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It’s Fall Y’all

As the leaves begin to turn into a cornucopia of color, I make my last round in the yard with my lawnmower. I have prepped and planted my winter garden hoping for the best crop of turnip greens ever seen. The branch pile at the street becomes almost as tall as me. It’s cold enough at […]

Help where you can

The winds blew strongly, some trees crackled as the broke while other simply bent with the wind. Around us houses were lifted off their foundations and some where obliterated into a pile of rubble or every stick that made them up was simply carried away in the wind. These were some of my memories of […]

“The American’s Creed – Recitation” is new music video and single from Actor/Entertainer Randall Franks

Appalachian actor/entertainer Randall Franks, Crimson Records and Peach Picked Productions announce the release of a new patriotic recitation single and music video “The American’s Creed – Recitation“ from the award-winning performer. Written by William Tyler Page with music by Randall Franks and Wesley Crider, the creed was adopted by the United States Congress in 1918 as a statement of belief in America that would in […]

American music brings smiles

When the sounds of Southern gospel music fill Pigeon Forge, Tenn., it must be time for the National Quartet Convention. The LeConte Center hosts the annual event each September providing an opportunity for fans of all ages to hear and meet their very favorite traveling gospel singers since 1957. I was able to attend this year and […]

Strings, wood, tension and connections

When I first held a violin in my hands, I was amazed by the shiny wood. How the strings connected to the tailpiece and the pegs running across the bridge and the fingerboard with a tension creating a vibration when plucked or bowed to create a sound. When I opened the back of my piano, […]

David Davis, a bluegrass mandolin stilled

The rained poured down on the fairgrounds at the Cedartown Georgia fairgrounds. It was the site of a new bluegrass festival including many talented acts. I was there with my youth group, the Peachtree Pickers. We were dodging mud puddles from the rain that had already come in to get to the stage. When another […]

Take down the fiddle and bow

I was sitting on the linoleum floor looking up at the fiddlers as they sat around in the den of the Everett’s house playing tune after tune. Musicians flow in and out and spectating listeners line the seats around the walls. I was pre-teen and trying to pick up licks they were doing as I […]

Actor/entertainer Randall Franks releases new single as tribute to Andy Griffith

Appalachian humorist Randall Franks and Crimson Records are pleased to announce the release of a new comedy performance from the award-winning performer: “What It Was, Was Football.“ Support Our Efforts – Download Recording Please: Itunes: https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-americans-creed/1743671704 Amazon Music: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D2WGJ1Y5/ Radio programmers via AirPlay Direct https://airplaydirect.com/music/RandallFranksTheAmericansCreed/ What It Was, Was Football (5:45) Songwriter: Andy Griffith Publisher and PRO: […]

A harvest of hope to sustain us

As the men folks worked endless hours to bring the harvest home, the women folk prepared the fires and the iron kettles for cooking in preparation for canning what was brought in on the wagons from the fields. While much of what was gathered was taken to town to sale, enough was stowed by for […]