A look into the not-so-secret music scene just north of Nashville

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO/Gray News) – A city in Kentucky known for cars, caves and college life also features a rich and diverse musical history for those willing to dig a little deeper.

From ragtime to rock and gospel to grunge, Bowling Green’s music scene stretches back more than a century.

Kentucky Museum Director Brent Bjorkman said the city’s residents are proud of their musical history.

“Whether you’re a performer or a longtime fan, or maybe you’re new to this region. You know, we’re this close to Nashville, but we have our own musical legacy here,” he said. “We have so many people who have gone on to do great things. So much music has been recorded here. So much community.”

Throughout the years, Bowling Green has seen jazz musicians playing in places like the Shake Rag district and Lost River Cave.

In the 1950s, gospel music became a major facet of the local sound. In the 1960s and 1970s, bands like TyBarc and Buster Brown would take the stage, bringing their own unique sounds respectively.

Longtime Bowling Green Musician Dean Collier said he has seen firsthand all of the different styles of music that sprung out from the area as the decades went on.

“I’ve seen the scene go through the hair metal phase of the ’80s all the way up to modern day alternative and college rock, and now the influx of modern country and bluegrass kind of roots music, it’s always been welcomed here it seems like,” he said. “I’ve said for years that our town deserved a documentary treatment because you could go all the way back to the early turn of the century with music in this area alone and tell the story.”

Music in Bowling Green eventually saw a huge burst of mainstream energy in 2000 when Cage the Elephant gained worldwide recognition with their hit “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.”

Bands like Morning Teleportation and the Black Shades also gained recognition around the same time, and waves of musicians from across the country came to the growing musical community as they sought like-minded musicians.

“That was the influence factor of what Cage has done and what Morning Teleportation had done, and you know, even Black Stone Cherry and the Kentucky Headhunters,” Collier said. “You could go on and on and on about the ones that made it, and they brought people here as their influence made them want to come here. And instead of going to Nashville or Los Angeles or New York, they came here.”

However, the scene took a hit in recent years when the COVID pandemic swept through, forcing bands off the stage with social distancing restrictions and leading to area venues struggling to keep their doors open.

Another painful blow came to Bowling Green when Tidball’s, one of the city’s most popular venues, shuttered its doors.

“We used to play here on a regular basis, you know, we called this place home. Losing this, we lost our heart and soul as far as I’m concerned. There are still places for musicians to play, but it’s just not the same for me, and I’m sure a lot of others would agree,” Collier said.

However, the show must go on for the city’s musicians, and other venues, like Donna’s, the Spillway Bar and White Squirrel Brewery continue to allow them to do just that.

The Kentucky Museum opened an exhibit called Sonic Landscape on Sept. 8. The exhibit is dedicated to telling the story of Bowling Green’s musicians.

The exhibit will feature years-worth of artifacts, photos and memorabilia from multiple eras throughout Bowling Green’s history, offering a glimpse into the musicians who made the city their home.

“Sonic Landscape is an exhibit that’s been in the works for about 9 years. It’s based on 90+ oral interviews with musicians, record producers, recording studios, and some fans, too. One of the things this shows, too, is it validates the voices of those who live here,” Collier said.

The Kentucky Museum is open every Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

More information can be found on the museum’s website.