David "Skull" Schulman was an outlaw in a world of musical outlaws. Friends with Elvis, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, Skull was constantly getting arrested in his early days for overseeing illegal gambling, drinking and nudity in the Rainbow Room.

David "Skull" Schulman was an outlaw in a world of musical outlaws. Friends with Elvis, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, Skull was constantly getting arrested in his early days for overseeing illegal gambling, drinking and nudity in the Rainbow Room.

"Murder on Music Row" is a podcast produced by The Tennessean, which is part of the USA Today Network. It is a deep-dive narrative that covers one case per season, and includes murder, music and nostalgia from police investigations in Nashville, TN.

Season 1 focused on the execution-style 1989 murder of Cash Box Magazine chart director Kevin Hughes. 

Season 2: "The Skull at the End of the Rainbow" focuses on the life and 1998 murder of Nashville icon David "Skull" Schulman, who owned and operated Skull's Rainbow Room for 50 years. 

For an exclusive, eight-part companion narrative series, become a Tennessean subscriber. For more from season 1, go to Tennessean.com/murderonmusicrow.

For season 2 extras, click here.

"Murder on Music Row" is a podcast produced by The Tennessean, which is part of the USA Today Network. It is a deep-dive narrative that covers one case per season, and includes murder, music and nostalgia from police investigations in Nashville, TN.
Season 1 focused on the execution-style 1989 murder of Cash Box Magazine chart director Kevin Hughes.&nbsp;
Season 2: "The Skull at the End of the Rainbow" focuses on the life and 1998 murder of Nashville icon David "Skull" Schulman, who owned and operated Skull's Rainbow Room for 50 years.&nbsp;
For an exclusive, eight-part companion narrative series, become a Tennessean subscriber. For more from season 1, go to <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2024/05/21/murder-on-music-row-nashville-kevin-hughes-podcast/72898249007/">Tennessean.com/murderonmusicrow</a>.
For season 2 extras, <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2025/10/07/nashville-skull-rainbow-room-skull-schulman-murder/83275964007/">click here</a>.

Murder on Music Row from The Tennessean

This deep-dive, 8-part true-crime podcast is investigated and written by Tennessean reporter Keith Sharon. It focuses on the 1989 murder of country music chart director Kevin Hughes, who tried to operate with integrity in a business full of sharks and criminals. The podcast features never-before published reporting of details of the crime that not only defines Nashville of the 1980s and 1990s, but also shines light on a singer and one-time suspect who has demanded an apology from a detective who refuses to give him one.

Episode 1 is available now. Episodes 2-8 debut exclusively for Tennessean subscribers. For more, go to Tennessean.com/murderonmusicrow.

This deep-dive, 8-part true-crime podcast is investigated and written by Tennessean reporter Keith Sharon. It focuses on the 1989 murder of country music chart director Kevin Hughes, who tried to operate with integrity in a business full of sharks and criminals. The podcast features never-before published reporting of details of the crime that not only defines Nashville of the 1980s and 1990s, but also shines light on a singer and one-time suspect who has demanded an apology from a detective who refuses to give him one.
Episode 1 is available now. Episodes 2-8 debut exclusively for Tennessean subscribers. For more, go to Tennessean.com/murderonmusicrow.

Advertisement