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 also authored "Snake Oil, Superstars and Me" with "Doc" Tommy Scott and Shirley Swiesz highlighting Scott's 90 years in film, TV and music. He is currently working on two other books. 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. 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 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. 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 hosts the annual Grand Master Fiddler Championship, at the Nashville Convention Center each year also shares his talents on mandolin, guitar and mountain dulcimer. Randall is one of Bluegrass music's brightest stars. His music is heard on radio from Malaysia to the Grand Ole Opry. The Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame member is designated the "Appalachian Ambassador of the Fiddle." The award winning singer and musician shares his homespun humor, music and songs in concerts from coast to coast touching more than 25 million people. He appeared for five years on NBC and CBS and now on WGN America and is seen in 150 countries around the world. Other stars contributed to cuts by various cast members such as Jerry Douglas, The Whites, The Marksmen, Johnny Wright, Bobby Wright along with several Country Music Hall of Famers including Pee Wee King, Jimmy Dickens, Kitty Wells and Grant Turner.Īctor/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. The public made the CD a top selling Christmas release in the South in 19 raising money and awareness to encourage kids to not take drugs. Franks included the legends of bluegrass music combining the entire cast of a top-rated network TV Show with, not one, but a cast of bluegrass stars featuring Chubby Wise, Buddy Spicher, Jim and Jesse McReynolds, Ralph Stanley, Jimmy Martin, The Lewis Family, Doug Dillard, Josh Graves, Mac Wiseman, Wayne Lewis, Gene Daniell, Debbie Farley, Bill Everett and himself to create the song "Christmas Time's A Comin'." O'Connor was so impressed by the recording that it became the album's title cut. He was charged by TV legend Carroll O'Connor and co-star Alan Autry to produce the "In the Heat of the Night" Christmas album. In 1990-1991, a "In the Heat of the Night" regular, he embarked on a most unique project as a music producer.
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