication stream recently. He’s been to my school, and we’re trying to set up a visit for me to go to Clemson.”

It will mark the first trip to Clemson for Moore, who expects that visit to take place sometime toward the end of this month.

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While the Tigers are looking at Moore as an offensive lineman, he is being recruited as an O-lineman or as a D-lineman by various schools, depending on need and so forth.

Per Moore, there’s plenty that Luke and the Tigers like about him as an offensive lineman.

“They said that they like that I’m a very mobile player,” Moore said. “They said I could more than likely play three positions. They like my speed and they like my intelligence, from what I gather. They said I am a little bit undersized, but they’d rather have undersized athletes than people who are above-average height and weight who can’t move at all.”

The interest between Clemson and Moore is mutual, as he is high on Dabo Swinney’s program from what he knows about it.

“I’ve been hearing from Coach Luke, it sounds like Clemson has a very personable team and they’re really family oriented, faith oriented, and they don’t really change what they do because what they do works, and I completely respect that,” Moore said. “I feel like Clemson has a really respectable program, and Coach Swinney has obviously done a lot for the program since he’s been there. So, I like the program from what I’ve seen so far.”

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Moore currently has a couple of official visits planned to Vanderbilt and West Virginia.

Along with those schools, his offer list includes Tennessee — which offered him on Friday –as well as schools such as Indiana, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Wake Forest and Louisville.

Moore said he would ideally like to make his commitment decision in mid-July.

“With a college commitment and me going to go play football, it really has an impact on my schedule for school, whether I need to stay for a full year or I leave early for that program,” he said. “So, I think the best time would probably be around maybe July 15th-ish. But obviously I can’t force anything to happen, so I’m just going to play it by ear until then.”

An offer from Clemson, should Moore receive one moving forward, would figure to have a significant impact on his recruitment.

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“I would be very blessed and thankful for an offer from Clemson,” he said. “Clemson has a great program and they’d probably be on the top end of the programs that have been recruiting me so far. With all the things that I mentioned earlier about them being a very personable team and a great team, family oriented, and they’re not too far away from where I live – I think it would mean a lot and it would be a pretty big consideration in the game for me.”

–Photo courtesy of Nic Moore on X (@nica48188)

A limited number of signed footballs from Clemson’s 2022 class are still available.  Get yours while supplies last!  Visit Clemson Variety & Frame or purchase online! 



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Tennessee baseball live score updates vs Vanderbilt: Vols face Commodores in SEC series

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Tennessee baseball live score updates vs Vanderbilt: Vols face Commodores in SEC series


Tennessee baseball is trying to score its third straight sweep against in-state rival Vanderbilt.

The No. 1 Vols (40-9, 17-7 SEC) face the Commodores (33-16, 11-13) in a weekend series starting Friday at Vanderbilt’s Hawkins Field.

Tennessee has won seven straight games against Vanderbilt, a streak that dates back to the first game of the series in Nashville in 2022. The Vols swept that weekend before beating Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament then sweeping it again in 2023.

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Vols coach Tony Vitello has a 10-6 record against the Commodores.

MORE: Watch Tennessee baseball live vs Vanderbilt with Fubo (free trial)

What channel is Tennessee baseball vs. Vanderbilt on today?

Streaming: Friday, SEC Network+

TV: Saturday on SEC Network, Sunday on ESPN2 (Watch on Fubo)

Tennessee baseball vs. Vanderbilt start times

  • Friday, May 10: 7 p.m. ET
  • Saturday, May 11: 3 p.m. ET
  • Sunday, May 12: 3 p.m. ET

Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt probable pitchers

  • Game 1: Tennessee’s Chris Stamos vs. Vanderbilt’s Bryce Cunningham
  • Game 2: Tennessee’s Drew Beam vs. Vanderbilt’s Carter Holton
  • Game 3: Tennessee’s Zander Sechrist vs. TBA

Tennessee baseball live score updates vs Vanderbilt

Tennessee baseball schedule 2024

Tennessee baseball’s next five games after the series:

  • Tuesday, May 14: vs. Belmont, 5 p.m. (SEC Network+)
  • Thursday, May 16: vs. South Carolina, 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network+)
  • Friday, May 17: vs. South Carolina, 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network+)
  • Saturday, May 18: vs. South Carolina, 1 p.m. (SEC Network+)
  • Wednesday, May 22: vs. TBD at SEC Tournament

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

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Analyst Proposes Titans, Steelers Trade

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Analyst Proposes Titans, Steelers Trade


The Tennessee Titans added Tyler Boyd to their wide receiver room, making the group even stronger after already signing Calvin Ridley earlier in free agency. Now, the question is what will they do with Treylon Burks?

The team has held strong that the third-year wideout is going to carve out a place for himself within the offense. That being said, not everyone is convinced Burks sticks around for longer than this offseason, likely finding a new home via trade.

FanSided’s John Buhler predicts that trade will happen with the Pittsburgh Steelers. And he predicts it’s in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round draft pick.

“This trade is just about perfect when it comes to overall compensation. There is only like a $3,000 difference in assets changing hands. For Pittsburgh, they get a once-promising wide receiver on the cheap, while the Titans get another bite at the apple after squandering their first-round pick two springs ago. If Burks was drafted to be in an offense akin to what Smith runs, put him on Smith’s team,” Buhler writes.

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The Titans have been linked to the Steelers for a trade with Burks throughout the offseason. Pittsburgh needs a wideout next to George Pickens and Tennessee seems to have an abundance of them.

So, maybe a fourth-round pick is a decent exchange for the former first-round pick.

Make sure you bookmark All Titans for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!



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