Booked and Unplugged celebrating first anniversary of providing a dedicated listening room environment for local musicians and audiences in Cookeville.
Booked and Unplugged host and organizer Raniece Can said the series began with eight people in a photography gallery and has since featured 42 different artists across 11 events. Can said the initiative provides a consistent singer-songwriter round in the community to eliminate the need for local performers to travel to other cities for similar opportunities.
“I felt like Cookeville deserved a space, something like the Bluebird Cafe without having to travel so far to get that quality music experience,” Can said.
Can said the series moved to Plenty Bookstore after the death of friend and former venue host Ron Baker. The transition required finding a business partner willing to host the events without charging a fee, as Can said the attendance numbers were initially unpredictable.
“It was hard to get some businesses to buy into this idea that I’ll have an indefinite number of people coming in, which could be very few,” Can said. “I was a little bit discouraged, and then I talked to Blair at Hip Cookeville and he just suggested several places and Plenty Bookstore is one that came up.”
Can said the program prioritizes paying every musician who performs despite the prevalence of unpaid songwriter rounds in the industry. The payments serve as a token of appreciation to show performers that their art is worthy of financial compensation.
“I know for myself, I would love to go to a singer-songwriter round and receive payment,” Can said. “We value you, we appreciate you, what you do is worthy of something.”
Can said the events take place on Monday nights to give residents a creative space to connect during a time when few other local activities are scheduled. The series was originally titled Singing on Spring before being rebranded.
“I want this to become a staple in the Cookeville community,” Can said. “I want it to be something that people travel from other cities to come and experience.”
Can said future growth for the series will require financial investment from sponsors and partners who believe in the local arts scene.
