Tag Archive for: Andy Griffith

“Like many, one of the people who greatly inspired my career is the late Andy Griffith,” Franks said. “He did what many young Southern performers hope to do in combining acting, comedy and music into a decades-long career while creating several long-lasting TV series.”
Franks attributed “The Andy Griffith Show” as being one of the reasons he became a musical entertainer with its features of the Dillards as “The Darlings.”
“I included Andy and the Dillards in my “Encouragers” book series sharing the impact he and they had on my life and career,” he said.
His new album also includes music from his film “The American’s Creed,” live appearances from his Hollywood Hillbilly Jamboree and 40th Anniversary recordings of Randall appearing live with Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys – Wayne Lewis, Blake Williams and the late Tater Tate. Franks recently launched a new web page highlighting his time with the legendary music icon at www.RandallFranks.com/Bill-Monroe-and-the-Blue-Grass-Boys . Funds raised from these recordings benefit the Share America Foundation, Inc. and its Pearl and Floyd Franks Appalachian music scholarships.

“What It Was, Was Football” is Randall’s latest single release and is a tribute to the classic TV actor and comedian Andy Griffith who released it 70 years ago charting in Billboard’s Top 10 in February 1954. “There was probably not another person who had a greater impact in most Southern homes than Andy,” Franks said.
As a special addition to his #7 AirPlay Direct Global Americana Album “The American’s Creed,” the multiple music hall of famer recorded Griffith’s career beginning monologue “What It Was, Was Football.”
“Using my own comedy style, I have re-created what I felt was magical about his amazing hit,” he said. “It is available for all radio stations just in time for high school and college football seasons. I hope that radio around the country might give it a spin recognizing the 70^th Anniversary and my paying tribute to this great performer.”
To the classic monologue, he added hints of his unique fiddle stylings including support from Gospel and Bluegrass music personalities: Mark Wheeler on guitar; Lewis Phillips on banjo; Steve Easter on resonator guitar; Jeff Easter on piano; Travis Lewis on acoustic bass; and the late Grand Ole Opry star Jesse McReynolds on mandolin.

Randall Franks pauses with Artist Colton Brown who created the artwork for the What It Was, Was Football video.

“What It Was, Was Football” is now available from Crimson Records for radio programmers via AirPlay Direct or by requesting a direct download here. It is also available on popular digital streaming platforms such as Amazon here or Itunes here, or can be seen featuring a unique artwork by Colton Brown on Randall Franks TV on YouTube (https://youtu.be/VxFDUQP_n1M), Rumble (https://rumble.com/v5e30dh-what-it-was-was-football-randall-franks.html), and Brighteon (https://www.brighteon.com/deaaf5e3-efc1-43c1-8357-74335bf81f39). 

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Trivia: 

Are the two actors Randall Franks and Andy Griffith who played notable comedic Southern police officers related?

Yes, Randall and Andy are quadruple country cousins as they share at least four sets of grandparents in their family trees being related to each other through each of Andy’s grandparents – the Griffiths, Taylors, Nunns and Cassells and both of Randall’s parents.

Sources: Franks and Related Lines Genealogies – FamilySearch and Ancestry 

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