Award-winning bluegrass and Americana artist, actor, and producer Randall Franks announces the release of the new single, “Down Yonder Too,” the debut track from the forthcoming charity album A Zippedy Doodle Day: American Folk Songs. The single commemorates the 100th anniversary of The Skillet Lickers, Georgia’s pioneering fiddle band formed in 1926, while honoring the legacy of Doodle and the Golden River Grass, widely recognized as one of the last traditional fiddle bands of country music’s early era.

Founded by Gid Tanner and Riley Puckett, The Skillet Lickers’ legacy continues through the Tanner family, carried on today by third-generation member Phil Tanner and his son, fourth-generation member Russ Tanner, while a fresh interpretation of the multi-million-selling classic “Down Yonder” blends archival elements with contemporary performances, creating a vibrant collaboration that bridges generations of Appalachian music.

The track features an all-star lineup including Dom Flemons, Jim Lauderdale, Ketch Secor, and Paul Puckett, alongside Franks, and layered with fiddle, harmonica, banjo, jug, and rich vocal performances, “Down Yonder Too” honors traditional string band roots while bringing renewed energy to a timeless sound.

To view the video for “Down Yonder Too,” scroll to the bottom of the page.

“This project is about preserving the soul of Appalachian music and ensuring its future,” said Franks. “By uniting The Skillet Lickers’ groundbreaking spirit with Doodle’s infectious energy and these incredible guests, we’re celebrating 100 years of innovation in string band traditions. It’s ‘A Zippedy Doodle Day’ indeed—full of joy, history, and collaboration.”

The single also highlights the album’s broader mission to honor John “Doodle” Thrower (1929–1994) and his band, James Watson, Gene Daniell, Wesley Clackum, and Randall Franks, known for their spirited performances, humor, and appearances at major events including the 1982 World’s Fair, National Folk Festivals, and PBS specials. Proceeds from the album and its accompanying documentary will benefit the Share America Foundation, providing scholarships for aspiring Appalachian musicians, as well as the West Georgia Museum for historical preservation.

The full album features a wide range of contributors including Bruce Boxleitner, Gena Britt, Wyatt Ellis, Daniel Grindstaff, Marty Hays, Dale Houston, The Marksmen, Alex Miller, Lee Newton, Kody Norris, Ronnie & Justin Reno, Ralph Stanley II, Larry Stephenson, Derek Stone, Leroy Troy, and more, all donating their talents to support this charitable endeavor.

In celebration of the release, Franks and the Share America Foundation are launching the 5,000 Download Challenge, inviting fans to help fund Appalachian music scholarships by supporting the single on digital platforms.

An accompanying documentary, directed by Franks, will further explore the legacy of Doodle and the Golden River Grass through archival footage, interviews, and performances.

“Down Yonder Too” is available to radio on AirPlay Direct at https://app.airplaydirect.com/music/RandallFranksAZippedyDoodleDay/.

 

THE SINGLE

About the history of Down Yonder

The uniqueness of the American Folk Songbook lies in its ability to incorporate tunes from every facet of the American experience and re-imagine them into new settings where the songs seem to have always been there. “Down Yonder” was a tune that permeated from fiddler to fiddler and musician to musician, starting as vaudeville number penned by Tin Pan Alley songwriter L. Wolfe Gilbert. It was introduced in 1921 at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans and recorded early on with vocals by the Peerless Quartet and Ernest Hare & Billy Jones. It became an instrumental staple in the early fiddle bands of Appalachia and the South, such as the Scottdale String Band and Gid Tanner & His Skillet Lickers. Gordon Tanner’s 1934 performance with his father Gid and the Skillet Lickers became a million-seller, earning gold disc status and cementing the tune’s place in country music history. Ragtime pianist Del Wood gave it a newfound audience in 1951; her lively honky-tonk instrumental spent 25 weeks on the Billboard pop charts, peaking at #4, and sold over a million copies, earning her widespread fame and a long-running spot on the Grand Ole Opry. Bluegrass, folk, and country musicians continue to foster the tune, sharing it in recordings, jam sessions, and concerts to this day. Adding to its rich story for the Skillet Lickers Centennial, a fresh chapter unfolds with “Down Yonder Too”—a new version by Doodle and the Golden River Grass featuring The Skillet Lickers (with Paul Puckett), Dom Flemons, Randall Franks, Jim Lauderdale, and Ketch Secor. This collaborative recording includes brand-new lyrics penned by Franks and performed by Randall and Jim, blending the tune’s timeless spirit with contemporary voices to honor the legacy while raising funds for Appalachian music scholarships through the charity album A Zippedy Doodle Day : American Folk Songs.

01) – Doodle and the Golden River Grass & Randall Franks – Down Yonder Too (4:22)

Featuring The Skillet Lickers with Paul Puckett, Dom Flemons, Jim Lauderdale, and Ketch Secor

Share America Foundation, Inc. – Crimson Records

Featured Perfomers:

The Skillet Lickers : Vocals,

(Phil Tanner – Guitar and Russ Tanner – Fiddle)

Dom Flemons : Jug

Randall Franks : Vocals, Fiddle

Jim Lauderdale : Vocals

Paul Puckett : Guitar

Ketch Secor : Fiddle

Doodle and the Golden River Grass:

Doodle Thrower: Harmonica and Vocals

James Watson: Clawhammer Banjo

Gene Daniell: Acoustic Bass

Wesley Clackum: Acoustic Guitar and Vocals

Randall Franks: Fiddle

About Doodle and the Golden River Grass

Doodle and the Golden River Grass was an Appalachian folk and fiddle band formed in 1963 in Tallapoosa, Georgia, celebrated for their upbeat square dance tunes, comedy, and appearances at events like the 1982 World’s Fair and PBS specials. Led by John “Doodle” Thrower (1929-1994) on harmonica, the band featured members such as James Watson (1935-2017) on clawhammer banjo, C.J. Clackum on guitar, Wesley Clackum on guitar and mandolin, Gene Daniell on bass, Lynn Elliott on guitar, Steve Hesterlee on banjo, and fiddlers including Seals Hicks, Bill Kee, Paul Wallace, Jerry Wesley, and Randall Franks.

Their music was released on 17 albums and were described by folklorist Alan Lomax as “mountain music in overdrive,” preserving Georgia’s fiddle band tradition. No dedicated website exists, but they are featured extensively on www.randallfranks.com/A-Zippedy-Doodle-Day/ .

About Randall Franks

Randall Franks is an award-winning bluegrass, Americana, and country musician, fiddler, actor, and philanthropist best known for his role as Officer Randy Goode on the TV series In the Heat of the Night. With a career spanning over 48 years, he has released 26 albums, and been inducted into multiple music halls of fame and is honored as an International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum Legend. Franks is dedicated to preserving Appalachian musical heritage through his work with the Share America Foundation, supporting scholarships for young musicians. Website: www.randallfranks.com.

About The Skillet Lickers

The Skillet Lickers are a groundbreaking old-time string band formed in 1926 in Georgia, renowned for their energetic recordings and influence on early country music, including hits like “Down Yonder.” The original 1926 members included Gid Tanner (fiddle and vocals), Riley Puckett (guitar and vocals), Clayton McMichen (fiddle), and Fate Norris (banjo and harmonica), with later additions such as Bert Layne (fiddle), Lowe Stokes (fiddle), and Ted Hawkins (mandolin). The band’s legacy spans generations, and current members include Phil Tanner, Russ Tanner (both fiddlers and descendants of Gid Tanner), Joel Aderhold, Brian Stephens, and Brian Morgan who continue performing traditional string band music. The group is planning many special events marking its Centennial Year.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skilletlickers

 

Phil Tanner (Third Generation Skillet Licker, grandson of Gid Tanner)

“I think there were a lot of the same qualities in both bands – The Skillet Lickers and Doodle and the Golden River Grass. A lot of rambunctious, joyful music that wanted to make people want to dance and laugh and have a good time. One thing I remember about Doodle is he gave a lot of recognition to my grandfather – Gid. He said he was a big influence on his style. It may have been because my grandfather was a comedian more or less – an entertainer. Doodle was just that. He was an entertainer.”

Russ Tanner (Fourth Generation Skillet Licker, whose grandfather Gordon fiddled Down Yonder on the multi million seller from 1934)

“What made (The Skillet Lickers) stand out is a lot of times you had two, maybe three fiddles in there. They just had a different approach from a lot of folks you listened to. With two or three fiddles, they played pretty free and wild and open. You got the impression they were all around the mic having a great time. They really were.”

 

 

About Dom Flemons

Dom Flemons, dubbed “The American Songster,” is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and music historian specializing in old-time folk, Piedmont blues, and African-American musical traditions, with expertise on banjo, guitar, harmonica, bones, quills, and more. A founding member of the Grammy-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops, he has released solo albums like Black Cowboys (a Smithsonian artifact) and earned multiple Grammy and Emmy nominations for his scholarly and performative work preserving American roots music.

Flemons is also an actor, podcaster, and slam poet. Website: www.theamericansongster.com.

Dom Flemons (GRAMMY Winner)

“When playing “Down Yonder” I decided to add the sound of the stone mason jug to

Dom Flemons

the occasion. While at times it has been seen as a novelty, the jug draws upon a vibrant tradition that spans from the early African American jug bands that emerged in the early 20th going up the Mississippi River from Memphis and Kentucky up to Cincinnati, Illinois and Iowa to numerous mountain music and country and western groups from all over the South. Jug bands have also survived up to the present through the jug bands of the sixties who would take it into the rock ‘n’ roll era and beyond. A tune like “Down Yonder” gives plenty of space for the sound the jug to “fall in” and join the free form polyphonic syncopation and improvisation that defines the type of string band music that folks have loved for generations. When I heard Phil Tanner of the Skillet Lickers say, “Let’s Go Down Yonder”, I dug in my heels and let ‘er go. Thanks so much to Randall Franks for having me be a part of those wonderful and I hope everyone will enjoy the good cheer created by Doodle and the band! “

About Jim Lauderdale

Jim Lauderdale is a prolific Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and musician in country, bluegrass, and Americana, with over 31 studio albums released since 1986 and songwriting credits for artists like George Strait and Patty Loveless. Born in North Carolina, he has been a key figure in the Americana music scene, hosting the Americana Music Awards and blending roots influences in his work. Lauderdale’s career highlights include collaborations across genres and a reputation as “Mr. Americana.” Website: www.jimlauderdalemusic.com.

Jim Lauderdale (Two-time GRAMMY Winner)

Jim Lauderdale said he was really impressed by the music of Doodle and the Golden River Grass and the unique harmonica stylings of Doodle – “It is really hard to play that single note harmonica style and Doodle could really Ace it.”

“This old timey style is really going back to the roots. I guess first popularized on the Bristol sessions and today it still influences so many people,” Jim Lauderdale said. “You can see where bluegrass came from which led to so many other things. It’s a real honor to be part of this project. This kind of music needs to stay out there – vibrant and alive and I think this is going to help that.”

About Paul Puckett

Paul Puckett is a country musician who performed on banjo and guitar beginning in the late 1960s. Paul Puckett and the Dixie Blues opened for artists such as Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Jerry Lee Lewis. Merle Haggard, Roy Drusky, the Osborne Brothers, and Hank Williams, Jr. While serving in the U.S. Army, Paul and his wife Joni Puckett performed on the Ed Sullivan Show Armed Forces Music Festival with Roy Clark and Jeannie C. Riley, and made appearances with Country Gentlemen and others.

He found success with his band for many years in hotels and restaurants in

Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland and Georgia, often partnering with his wife and talents such as Speedy Price. Oftentimes his shows included regular celebrity attendees such as

actors Robert Goulet, Ken Berry, Donald O’Connor, athlete Pete Rose and producer Hal Needham.

Musician Jack Eubanks produced his 1974 album “Riders in the Sky” on TAD Records including musicians Willie Rainsford, Leo Jackson and D.J. Fontana. Paul is recognized for his contributions to the genre and was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007. He performed on the initial Atlanta Country Hall of Fame Awards presenting Riley Puckett’s induction to his widow Blanche.

Paul Puckett (Country Singer)

Paul Puckett said growing up in Georgia as a musical Puckett always led to questions about Skillet Licker star Riley Puckett.

“Riley Puckett was one of the very early stars of country music who started in 1922 on WSB radio, he said. “Riley, Gid Tanner, Fiddlin’ John Carson were some outstanding members of the music world. I have been interested in Georgia fiddle music ever since the early 1960s when bluegrass festivals were beginning in the South.”

He added one of his greatest honors was inducting Riley into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame and presenting the honor to his widow – Blanche in 1982.

About Ketch Secor

Ketch Secor is a Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist best known as the founder and front man of Old Crow Medicine Show since 1998, co-writing hits like the double-platinum “Wagon Wheel” and helping pioneer the Americana revival. His work spans high-energy performances blending folk, bluegrass, and country, and he is also a children’s author, music educator, and advocate for arts programs. Secor was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry with his band in 2013. Website: www.ketchsecor.com (band website: www.crowmedicine.com).

Ketch Secor of the Old Crow Medicine Show (Grand Ole Opry Star and GRAMMY Winner)

“I just love Georgia fiddle music. It’s the best especially those great fiddlers from The Skillet Lickers and all that great North Georgia long bow style. There’s nothing finer – old Gid Tanner, Fate Norris and all the rest.”

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