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- 🏀 Guide to March Madness in Memphis
🏀 Guide to March Madness in Memphis
Plus Tennessee embraces AI, new breakfast restaurant opens, and more!

Good morning, Memphis! Welcome to the This is Memphis newsletter, where we share the biggest news and events of the week, like your trusted sidekick in the Bluff City.
In this week’s newsletter:
March Madness in Memphis this weekend 🏀
Tennessee becoming first state to protect musicians against AI 🎸
New breakfast restaurant opening next week 🥓
And more! Let’s get to it, y’all.
-Jonah Baer & Reuben Skahill
(oh and don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t already!)
🗞️ Stories this week
March Madness Round 1 Comes to Memphis 🏀
Bummed about the Tigers missing March Madness? Thankfully, March Madness came to us this year instead (if you need to find a silver lining).
The first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament are being played at the FedEx Forum this Friday and Sunday. Here’s the slate of games you’ll be able to see if you head downtown this weekend:
First Round Friday
Baylor vs. Colgate at 11:40 AM CDT (truTV)
Clemson vs. New Mexico at 2:10 PM CDT (truTV)
Nebraska vs. Texas A&M at 5:50 PM CDT (TNT)
Houston vs. Longwood at 8:20 PM CDT (TNT)
Second Round Sunday
Baylor/Colgate winner vs. Clemson/New Mexico winner
Nebraska/Texas A&M winner vs. Houston/Longwood winner
If you want a bar to watch March Madness, Slider Inn Downtown is hosting a watch party for the games with drink deals. And good luck on those brackets! Hopefully your bracket isn’t as busted as mine.
Tennessee becomes first state to protect musicians against AI 🎸

Country music star Luke Bryan gives a fist bump to Gov. Bill before Lee signed a bill Thursday, March 21, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. / March Humphrey/AP
Scared about AI taking your job? If you’re a Tennessee-based musician, you can sleep a bit better at night.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed off on legislation designed to protect songwriters, performers, and other music pros from the potential risks of artificial intelligence. As the first state to pass this measure, the goal is to ensure AI tools can’t replicate an artist’s voice without their consent.
For a state known for its music influence across the world, this is a huge win for the future of musicians. Learn more here.
UTHSC opening health center in Soulsville 🏥
On Tuesday, the Soulsville Foundation and Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation announced the launch of UTHSC Health Hub: Soulsville during an event at the Stax Museum. Slated to open in a temporary location this summer and a more permanent location in the fall, this new health center expands care for residents in the Soulsville Neighborhood. Learn more here.*
*need third-party subscription
📷️ Photo of the Week

📸 @deepcityvisuals | Lightning storm was CRAZY this week!
🥒 Want food for your next event?

Memphis! Spring is here! And that means it’s salad season.
Wake up your tastebuds with refreshing salads, entrees, and more. Strawberry Goat Cheese and Walnut Salad with a Citrus Vinaigrette.
Private Catering for any event. Available in trays or for individuals!
Order by email at [email protected].
Or call 901-289-2493.
Use code “SPRING901” for 25% off your order!
💰️ Small Business Spotlight
From local breakfast pop-up to new restaurant for Kinfolk 🍳

Ever tried Kinfolk’s breakfast pop-up at Comeback Coffee in the Pinch District? Well, they are now officially opening their own restaurant in Harbor Town next Wednesday, March 27. Cole Jeanes, a Memphis chef whose spent time in Hog & Hominy and P.O. Press, started working on his own a few years ago when he opened Kinfolk.
New breakfast restaurant opening in Memphis? Count me in.
*need third-party subscription
🤸 9 things to do in the 901
From auto shows and operas to March Madness and live music, check out 9 things going on in Memphis over the weekend.
Events, Theater & Comedy 🎭️
Memphis International Auto Show | Renasant Convention Center | Friday and Saturday 10 AM - 6 PM, Sunday 10 AM - 5 PM
British Invasion! Laser Beatles | Memphis Museum of Science & History | Mar. 23 @ 3:30 PM
La Calisto | Playhouse on the Square | Mar. 22 - 23 @ 7:30 PM
Sports 🏀
U of M Men’s Soccer vs. CBU | Mar. 23 @ 2 PM
U of M Softball vs. FAU | Tigers Softball Complex | Mar. 22 @ 6 PM, Mar. 23 @ 1 PM
U of M Men’s Tennis vs. Tennessee Tech | Leftwich Tennessee Center | Mar. 23 @ 1 PM
Music 🎶
Graham Winchester Record Release, with Joybomb, Turnstyles | Bar DKDC | March 22 @ 9 PM
Karaoke Fridays at “The Stack” Ft. Sherry Oke | The Haystack Cafe | Mar. 22 @ 7 PM
Memphis Symphony Orchestra Masterworks Series - Pink Floyd & The Planets | Cannon Center for the Performing Arts | Mar. 23 @ 7:30 PM
Have an event you want us to cover? Let us know!
〽️ This Week in Memphis History
In the spirit of the season, we had to share a cool piece of U of M March Madness history.
On March 19, 2009, Roburt Sallie, who only averaged 4.5 ppg during the regular season, hit 10 3-pointers (!!) and 35 points to help the No. 2 seed Tigers avoid a 1st-round upset against 15-seed Cal-State Northridge.
Sallie’s 10 3-pointers is tied for the second most 3-PT FGM in a single game in NCAA Tournament history. A Tigers legend.

Roburt Sallie saved the Tigers in the 1st Round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament | Dave Kaup / Reuters
Have a cool piece of Memphis history to share? Send it to us, and you could get included in the newsletter (with a shout-out)!
🌡️ Weather This Weekend
Get outside and enjoy that Spring weather this weekend as we approach Easter week.
Friday
66 🌡️ 44 | 🌧️ | 85%
Saturday
61 🌡️ 40 | ☀️ | 3%
Sunday
67 🌡️ 54 | ⛅️ | 3%
THANK YOU MEMPHIS!
Thanks for reading the This is Memphis newsletter today. Please share it with someone who lives and breathes March Madness.
And feel free to reply to this email with anything else you’d love to see us cover in the newsletter.
Let’s do this again next week!
This is Memphis Team
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