Gray Sky Music is marking 30 years of operation in Owensboro, reflecting a career that has spanned music production, songwriting, commercial audio, and community-based projects, including some well-known jingles.
Founded in 1996 by producer and multi-instrumentalist Matt Gray, the studio has become a long-standing fixture in the local music and advertising landscape. The studio provides recording and production services for artists, nonprofits, and businesses, with an emphasis on handling much of the creative and technical work in-house.
Gray’s background in music began early. As a child, he learned to play by ear and was performing in church settings by elementary school. He later earned a minor degree in music and interned at recording studios in Nashville, where he worked alongside Grammy-winning engineer Mills Logan, also an Owensboro native. That experience helped shape his technical approach before he returned to western Kentucky to establish his own studio.
Gray performs many roles himself, including writing, recording, producing, and playing instruments. Gray said that following that model has allowed the studio to offer professional-quality production while keeping costs manageable for smaller clients.
Over the years, the studio has produced a range of commercial and creative projects, including award-winning jingles and advertising campaigns. Among the most recognizable is Owensboro Municipal Utilities’ “Local People, Local Service” campaign.
Gray Sky Music has also produced regional campaigns for businesses such as Old Hickory Bar-B-Q, Spa City USA, Turoni’s, 54 Pizza Express, and Salon Professional Academy.
Beyond commercial work, Gray Sky Music has earned credits on NPR productions and other national platforms. The studio has also collaborated with a wide range of artists, including Jerry Gaskill of King’s X, Jamie Rowe of Guardian and Kalamity Kills, and regional performers such as Hayley Payne, Cam Thompson, Mitchell Douglass of Sons of Habit, Cathy and Tommy Mullins, and Erin Troutman. Gray has also produced work for international recording artists, including Filipino musician Randy Banas.
Community-focused projects have been a consistent part of the studio’s output. Gray Sky Music produced AIRPLAY, a weekly radio program that featured independent recording artists through interviews and on-air performances. Gray has also recorded and produced live performances for Friday After 5, with proceeds benefiting local charitable organizations.
Another ongoing effort, Enlisted: Songs of a Veteran, uses original music to highlight the experiences of military veterans. The monthly project is produced in partnership with Brian Basham and Randy Lanham and focuses on translating personal stories into recorded songs.
In addition to his studio work, Gray has served as Director of Music and Liturgy at Immaculate Catholic Church for the past 30 years, overseeing choirs and musicians. He has performed with various bands across the tri-state area and recently launched Liturgical Sound Consultants, a company focused on improving sound clarity and acoustics in church settings.
Gray said his focus has remained consistent throughout his career.
“After 30 years, I still love what I do,” Gray said. “Whether it’s producing an award-winning jingle or helping a new artist find their sound, my goal is always the same: to make music that connects with people.”
