This is the second part of a two-part mini-season focusing on some of the issues raised in "Murder on Music Row Season 2: The Skull at the End of the Rainbow." In this episode we look at some of noteworthy murder cases investigated by Nashville detective E.J. Bernard, including the one that ended with him retiring in disgrace. 

This is the second part of a two-part mini-season focusing on some of the issues raised in "Murder on Music Row Season 2: The Skull at the End of the Rainbow." In this episode we look at some of noteworthy murder cases investigated by Nashville detective E.J. Bernard, including the one that ended with him retiring in disgrace.&nbsp;

Good Cop, Bad Cop Part 2

This special two-part mini-season focuses on some of the issues raised in "Murder on Music Row Season 2: The Skull at the End of the Rainbow." We do a deep dive into the career of Nashville detective E.J. Bernard, who has been accused of coercing and beating a witness in the David "Skull" Schulman murder case. This is part one of "Good Cop, Bad Cop."

This special two-part mini-season focuses on some of the issues raised in "Murder on Music Row Season 2: The Skull at the End of the Rainbow." We do a deep dive into the career of Nashville detective E.J. Bernard, who has been accused of coercing and beating a witness in the David "Skull" Schulman murder case. This is part one of "Good Cop, Bad Cop."

Good Cop, Bad Cop Part 1

In this bonus episode you'll hear the latest development. We got a call from Jason Pence, the star witness who testified he saw a teenager kill David “Skull” Schulman.

In this bonus episode you'll hear the latest development. We got a call from Jason Pence, the star witness who testified he saw a teenager kill David &ldquo;Skull&rdquo; Schulman.

Bonus Episode: Witness says he’s sorry

How strong can the case be when the prosecutor says he thought his side was going to lose? In the murder of David "Skull" Schulman, the prosecution pinned the crime on a 17-year-old homeless drifter. Will the Tennessee Innocence Project get involved?

How strong can the case be when the prosecutor says he thought his side was going to lose? In the murder of David "Skull" Schulman, the prosecution pinned the crime on a 17-year-old homeless drifter. Will the Tennessee Innocence Project get involved?

Episode 8: What is Truth

As the investigation into the murder of David "Skull" Schulman began to focus on one suspect, a Nashville detective flew to California to interview a teenager who had been arrested in San Francisco on drug charges. Could this be the guy they were looking for? The new suspect said he didn't do it, and there was no physical evidence connecting him to the crime scene.

As the investigation into the murder of David "Skull" Schulman began to focus on one suspect, a Nashville detective flew to California to interview a teenager who had been arrested in San Francisco on drug charges. Could this be the guy they were looking for? The new suspect said he didn't do it, and there was no physical evidence connecting him to the crime scene.

Episode 7: You Got the Wrong Man

All roads led to Lincoln, Nebraska. A detective made the trip to Nebraska to find a new witness to the David "Skull" Schulman murder. This person may have been inside the Rainbow Room when Skull was attacked. The problem was that the detective found the witness in a mental institution.

All roads led to Lincoln, Nebraska. A detective made the trip to Nebraska to find a new witness to the David "Skull" Schulman murder. This person may have been inside the Rainbow Room when Skull was attacked. The problem was that the detective found the witness in a mental institution.

Episode 6: Nebraska

As the police investigation into the murder of David "Skull" Schulman stalled out, the lead investigator on the case ran into serious personal difficulty. A new investigator emerged, and he was a legendary Nashville detective. All of a sudden, witnesses came forward and took the case in a different direction.

As the police investigation into the murder of David "Skull" Schulman stalled out, the lead investigator on the case ran into serious personal difficulty. A new investigator emerged, and he was a legendary Nashville detective. All of a sudden, witnesses came forward and took the case in a different direction.

Episode 5: Long White Line

Police found that David "Skull" Schulman had borrowed a lot of money from a Nashville music business icon. And the Rainbow Room was getting threatening calls about Skull repaying that money in the week before he was murdered.

Police found that David "Skull" Schulman had borrowed a lot of money from a Nashville music business icon. And the Rainbow Room was getting threatening calls about Skull repaying that money in the week before he was murdered.

Episode 4: Nowhere Fast

Nashville police scrambled to catch a knife-wielding assailant. But they would quickly discover David "Skull" Schulman was killed by a blow to the skull. One of their early suspects was serial killer Paul Dennis Reid (The Fast Food Killer), who was already in custody at the time of Skull's murder. The investigators were baffled.

Nashville police scrambled to catch a knife-wielding assailant. But they would quickly discover David "Skull" Schulman was killed by a blow to the skull. One of their early suspects was serial killer Paul Dennis Reid (The Fast Food Killer), who was already in custody at the time of Skull's murder. The investigators were baffled.

Episode 3: Whiskey Lullaby

In the last moments of his life, David "Skull" Schulman opened the Rainbow Room like he had done every day for 50 years. He was wearing his Hee Haw overalls when he was brutally attacked. Police said robbery was the motive, but an examination of the evidence shows how much of a reach that was.

In the last moments of his life, David "Skull" Schulman opened the Rainbow Room like he had done every day for 50 years. He was wearing his Hee Haw overalls when he was brutally attacked. Police said robbery was the motive, but an examination of the evidence shows how much of a reach that was.

Episode 2: Cuts like a Knife

"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.

Murder on Music Row

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