Step into the rich musical heritage of Kern County as Beale Memorial Library unveils a permanent exhibit celebrating the artists and visionaries who helped define the legendary Bakersfield Sound. Legends of the Bakersfield Sound: Portraits in Black & White by artist Patti Peak Doolittle offers a striking visual tribute to the musicians whose influence shaped one of country music’s most distinctive and enduring eras. This exhibit not only preserves the musicians’ legacy but also honors the venues and audiences that kept the tradition alive.

During the dedication ceremony for the 10 mural-sized black-and-white portraits, community leaders, musicians, and supporters gathered to celebrate Bakersfield’s enduring musical legacy and the pioneers behind its signature sound. Guests enjoyed live performances by local artists, including Soda Cracker band leader Zane Adamo on his fiddle and guitarist Kyle Appleton. They also heard reflections on the history and cultural impact of the Bakersfield Sound from four-time Grammy-nominated music historian Scott Bomar.

Kern County Library’s Director of Libraries, Andie Sullivan, says this exhibit gives the community the opportunity to learn more about and appreciate this amazing time in local history. “The Bakersfield Sound is more than music; it is the story of working people, resilience, and a uniquely California voice,” she says. “By bringing this exhibit to Beale Memorial Library, we are preserving that legacy in a public space where everyone in the community can experience, learn from, and connect with this important piece of our cultural history.”

The artist of the portraits, Patti Peak Doolittle, was raised in Oildale and grew up surrounded by the music and culture that inspired the collection. In the early 2000s, she spent a year creating the larger-than-life acrylic-on-canvas portraits, which were framed by her first husband and displayed at the legendary Trout's Nightclub, where they became part of the venue’s identity and history.

In 2017, the portraits, along with other memorabilia from Trout’s, were stolen, disappearing from public view for years. The collection was eventually recovered in Northern California and carefully restored in 2022 by Doolittle’s husband and fellow artist, Marvin “Marvino” Steel. Their recovery and restoration transformed the exhibit into more than a tribute to music history; it became a powerful story of loss, resilience, restoration, and homecoming.

The portraits were publicly exhibited at the Fox Theater in 2024 before later being displayed at Beale Memorial Library. Community interest quickly grew around preserving the collection and creating a permanent home for the legacy of the Bakersfield Sound within the library. In 2025, the collection was formally donated to the Kern County Library Foundation for permanent display.

The exhibit was made possible through the collaborative efforts of Doolittle, Citizens Preserving History, Kern County Library Foundation, Buck Owens Private Foundation, Kern County Library, and many dedicated community supporters.

Jennifer Keel, President of the Bakersfield Country Music Museum (BCMM) and longtime singer with the Buckaroos, says that this exhibit is a huge step in the right direction to keep the roots of the Bakersfield Sound from being forgotten. She has her own legacy in this distinctly American genre of country music. A Bakersfield native, Jennifer grew up singing in church and won singing competitions that gave her opportunities to perform with many famous people and even to form her own band. She sang with Buck and the Buckaroos and continued singing with the different variations of the Buckaroos throughout the entirety of the Crystal Palace’s existence. She continues to sing at local events and is passionate about preserving Bakersfield’s unique sound.

“I see the Bakersfield Sound as a living entity. I want to keep the spirit alive,” she says. “There’s always a chance with the information age that it will fade into the background. I believe that we need to keep it alive throughout the new generations.”

BCMM has also played a vital role in keeping the Bakersfield Sound alive with all kinds of memorabilia housed at the Kern County Museum in a special exhibit. As president, Keel wants to ensure the new generation has access to the Bakersfield Sound and is planning to launch a website to keep it relevant in the information age.

For more information about the Legends of the Bakersfield Sound exhibit and the Beale Memorial Library, you can visit www.kerncountylibrary.org.