![]() ![]() With the departure of Kenny Baker, Randall was asked to join the Bluegrass Boys. Monroe spent hours teaching and sharing with Randall much like Monroe's Uncle Pen had done for him. In the 1980's, The Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe took a special interest in the young band and especially the young fiddler. It was through this act that he gained attention from national acts,television becoming a regular on the "Country Kids TV Series" and appearing for the Grand Ole Opry. While still in school, Randall formed the children's bluegrass band The Peachtree Pickers. and at the feet of some of Georgia's fiddle legends such as the Skillet Licker Gordon Tanner, WSB Barndance Host Cotton Carrier, Anita Sorrells Mathis and Dallas Burrell. Randall's desire to learn was sparked at the age of eight when he heard the "Orange Blossom Special." He was inspired to study both classically with Donald Grisier, Ph.D. "Harve" Franks who taught Randall's great uncle Tom to play. As a child, Randall was exposed to the rich heritage of Georgia fiddling' at family reunions passed from the sound of an old black fiddle played by his great grandfather A.J. He completed eight other books: "A Mountain Pearl: Appalachian Reminiscing and Recipes," "Encouragers I: Finding the Light," "Encouragers II: Walking with the Masters," "Encouragers III: A Guiding Hand" and his murder mystery "A Badge or an Old Guitar." He co-authored with 101-year-old National Fiddlers Hall of Fame member Violet Hensley "Whittlin' and Fiddlin' My Own Way: The Violet Hensley Story." He also authored "Snake Oil, Superstars and Me" with "Doc" Tommy Scott and Shirley Swiesz highlighting Scott's 90 years in film, TV and music. It's predecessor raised the center over $25,000. Franks gathered over 100 celebrities from Bill Cosby to Faith Hill for the cookbook that incorporates celebrities, center stories and Northwest Georgia history and photos to assist with the fund-raising project for the Center. Randall continued a new facet of his career when he co-authored the 2009 sequel "Stirring Up Additional Success with a Southern Flavor" with Shirley Smith, executive director for the Catoosa County Learning Center. The project includes appearances by David Davis, Sonny Shroyer, "Enos" from the "Dukes of Hazzard," the late Cotton and Jane Carrier and Marty Hays. His previous 2001 Crimson CD "God's Children" paid homage to the brother duets of the 1930's. Gospel performing for the Pearl and Floyd Franks Scholarship for the Share America Foundation garnered him new attention from several genres after seven-year hiatus from recording. His 2008 Share America CD "An Appalachian Musical Revival" featuring him from the stage of the Ringgold Depot with 19 stars of bluegrass and Southern Franks hosted and directed the PBS documentary "Still Ramblin'" highlighting the life of Georgia singing cowboy Ramblin' "Doc" Tommy Scott. Franks began his movie career with a singing role in the movie "Desperate For Love" with Christian Slater. Franks has appeared in numerous films including Hallmark Hall of Fame's "The Flamingo Rising" co-starring with Academy Award winner William Hurt as "Officer Randy Kraft." He starred in the sci-fi thriller "Phoenix Falling" with Stella Parton, in the Vietnam War era action adventure "Firebase 9." He also made a special appearance in Dolly Parton's "Blue Valley Songbird" for Lifetime. When performing, the champion fiddler, who co-hosts the annual Grand Master Fiddler Championship at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum also shares his talents on mandolin, guitar and mountain dulcimer. Randall is one of Bluegrass music's brightest stars finding successes in country, folk, and Christian genres. ![]() His music is heard on radio from Malaysia to the Grand Ole Opry. A four time country music hall of fame member including the Old Time, Independent, Carolinas, and Atlanta country music hall of fames, he is designated the "Appalachian Ambassador of the Fiddle," and an International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame legend and as of 2020 has 26 career album releases with his latest #1 Global Americana Album "Americana Youth of Southern Appalachia." The award-winning singer and musician shares his homespun humor, music and songs in concerts from coast to coast in the United States and Canada touching more than 145 million people worldwide. He is a syndicated newspaper columnist and author with millions of weekly readers in the U.S. He appeared for five years on NBC and CBS and now on WGN America and other stations and was seen in 150 countries around the world. Actor/entertainer Randall Franks is best known as "Officer Randy Goode" from TV's "In the Heat of the Night," a role he performed on NBC and CBS from 1988-1993.
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