MTSU’s Tennessee Miller Coliseum was the set for country music legend Reba McEntire and rising artist Cody Johnson’s new music video that debuted in early December for their single “Dear Rodeo,” a production supported by university students and alumni.
“I knew that once they (McEntire’s team) saw the Tennessee Miller Coliseum that they would fall in love with it, and that it would be their choice,” said Beverly Keel, dean of the university’s College of Media and Entertainment.
“I am so super appreciative of the university allowing us to be here,” said the video’s producer, MTSU alumna Christen Pinkston. “They’ve been so accommodating, and it’s been really nice to see students and people excited about a video and an opportunity.
Shooting the video at her alma mater was “really a full circle moment,” she added.
The video is set after the rodeo ends. Pinkston searched online for rodeo arenas in the area, and when she came across Miller Coliseum off West Thompson Lane in north Murfreesboro, she realized “it’s part of MTSU…. It was really cool to come to that realization.”
Shane Tarleton, senior vice president of artist development at Warner Music Group, then reached out to MTSU’s Keel on Sept. 10 about the project.
“Within 30 minutes,” said Keel, “I was able to tell Shane we could make it happen. It emphasizes the teamwork and collaboration of MTSU.”
Within minutes, multiple campus teams came together right away to help make it a reality, including Division of Marketing and Communications, the Media and Entertainment and Liberal Arts colleges, Production Services and the staff that manages the coliseum, which is about six miles away from the main campus.
Including students came up in conversation “right away,” Keel said. “That’s our main goal always.”
To read more about the shoot, please click here.
Thank you to MTSU News and Media Relations
The Leading Edge 