For more than two decades, the Son Rhea Foundation has raised money to expand the arts in Bowling Green and surrounding communities. On Wednesday, it will host its 23rd annual Jambodians Holiday Bash at La Gala.

Created almost 25 years ago, the Son Rhea Foundation was formed when Tony Lindsey and some of his friends in the music scene realized they missed being able to play together.

“(We) had a jam session at my house and we had so much fun and realized how much music meant to us,” Lindsey said.

After this first jam, Lindsey said, the group began looking at ways to continue playing music and “give something back” at the same time.

A charity organization, the Son Rhea Foundation provides schools in Bowling Green and southcentral Kentucky music instruments for children to use during school. Lindsey said last year, the Son Rhea Foundation was able to donate between $15,000 and $20,000. Monetary donations can be made, and actual instruments can be donated too.

“A good 95 to 99% of the money all goes to the kids,” Lindsey said. “There’s always some expense involved in various things – we have to pay staff and our crew.”

Lindsey has been involved with the music scene in Bowling Green since the late 1970s when his high school band, Ty Barc, were able to record and tour.

“It just sticks with you,” Lindsey said. “It’s hard to get away from it – we just love it.”

Matt Pfefferkorn, owner of Mellow Matt’s Music & More in Bowling Green, has known Lindsey since the mid-1980s. Pfefferkorn has worked with Lindsey numerous times on various projects, and often sells tickets to Jambodians at his store.

One such project was the Grateful Gathering, an event organized by Pfefferkorn and Lindsey that celebrated the music of the Grateful Dead.

“We wanted to do it as a benefit, so naturally the Son Rhea Foundation was a perfect fit,” Pfefferkorn said.

Eight bands and solo artists will perform at Jambodians this year, including Lindsey’s newest music project, Six Gun Five. Also joining the lineup is Greg Martin, guitarist for both the Kentucky Headhunters and Rufus Huff.

One of the performers at this year’s Jambodians is Tommy Womack, a member of the Bowling Green-based rock band Government Cheese. Womack said he has known Lindsey for several decades, as both were involved in Bowling Green’s music scene when Government Cheese formed in 1985.

Womack said he “fell in love” with Jambodians because of all the musicians that attend and play.

“It’s a gathering of the tribes,” Womack said. “We’re all from Bowling Green or at least spent a lot of our formative time in Bowling Green.”

Along with getting to see fellow musicians, Womack is a supporter of the Son Rhea Foundation. Womack said he believes the foundation is “tremendous” and how music is essential to childhood development.

“Music is one of the most crucial activities for training neurons to work with each other,” Womack said. “Music is mathematical and it’s artistic at the same time.”

Tickets for this year’s Jambodians are still available, and can be purchased at Mellow Matt’s Music & More and through Tony Lindsey and Company, or online at www.sonrhea.org.