SoKYs Choice: Marc Owens remembered through friends’ memories as benefit concert planned

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) – Longtime friends and collaborators say Marc Owens never lost his sense of wonder, whether it was behind a drum kit, at a soundboard, or simply listening to someone else’s music for the first time.

Owens, a respected drummer, producer and fixture in Bowling Green’s music scene, passed away earlier this week. Those who knew him say his legacy stretches far beyond the recordings he helped create.

“First and foremost, Marc was so proud of his family,” said Chris Carmichael, a longtime friend and former bandmate. Carmichael said Owens often spoke about his children, Landon and Shelley, and was quick to credit their mother, Melanie, something Carmichael says reflected Owens’ humility.

That humility carried into his lifelong relationship with music. Carmichael said Owens never became jaded, even after decades in studios and venues.

“He never lost his sense of wonder about music,” Carmichael said. “He’d hear a snare sound or a tom sound and his eyes would light up, like he was hearing it for the first time.”

Scott Willis, a member of Government Cheese, said Owens helped record the band’s first EP in the mid-1980s and remained a steady presence in south-central Kentucky’s music community for decades.

“He was very funny, always buzzing around the studio,” Willis said. “But he really knew what he was doing, and he made it fun. You felt like you were in good hands.”

Willis said Owens’ influence wasn’t limited to one genre or era, noting that nearly every musician in the area had crossed paths with him at some point.

Brad Tabor of The Josephines said Owens’ generosity defined him as much as his technical skill.

“During COVID, he gave us the computer and equipment to record at home,” Tabor said. “We still use it. He didn’t think twice, that was just natural for him.”

For Zach Lindsey, also of The Josephines, Owens’ impact began early. Lindsey said he was just 12 years old when he first stepped into Owens’ studio.

“Being there felt like being with family,” Lindsey said. “He always made you feel comfortable, like you belonged in that room.”

Now, the community Owens helped nurture is coming together in his honor.

A benefit concert for Owens is scheduled for January 17, 2026, at 7 p.m. at the Capitol Theater in Bowling Green. The show will feature Black Stone Cherry, Government Cheese, and The Josephines, with proceeds benefiting Owens’ family.

Carmichael said the concert reflects the breadth of Owens’ influence.

“You’ll see bands from different eras of this town’s music scene,” Carmichael said. “All coming together because of Marc.”

Friends say that fittingly, Owens’ legacy lives on not just in recordings, but in the people he encouraged and the music they’ll continue to make.