J.INTINTOLI
With nearly 4 billion career streams, over 13 million singles sold, and a membership induction into the Grand Ole Opry, multiplatinum country music artist Chris Young has found tremendous success in his career.
And for Young, success is accompanied by opportunities to give back to those who helped him get where he is today. In support of his beloved alma mater, Young has not only lent his name, but has donated $50,000 to open a new live entertainment venue on the Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) campus.
The Chris Young Café is located in a standalone dining building surrounded by residence halls, and will serve as a teaching and practice space for student performers and technicians during the day. By night, the space will transform into a performance venue for everything from music and comedy performances to broadcasts and other entertainment.
“I look back on the time that I spent at MTSU and I loved it so much,” says Young. “I wanted somebody to have that same experience; and being able to give back in a small way like this and creating a space for everybody to hang out, practice their craft, and talk about songwriting —like I did when I was there—I think is an awesome thing. I’m glad they let me do it.”
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Formerly known as the Cyber Café, the newly renovated Chris Young Café boasts 3,200 square feet of community and dining space with two raised platform stages. Featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the space with gorgeous natural light, the venue is an on-campus beacon of community and creativity.
“I think anybody who gets a chance to see it will be able to tell pretty quick that it’s a little bit different from the other stuff on the campus,” Young says. “I wanted it to have a cool atmosphere and a cool vibe to it—to make it welcoming and a spot [students] hopefully make their own.”
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Since attending MTSU in 2005, Young has stayed true to his Murfreesboro roots. He has funded an annual scholarship for recording industry students since 2017, and even donated a selection of his touring equipment in 2012. He cherishes his time spent at MTSU and continues to see the parallels between his time there and his career growth.
“I definitely spent a lot of time there honing my songwriting craft. Even being from Murfreesboro, growing up there, and getting a chance to go to school there was important to me. My mom went there and it was somewhere I remember driving past all the time growing up,” says Young. “I think you definitely see those strings of connections that I got to make while I was there.”
A space for live student performances and audio training opportunities under the name of a global ambassador for country music is nothing short of inspiring for students hoping to follow in Young’s footsteps. And when it comes to words of wisdom, Young encourages students to utilize the space while soaking up every opportunity possible.
“Whether it’s from a songwriting perspective or from their recording industry program that they have there, there are so many different people you’ll meet which hopefully you’ll be working alongside for a long time in the music industry,” Young says. “It definitely had an impact on my career.”