His teachers include Michael Daugherty, William Bolcom, Bright Sheng, Will Averitt, and Thomas Albert.
The September 11th tribute This Mourning—one of his most notable works—was commissioned by the Washington Chorus and is scored for 250 singers, full orchestra and a consort of 40 crystal glasses.
This premiere took place at the main stage of the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. in late November 2006.
Puckett also served a term as the composer-in-residence for the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras.
It received wildly mixed reviews ranging from raves, such as from Parterre Box, to pans, such as in the Wall Street Journal.