Biography

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Appalachian Ambassador of the Fiddle

2024 Musician of the Year - Violin/Fiddle

2020 AirPlay Direct Evolution Grant Recipient

American Network Variety Comedy Actor

Grand Master Fiddler Championship

Celebrity Host

Randall Franks

Comedy Down Home

with

1940s Grand Ole Opry Comedian

"Doc" Tommy Scott

Appalachian scholar Loyal Jones featured Randall in his 2008 definitive work

"Country Music Humorists and Comedians."

"(Randall Franks is)

An Authoritative Voice on redneck humor."

Randall Franks
rfrankscatoosa@gmail.com
(706) 963-0116
http://www.randallfranks.com/
https://www.facebook.com/RandallFranksActorDirectorEntertainer/
Crimson Records


International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame Legend and Independent Country Music Hall of Famer Randall Franks, former NBC and CBS star - “Officer Randy Goode” from TV’s “In the Heat of the Night,” was introduced musically to an international audience on the “Country Kids TV Series” in 1983 and began guest starring for Grand Ole Opry ® in 1984, in addition to appearing with two of its greatest acts - Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys and Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys.

The Independent and Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fames member shared a top country vocal collaboration with Grand Ole Opry stars The Whites. His work connects him to the legacies of 33 International Bluegrass Hall of Fame, 10 Country Music Hall of Fame, 9 Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and 3 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees such as Jimmy Martin, Josh Graves, Chubby Wise, Mac Wiseman, Doug Dillard, Ralph Stanley, The Lewis Family, and numerous others. Popular in Southern gospel, bluegrass, country and Americana, his audience is 145 million worldwide.

Randall Franks began making people laugh with his first television appearance at the age of six. He would eventually become a regular in the cable series "The Country Kids TV Series," a children's "Hee Haw," which aired around the world.

As master of ceremonies of live band appearances for his Peachtree Pickers, he began learning the nuances of delivering country comedy to live audiences both by himself and in partnership with other performers. He looked towards the inspirations provided by the comedians who called the Grand Ole Opry home.

By the time he became a special guest star, he was already appearing side-by-side on stage with his Opry influencers - Jerry Clower, Grandpa Jones, Little Jimmy Dickens, Johnny Russell and Minnie Pearl.

When he landed the dramatic role of "Officer Randy Goode" on "In the Heat of the Night" for the American TV network NBC, he found himself becoming a regular comedic relief pitcher alongside his ensemble cast mates.

In the 1990s, his Appalachian country comedy routines placed him alongside with Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Larry the Cable Guy and a host of talented performers that kept people laughing helping him earn his spot among America's country comedians.

He featured his first recorded comedy routines on his Top Bluegrass CD "Tunes and Tales from Tunnel Hill" including "A Tunnel Runs Through It," and "Uncle Elige's Send Off."


Links to other Randall Franks Albums:
Click here to go to Randall Franks Music Page


Click here to go to Faith Will See Us Through - Randall Franks 2020 Hope Collection

The Production

For "Comedy Down Home," in addition to solo bits, Franks desired to share some classic duo comedy and chose veteran Country comedian Ramblin' "Doc" Tommy Scott to join him.

Country, bluegrass and western music legend Scott began performing comedy on radio in the 1930s, starred on the Grand Ole Opry in the 1940s, and moved into Hollywood television and films in the 1940s and 1950s. His Last Real Old Time Medicine Show hosted over 29,000 performances across the United States and Canada. , Franks served as the Medicine show's final co-star with Scott.

With the exception of guest musicians assisting with background music, Franks performs fiddle, guitar, mountain dulcimer and jaw harp on various comedy pieces. Though not presented here, the original release included re-releases of "A Tunnel Runs Through It," and "Uncle Elige's Send Off" from the earlier "Tunes and Tales from Tunnel Hill."

The project is presented in the form of a classic radio episode reflecting the feel of Scott's 1951 Variety TV Show "The Smokey Mountain Jamboree" produced by Katona Productions for Scott Productions of Hollywood.


01) High Flying Fiddle - Randall Franks (1:35)


Songwriter/Arranger: Randall Franks
Publisher and PRO: Peach Picked Publishing/BMI
Release: 1999 Comedy Down Home
Crimson

Musicians:
Randall Franks: Comedy, Fiddle, Guitar, Mountain Dulcimer and Jaw Harp
Ramblin’ “Doc” Tommy Scott: Comedy


02) Sure As Shootin’ - Randall Franks (1:37)


Songwriter/Arranger: Randall Franks
Publisher and PRO: Peach Picked Publishing/BMI
Release: 1999 Comedy Down Home
Crimson

Musicians:
Randall Franks: Comedy, Fiddle, Guitar, Mountain Dulcimer and Jaw Harp
Ramblin’ “Doc” Tommy Scott: Comedy

“The best comedy always reflects an underlying truth, and this one sure does.” Randall Franks


03) Uncle Elige and the Automobile - Randall Franks (2:22)


Songwriter/Arranger: Randall Franks
Publisher and PRO: Peach Picked Publishing/BMI
Release: 1999 Comedy Down Home
Crimson

Musicians:
Randall Franks: Comedy, Fiddle, Guitar, Mountain Dulcimer and Jaw Harp
Ramblin’ “Doc” Tommy Scott: Comedy

“While the arrival of the automobile is more than a century ago, it remained illusive for most until after the World War II, so even I heard stories as a boy as the WWII generation described the first ones to have a car.” Randall Franks


04) Uncle Elige Goes to Congress - Randall Franks (2:06)


Songwriter/Arranger: Randall Franks
Publisher and PRO: Peach Picked Publishing/BMI
Release: 1999 Comedy Down Home
Crimson

Musicians:
Randall Franks: Comedy, Fiddle, Guitar, Mountain Dulcimer and Jaw Harp
Ramblin’ “Doc” Tommy Scott: Comedy

“Political humor has always been part of country comedy, this is a perfect story combining the classic country styling.” Randall Franks


05) First Time I Pulled My Gun - Randall Franks (1:15)


Songwriter/Arranger: Randall Franks
Publisher and PRO: Peach Picked Publishing/BMI
Release: 1999 Comedy Down Home
Crimson

Musicians:
Randall Franks: Comedy, Fiddle, Guitar, Mountain Dulcimer and Jaw Harp

“A comedy about ourselves is a favorite part of what any comedian does, even when it makes light of something that was of great importance in our life. This joke centers around my work starring on TV's 'In the Heat of the Night'” Randall Franks


06) Letter from Down Home - Randall Franks (1:52)


Songwriter/Arranger: Randall Franks
Publisher and PRO: Peach Picked Publishing/BMI
Release: 1999 Comedy Down Home
Crimson

Musicians:
Randall Franks: Comedy, Fiddle, Guitar, Mountain Dulcimer and Jaw Harp
Ramblin’ “Doc” Tommy Scott: Comedy

“This is one of my favorite routines.” Randall Franks


07) Will’s Dog Gone - Randall Franks (2:17)


Songwriter/Arranger: Randall Franks
Publisher and PRO: Peach Picked Publishing/BMI
Release: 1999 Comedy Down Home
Crimson

Musicians:
Randall Franks: Comedy, Fiddle, Guitar, Mountain Dulcimer and Jaw Harp

“The folly of love exhibited through the eyes of our pets.” Randall Franks


08) Fixerupper - Randall Franks (2:47)


Songwriter/Arranger: Randall Franks
Publisher and PRO: Peach Picked Publishing/BMI
Release: 1999 Comedy Down Home
Crimson

Musicians:
Randall Franks: Comedy, Fiddle, Guitar, Mountain Dulcimer and Jaw Harp

“What happens when you don't get married? Well, check out this routine for a laugh on the subject.” Randall Franks


09) Sitting Up with the Dearly Departed - Randall Franks (1:31)


Songwriter/Arranger: Randall Franks
Publisher and PRO: Peach Picked Publishing/BMI
Release: 1999 Comedy Down Home
Crimson

Musicians:
Randall Franks: Comedy, Fiddle, Guitar, Mountain Dulcimer and Jaw Harp

“If you never sat up with the dead, then its likely you were not from Appalachia or your folks have got plum citified. It's just what we did.” Randall Franks


10) Cousin Will and the Telephone - Randall Franks (1:51)


Songwriter/Arranger: Randall Franks
Publisher and PRO: Peach Picked Publishing/BMI
Release: 1999 Comedy Down Home
Crimson

Musicians:
Randall Franks: Comedy, Fiddle, Guitar, Mountain Dulcimer and Jaw Harp
James Watson: Clawhammer Banjo

“This is probably one of my most requested comedy routines. It's truly an experience most everyone relates with.” Randall Franks


Album Credits:
Produced: Randall Franks
Engineer: Brian Thompson, Reel to Real Studios, Stockbridge, Ga.

Portions Recorded Live by Ronnie Cornett in Pennington Gap, Virginia
Photography: Ned D. Burris
Make Up and Hair: Sue Koskela