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A Zippedy Doodle Day: An Appalachian Musical Legacy

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Doodle and the Golden River Grass at 2003 Georgia Music Hall of Fame ExhibitDoodle and the Golden River Grass Georgia Music Hall of Fame Exhibit in 2003. (Photo: Peach Picked Publishing)

A Zippedy Doodle Day: An Appalachian Musical Legacy

Welcome to A Zippedy Doodle Day: An Appalachian Musical Legacy, a historic string band album and documentary, led by Randall Franks, who honors Doodle Thrower and the Golden River Grass. Additionally, funds support scholarships via the Share America Foundation and Appalachian historical preservation. Therefore, join us in this effort!

About the Project

Project Overview

Bluegrass and Americana artist/producer Randall Franks is spearheading A Zippedy Doodle Day, a historic string band album and documentary to support Appalachian music scholarships through the Share America Foundation, Inc. and the West Georgia Museum in Tallapoosa, Georgia, the hometown of John “Doodle” Thrower.

Legacy Preservation

The project builds on unreleased tracks from the late 1980s by Doodle and the Golden River Grass, featuring traditional folk recordings. This album, paired with a re-release of the band’s entire catalog, aims to preserve and share their legacy while raising funds for aspiring musicians.

“When we lost Doodle Thrower, we lost one of the cornerstones of original country music. He and his band were truly what country music is all about.” — Marty Stuart, Country Music Hall of Famer

Doodle and the Golden River Grass performing in the 1970s

Doodle and the Golden River Grass in the 1970s

Doodle and the Golden River Grass

John 'Doodle' Thrower portrait

Formed in 1963 as a square dance band in Tallapoosa, Georgia, Doodle and the Golden River Grass became a beloved folk act, known for their comedy, Appalachian folk songs, and upbeat tunes. Recognized as the last of the old-time Georgia fiddle bands, they were a unique part of country music history.

The band featured John “Doodle” Thrower (1929-1994) on harmonica, alongside fiddlers Seals Hicks, Bill Kee, Paul Wallace, Randall Franks, and Jerry Wesley. From the 1970s, James Watson (1935-2017) added clawhammer banjo, with long-running members including C.J. Clackum (guitar), Wesley Clackum (guitar and mandolin), the late Lynn Elliott (guitar), the late Gene Daniell (bass/sound engineer), and Steve Hesterlee (three-finger banjo).

Doodle and the Golden River Grass in 1990

Doodle and the Golden River Grass perform in 1990.

The group performed at prestigious events like the National Folk Festival, National Black Arts Festival, the 1982 World’s Fair, and numerous colleges, bluegrass, and folk festivals. They appeared on network TV, PBS shows like The Appalachian Journey by Alan Lomax, and recorded on 17 albums, including the Grammy-winning Art of Field Recording Vol. 1.

Cultural historian Alan Lomax described Thrower as “a little bit different from anyone we’ve met. He’s of Cornish descent, and he’s not uptight at all,” and the band as “a sort of five-piece Dixieland string band certainly as virtuosic as any gypsy orchestra. And they are playing what I’ve called ‘mountain music in overdrive’.”
Appalachian scholar Loyal Jones acknowledged Thrower in his work Country Music Humorists and Comedians. American folklorist, educator and artist Art Rosenbaum featured him in his visual art and documented the group in several recorded mediums.

A Collaborative Effort

The Skillet Lickers with Randall Franks

Randall Franks (right) joins The Skillet Lickers (Phil & Russ Tanner), center, and Paul Puckett in the studio.

Randall Franks is inviting specific artists from country, bluegrass, and Americana to donate their time to record on these historic tracks, collaborating with studios near the artists for convenience.

Contributors

Bruce Boxleitner adds his voice bringing a western flair to the project.

Western icon Bruce Boxleitner, a National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s Hall of Great Western Performers inductee and two-time Wrangler Award winner, is saddling up for  A Zippedy Doodle Day! Bruce captivated audiences as Luke Macahan in How the West Was Won alongside James Arness to his iconic turn as Alan Bradley/Tron in Disney’s groundbreaking Tron and Tron: Legacy, Bruce has been a household name for decades. He’s battled spies as Lee Stetson in Scarecrow and Mrs. King, commanded the stars as Captain John Sheridan in Babylon 5, and brought comic charm as Billy Montana in The Gambler with Kenny Rogers. Recently, he starred as Ben Watkins in the western Far Haven (2023), proving he’s still a trailblazer. 🐎✨

Banjo star Gena Britt adds her talents at Buck’s Place Recording in Hendersonville.

8-time IBMA Award winner Gena Britt – powerhouse banjo 🪕player, vocalist, and founding member of GRAMMY-nominated Sister Sadie (Mountain Home Music Company) – has joined the star-studded lineup.
Fresh off the release of her acclaimed new solo album Streets, Rivers, Dreams & Heartaches (Mountain Home Music Company), her latest accolade includes sharing the 2025 IBMA Instrumental Recording of the Year for “Ralph’s Banjo Special” with Kristin Scott Benson & Alison Brown.

Youth Dante Flores adds three-finger banjo at the Tempermill in Michigan.

Banjo phenom Dante Flores, 14, a multi-instrumentalist from Wixom, Michigan brings his unique flair to the album. He’s shared stages with legends like banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck and guitar wizard Trey Hensley, plus performed at the International Bluegrass Music Association‘s World of Bluegrass as part of IBMA Kids on Bluegrass.

Marty Hays, a veteran vocalist and bassist who shined on Rounder and Rebel Records over three decades with David Davis and the Warrior  River Boys brings his soulful sound to the project enriching this folk endeavor.

Marty Hays adds vocals at Buck’s Place Recording in Hendersonville near Nashville.

Anthony Howell goes full speed with a bit of banjo at Noxubee Hills Music Group Recording Studio in Mississippi.

As the 2023 National Banjo Champion Anthony Howell and a four-time IBMA Momentum Award nominee for Instrumentalist of the Year, Anthony brings his unique stylings on banjo and come vocals to this Appalachian musical legacy project. He has performed with notable bands including Williamson Branch, the Edgar Loudermilk Band, and most recently joined Seth Mulder & Midnight Run. Follow Anthony for more updates on his music journey at www.facebook.com/p/Anthony-Howell-Music-100048065487181/.

Dale Houston add his vocal stylings at Buck’s Place Recording in Hendersonville

Trevor Holder adds his rolls at Witt Studio in Lafayette.

Banjo virtuoso Trevor Holder joins the stellar lineup. With Trevor’s Reno-style flair and bluegrass chops from The Price Sisters, Cutter & Cash and The Kentucky Grass, and Five Mile Mountain Road, this album and documentary are set to preserve timeless folk tunes like never before. Bluegrass Unlimited heralded him in 2025 as a “Modern Banjo Master” underscoring his rising prominence in the genre.

Country singer Dale Houston heartfelt vocals and traditional country style add a touch of timeless Americana to this collection of folk classics. Fresh off his 2024 album “That’s The Way I Am,” featuring standout tracks and recent nominations for awards like the Josie Music Awards, Dale continues to honor the roots of country music. He has collaborated with country artists such as Lee Newton on “Burning Boats” and David Frizzell on “Lefty, Merle, and Me,” and grew up immersed in the music of legends like Merle Haggard, Vern Gosdin, George Jones, and Conway Twitty. Discover more about Dale at his website:  www.dalehouston.com  

Jim Lauderdale and Randall Franks work in the studio adding his unique vocals to the project.

Adding his amazing vocal talents, two-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale, host of the Americana Music Awards, has penned hits for icons like George Strait, Patty Loveless, and Vince Gill and was recently inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. His illustrious career spans over 30 studio albums since 1986, blending country, bluegrass, Americana, soul, and R&B including his latest “Country Super Hits Vol. 2.” Visit his official website: https://www.jimlauderdalemusic.com/ 

Alex Miller records at Buck’s Place Recording near Nashville.

Traditional country singer Alex Miller, Billy Jam Records artist, who skyrocketed to fame on American Idol in 2021 at just 17, brings his soulful voice and masterful guitar pickin’ to the album. With hits like “I’m Over You, So Get Over Me,”  “She Makes Dirt Look Good,” and his recent songs “Oh Odessa,” “Secondhand Smoke,” and “My Appalachian Home.” Alex has proven he’s a force in traditional country.

At Buck’s Place Recording, Robert Montgomery frails his way in A Zippedy Doodle Day.

The 2004 Old-Time Banjo National Champion Robert Montgomery is renowned for his excellent singing and banjo playing, performing with groups like David Davis & the Warrior River Boys and Alan Sibley & The Magnolia Ramblers. His latest release is Ol’ Times Not Forgotten. He joins other top artists to support Appalachian music scholarships and historical preservation. Follow Robert on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertmontgomerymusic .

Kody Norris makes his vocal and musical additions at Buck’s Place Recording in Hendersonville.

​Fresh off dominating the awards circuit — including 2024 SPBGMA Entertainer of the Year, 7 total SPBGMA wins, 2025 IBMA Music Video of the Year for “The Auctioneer,” Kody’s personal Guitar Performer of the Year honors, and guest starring appearances on the iconic Grand Ole Opry stage — Rebel Records artist Kody Norris of The Kody Norris Show brings his powerhouse vocals and blistering guitar picking to this collaboration is pure mountain magic in the making! His 2025 album Highfalutin Hillbilly and current single ‘Waitress, Waitress’ — continue to shine in traditional bluegrass!

Ronnie & Justin Reno record at Buck’s Place Recording in Hendersonville.

Bluegrass legend Ronnie Reno, 2016 SPBGMA Preservation Hall of Greats, and his talented son Justin Reno add their authentic Appalachian vibes to our whimsical journey. The son of Don Reno, from Ronnie’s early days performing on The Old Dominion Barndance at age seven to collaborating with giants like Merle Haggard, The Osborne Brothers, and his hit TV show Reno’s Old Time Music (now streaming on Country Road TV), the 2013 IBMA Broadcaster of the Year’s legacy is woven into the heart of American roots music. Joining him is Justin Reno, a gifted guitarist who’s been stepping into the spotlight alongside his dad and with other Nashville bands.

Mike Scott adds his licks at Buck’s Place Recording in Hendersonville near Nashville.

Legendary banjo stylist Mike Scott brings his unmistakable hard-driving three-finger style and vocals to the project, bringing a  50+ year career of entertaining in every state in the US except Hawaii and 54 countries, 450 Grand Ole Opry performances, and playing with Jim & Jesse McReynolds, Carl Story, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent and more.

Opry Star Ketch Secor records for A Zippedy Doodle Day with Morgan Jahnig at Hartland Studios, Nashville, TN.

Grammy-winning Grand Ole Opry star Ketch Secor from the Old Crow Medicine Show brought his flair to a special performance alongside the Skillet Lickers with Paul Puckett! Secor penned the iconic hit “Wagon Wheel” and in 2025, he released his solo album ‘Story the Crow Told Me.’ He is currently hosting the  PBS series “Tennessee Crossroads.”

The project includes contributions from the Skillet Lickers (Phil and Russ Tanner) and Paul Puckett, blending the legacies of Georgia’s first  and last fiddle bands. Learn more at https://SkilletLickers.org/

Ralph Stanley II recording at Hat Creek Studio

Ralph Stanley II adds his artistry for engineer Jim Price at Hat Creek Recording – Jonesborough, TN.

Grammy-winning Ralph Stanley II, an acclaimed Appalachian performer from Virginia also enriches the project with his artistry. Learn more at https://ralph2.com/

Larry Stephenson, a five-time SPBGMA Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year, Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, and acclaimed mandolin virtuoso adds his voice to the songbook. Learn more at https://larrystephensonband.com/LSB/

Bluegrass stalwart Larry Stephenson tunes up before adding his special touch at Buck’s Place Recording in Hendersonville.

Derek Stone brings an enthusiastic traditional style at Witt Studio in Lafayette.

Youth banjo stylist Derek Stone, 15, adds his approach to the album bringing a Reno style approach to one of the tunes. Derek has racked up impressive wins, including First Place Beginning Banjo, Third Place Adult Banjo (twice), and Third Place in the Bluegrass Band Competition at the Smithville Fiddler’s Jamboree, plus First Place in the Kids’ Band Competition at the Mountain City Fiddler’s Convention. Currently in 10th grade at McCallie School, he’s the banjo player for Carl Towns & Upward Road.

With Conner Vlietstra‘s fiddle, guitar, and banjo expertise from The Price Sisters, Five Mile Mountain Road, and The Tennessee Hillbuddies, helps preserve timeless folk tunes like never before. The ETSU graduate is a 2021 Grand Master Fiddle Traditional Champion who has built a reputation for his technical skill and deep roots in Appalachian traditions. Follow Conner on Instagram @connerbullwheatstraw

Conner Vlietstra creates hot licks for A Zippedy Doodle Day at Tim Witt’s Studio in LaFayette.

Other artists working on their additions include Mary Rachel Nalley-Norris, celebrated as Entertainer of the Year and Instrumental Group of the Year wins with The Kody Norris Show, Dale Ann Bradley, a six-time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year and two-time Grammy nominee, and #1 Billboard teen mandolin phenom Wyatt Ellis. 

A diverse array of talented artists is lined up, each bringing additional richness and depth to the A Zippedy Doodle Day project.  Some among those planning to join the effort are Tim Atwood, Dom Flemons, Noah Goebel, Daniel Grindstaff, Trevor Holder,  Lee Newton, Marty Raybon,  Alan Sibley, Margie Singleton, Smith & Wesley,  and Mark Wheeler.

 

The Songs

We will share details of these classic folk songs as each is completed. Stay tuned for updates on this growing American Songbook contribution!

The FIRST SINGLE RELEASE IS COMING APRIL 10 on AirPlay Direct for Radio and for consumers on Amazon and Itunes.  Stay Tuned ….

Support the Project

Support image for A Zippedy Doodle Day

Your support can bring A Zippedy Doodle Day to life, preserving Appalachian music and empowering musicians through scholarships. Donate to the Share America Foundation, Inc.

Use this QR Code to Donate!
QR code for donating to A Zippedy Doodle Day

We are working on a CD, DVD, and digital releases. Stay tuned for updates on t-shirts and other merchandise!

The Documentary

A Zippedy Doodle Day : An Appalachian Musical Legacy

Randall Franks, C.J. Clackum and Wesley Clackum film interviews.

Director Randall Franks began collecting interviews for “A Zippedy Doodle Day” documentary in 2017 when he recorded audio from banjo stylist James Watson. It was at this point the surviving band members developed the idea of an anthology of their music for charity. Shortly thereafter, he began video interviews to accompany this release. Among those collected so far are band members Wesley Clackum, C.J. Clackum, Steve Hesterlee and promoter Chuck Langley.

Others who worked with or saw the band are being sought. Some album participants are also contributing significant memories. The University of Georgia Special Collections Library is working with him to include Doodle and the Golden River Grass materials from the Georgia Folklore Collection archive collected by Art Rosenbaum and other historians. The National Council of Traditional Arts and The American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress assists with materials from their archives.

James Watson and Randall Franks in 2017 in Roanoke, Ala.

Randall Franks and 1970s GRG Member Steve Hesterlee

Armuchee Bluegrass Festival Founder Chuck Langley and Randall Franks

 

Supporting the Future of Music

Proceeds from A Zippedy Doodle Day will benefit the Share America Foundation, Inc., founded by Randall Franks in 2006, and the West Georgia Museum. These organizations preserve Appalachian legacy and support young musicians through scholarships.

Join us in celebrating this rich musical heritage and introducing a new generation to Doodle and the Golden River Grass!

Our Partners

Tim Witt Studio, LaFayette, Georgia; Buck Jarrell, Buck’s Place Recording – Hendersonville, Tenn.; Engineer Jim Price, Hat Creek Recording – Jonesborough, TN; Morgan Jahnig at Hartland Studios, Nashville, TN; Engineer Erik Maluchnik at Michigan’s The Tempermill; 

When available to radio in 2026 you will find us on

More Doodling

1999 dedication of Doodle Thrower Amphitheater in Tallapoosa

Tallapoosa dedicates its Amphitheater honoring Doodle with his widow Ezell and members of the Golden River Grass present in 1999.

Check out this from Alan Lomax’s archive: Doodle Thrower: Singing On the Fourth of July (1982) – A unique Sacred Harp parody.

Doodle and the Golden River Grass performing Foggy Mountain Top on Tonight at Ferlinghetti’s in 1985.

Doodle and the Golden River Grass performing Liberty on Tonight at Ferlinghetti’s in 1985.

 

A life touching others – Grand Ole Opry star Buck White

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Buck White

Friends often come into our lives and have an impact, some just walk through and move on while others stay and sit a spell.

These impacts can be minor or can be major and can even change your life. I have been blessed with many people stepping into my circle of life who I have described in my books as Encouragers.

Whether for a long walk or just a moment, we can change people’s lives with our walk, our words, our intervention, our gifts, and our love.

On January 13, I heard of the passing of the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry. Buck White, 94, and his family The Whites – Sharon, and Cheryl celebrated 40 years as members last March.

I have been honored to have them in my life for longer than those 40 years when Buck’s late wife Pat took an interest in my music and life. By extension that brought Buck into my life and he also became an encourager as did their family and that’s why their actions prompted me to include them in my Encouragers book series.

The Whites, collectively Buck White and daughters Sharon White-Skaggsand Cheryl White performed together as a family act since the mid-1960s, and came to Nashville to pursue a career in music in 1971. Other family members also joined in through the years.

When I made my debut for the Grand Ole Opry in 1984 with my teenage bluegrass band the same year the Whites joined the Opry.

Just a few years earlier our group had recorded one of Buck’s mandolin tunes “Fancy Dan,” which appears on our “Country Kids” release.

In the early part of the 1980s, The Whites delivered favorites like their first Top 10, “You Put The Blue In Me,” as well as “Hangin’ Around,” “Give Me Back That Old Familiar Feeling,” and “Pins And Needles,” – the latter all produced by Sharon’s husband, country and bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs(the two married in 1981).

A few years later, the group agreed to join me on the “In the Heat of the Night” “Christmas Time’s A Comin’” CD on my song “Let’s Live Every Day Like It Was Christmas.” While the album became a huge seller benefiting charity, the song for us made its way to be included among the top country vocal collaborations of the year. The album made the list of Top 50 Christmas Recordings in history.

The Whites, hand-picked for their involvement in the movie and soundtrack, O Brother, Where Art Thou? led to considerable industry recognition – including the greatest honor possible – a GRAMMY win in the esteemed ‘Album of the Year’ category. They also received ‘Album of the Year’ trophies from the ACM (Academy of Country Music), the Country Music Association (CMA), and the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Awards.

Many music industry folks refer to The Whites as the “new first family of country music.” I would have to agree with that statement. They have definitely earned seats at the front of the table.

Buck and Pat were dedicated followers of Jesus Christ. They walked, talked and lived their faith. Whenever I was in Nashville through the years, they invited me to church. I was raised in church, and often performed sharing gospel songs in churches, gospel concerts and festivals. But it was at one of those church services where they brought me, that I rededicated my life to Christ. Their son-in-law Ricky Skaggs was there participating in the service and was there with me at the alter. So, Buck not only uplifted my life with encouragement, helped raise my career with his musical gifts, but he invested in me spiritually, ensuring that I would have eternal life in Christ. For all these things I am thankful, but for the latter, there is no amount of appreciation which could repay that investment in my walk towards and with Jesus.

My prayers are with his daughters Sharon, Cheryl, Rosie and Melissa and all their families and all who loved Buck. I know he was universally loved throughout of industry. The family shared this comment on social media:

“The Lord answered our prayers and took our daddy home peacefully this morning at 8:00 a.m. We are so thankful for his 94 years on this earth. He was a great Dad who taught us by example to put Jesus first always. His great loves were the Lord, our mother, his family and music. Most people will remember him not only for being a great musician and entertainer, but also for being fun-loving and full of mischief. He lived a full life and finished well.”

If you have never listened to the Whites, I encourage you to check out their unique blend of bluegrass, country, folk, gospel and Texas swing. I think their top-notch instrumental work and striking family harmony will make you want to hear them more! Thank you Buck for being my friend and encourager.

The Whites and Randall Franks backstage in Owensboro, Ky. in 2010.

Legendary American singer Earle Wheeler is called home

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So as best I recall, it was 1984 at Raccoon Creek Bluegrass Festival in Dallas, Ga., I took it into my head that the Marksmen Quartet needed a fiddle player, so I crawled up on stage fiddle in hand from the audience and joined in. I was surprised Earle Wheeler didn’t kick me right back off.

Already a legendary American music singer Dr. Earle Wheeler, of Murrayville, Ga. whose appearances on “The Gospel Singing Jubilee,” J.G. Whitfield’s “All Nite Sings,” and “The Warren Roberts Show” greatly impacted Southern gospel and now he was making strides in bluegrass music. He would go on to add country music as another musical genre among his conquests.

Dr. Earle Wheeler (Marksmen Media: Leslie Laurendeau Abby-J Photography)

He contributed over 500 career recordings to American music and amassed over 20 career award wins across the three musical genres plus three Dove Award nominations for “God’s Masterpiece” and “Blue Ridge Mountain Memories” and “This My Crowd” in 2008, 2010, and 2013. He attained numerous chart songs including several #1 songs, some of those were “Sound the Battle Cry,” “He’s Still Setting My Place at The Table,” “Potter’s Wheel,” and “Preach the Cross.”

Earle left this world doing what he loved while on tour in Texas at the age of 84, (1940- 2024). An accidental fall caused a broken second vertebra requiring his hospitalization prior to his passing from heart failure on Oct. 31.

Earle had led the Hall of Fame and multiple-award–winning Marksmen Quartet since 1967, a re-branding from his group The Gospel Hearts that he began in 1961.

My intervening in their performance 40 years ago, began friendships and musical collaborations that remain to this day.

My early years in music, I spent countless nights in their home. I slept in a bunk pulled out from under guitarist and vocalist Mark Wheeler’s bed when we were youth. Mark is Earle’s only son and a mainstay of the quartet. I ate many meals prepared by his wife Shirley at their dining room table.

When I graduated, Earle helped me get my first record company job. Of course, they would soon sign with that label and I promoted their music. While there I played on my first chart record for Earle “Meet Me in Heaven” which featured a fiddle solo in it.

That was one of a long list of chart songs in the three genres Earle would bring to music fans.

I stood on stage beside Earle for many years watching him move an audience with his master level skills of emceeing a show. His performances often brought explosive response from audiences was when he led “Get Away Jordan” and “I Want to Go There.” I saw long-time stars express their frustrations to follow Earle on stage because he would wear out an audience through his ability to move them emotionally.

The Marksmen joined me in my performance for the Grand Ole Opry’s 63rd Birthday Celebration in 1987 electrifying the audience. Within a year, they were included in a performance for the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Legends of Bluegrass Concert in 1988 alongside Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Jim and Jesse, The Lewis Family, and the Osborne Brothers. Their efforts garnered them nine Gospel Bluegrass Band of the Year Awards once such an award was created.

I was honored to be there for many of those great achievements with Earle and appear with them on shows such as “The Huff Cook Gospel Sing” from Bristol, Va.

Beginning in 1988, I joined the cast of “In the Heat of the Night,” and when the opportunity arose, I included Earle and the group to sing on “In the Heat of the Night” “Christmas Time’s A Comin’” CD with Anne-Marie Johnson and featured them with Carroll O’Connor, the cast and country hall of famers.

In later years, when ever I appeared Earle used to joke I left the Marksmen because Carroll O’Connor paid me more than he did.

His acceptance in bluegrass also yielded his transition and acceptance into the country genre performing side by side with that genre’s biggest stars. Still performing in the same fashion, just finding new audiences for four voices and their unique songs. The group would win Five Country Gospel Group of the Year Awards. They won Two Country Music Video Awards for “Grandpa Was a Farmer” and “Wagon Tracks.”

From our first concert to raise funds for the Pearl and Floyd Franks Appalachian Music Scholarships for the Share America Foundation, Inc., Earle and the Marksmen Quartet were there and made our efforts a success each year joining us for the last time in 2023 on the Hollywood Hillbilly Jamboree.

Earle and his wife Shirley were an extra set of parents who have checked in on me throughout my life. Earle was there supporting me when I lost both my dad and mom. He is survived by his wife Shirley, his son Mark (Joy), and his grandchildren Will, Sarah Grace, and Cana and current and former members of The Marksmen Quartet.

Rest in Peace Earle… Well done good and faithful servant!

                            The Marksmen – 1987

 

Take down the fiddle and bow

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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 watched their fingers move and the their bows go up and down.

Unlike my youth learning experience, today, youth doing the same have the amazing ability to simply take their phone and find a video of a fiddler playing the tune they want. But there is nothing like being in a room hearing and seeing another fiddler play.

That is what many of the youth who competed at the 53rd Grand Master Fiddler Championship had the chance to do as many of the greatest fiddle competitors gathered outside Nashville at the Turner Theater in Franklin as the contest took place Labor Day weekend.

I walked down the hallway between the stage and the warm-up rooms and youthful fiddlers leaned against the walls watching the older competitors warming up with their accompanists getting ready to walk on stage and be judged for America’s top Grand Master Fiddler.

I was blessed to return to serve as celebrity host, a role I been honored to conduct since 2007. I was a teen the first time I came to this contest brought by my childhood mentor Eugene Akers getting to see the great fiddlers.

As I looked in the eyes of the youth while walking down the hallway, I could see their excitement. In their anticipation, I knew their fears as they waited for their chance to convince the judges they had improved in their efforts.

Many of the former youth are now competing in the adult open category. Seeing the young adults excelling is such a blessing.

When I was starting out the youthful fiddlers who were ahead and plowing the way for us kids were Mark O’Connor, Jimmy Mattingly, the late Randy Howard and others. This year’s event was special in that Mark was there sharing a special hour of music with his wife Maggie. Jimmy was there being honored with the Dr. Perry F. Harris Award. Another early competitor Monte Gaylord of Oklahoma came back and competed after many years, shining in his performance.

This year’s event was squeezed into one day, filled with about 40 fiddlers sharing a breakdown, a waltz and a tune of choice. Two Canadians and one fiddler from the Netherlands also tried their luck. One that seemed to be a favorite this year was Kenny Baker’s “Festival Waltz” as fiddlers of all ages shared it. Another often played tune was “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down.” A tune I played as a Blue Grass Boy with Bill Monroe – “Road to Columbus” also seemed to be more prevalent this year.

From my vantage point at the podium, I will have to say, there were more existing Grand Master Fiddlers competing against each other or simply present at this event than I ever recall in my years of participating. The audience certainly heard the best of the best.

The 2024 Grand Master Fiddler of the open category is Ridge Roberts of Granbury, Texas, and in the youth category is Tristan Paskvan of Southlake, Texas. Todd Varble won the accompanist award. Marty Elmore received the Charlie Bush Traditional Fiddler Award. Naomi Dornfeld received the Matthew Thomas Lin Scholarship Award. Learn more about the Grand Master Fiddler Championship at grandmasterfiddler.com or follow them on Facebook.

The Road to Nashville

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Randall Franks
The Road to Nashville

International Bluegrass Music Museum Legend and America’s Old Time Country Music Hall of Famer Randall Franks , hosts a documentary “Road to Nashville” taped live in Nashville in 2015. Franks returned to his Grand Ole Opry roots on its radio home of Nashville’s WSM to share an appearance on The Allnighter with Marcia Campbell.   / marciacampbellradio   . Franks brought several Share America Scholars to Nashville to tour TV and music businesses and organizations, meet with executives, music legends and learn more about the industry they wish to share their talents within. Among those seen in this video are Grand Ole Opry star Jesse McReynolds (www.jimandjesse.com) and the late Country Music Hall of Famer Mac Wiseman. This performance including Mountain Cove Bluegrass Band of Chattanooga, Tenn. – Cody Harvey, Chris Brown, Eli Beard and Tyler Martelli features several songs including a 2006 bluegrass hit written by Franks and popularized by David Davis and the Warrior River Boys.  Mountain Cove has fostered four Pearl and Floyd Franks Scholars, named for Franks’s late parents, receiving support from the Share America Foundation, Inc. while pursuing their college degrees.(www.mtncovebluegrass.com)

The show also features Share America Scholar Pianist Ryan Stinson of Ringgold, Ga. is a Share America Scholar and he graduated from Luther Rice University with a degree in Religion/Ministry and he lives in Ringgold. He has played piano since the age of 10 and began singing about three years ago. His talents have allowed him to perform on WSM and theaters around the south including special appearances at the Texas Troubadour Theater in Nashville, the Tribute Theater, Country Tonite Theater, and Smoky Mountain Opry Theater in Pigeon Forge, Graceland in Memphis, festivals, concerts and churches. Road to Nashville was directed by Randall Franks with the talents of camera operators Tommy Barnes and Share America scholar Ryan Stinson.

It originally aired at a ticketed event at the Ringgo Theater at the Ringgold Depot in Ringgold, Ga. November 13, 2015 and was submitted to film festivals.

Share America Foundation, Inc., a 501-C-3 of Georgia, fosters the arts and preserves the history of Appalachia through the presentation of the Pearl and Floyd Franks Scholarship to youth who continue traditional music styles of the region. It also hosts special events and creates projects that perpetuate the Appalachian experience. It operates with a five-member volunteer board, currently including Chairman Gary Knowles, Vice Chairman Jimmy Terrell, Secretary James Pelt, President Randall Franks, and Vice President Jerry Robinson, and a task force of volunteers. The organization has assisted 30 college scholars thus far and numerous other youth in aspiring towards their musical goals through entertainer mentors, live performances, and creating opportunities for learning and success. Among the partners of the Share America Foundation are AirPlay Direct, Hillbilly Love, Round Up Grant from the North Georgia Electric Membership Corporation Foundation, Kiwanis Club of Ringgold, and the Wes and Shirley Smith Charitable Endowment and numerous individual donors. “Black Eyed Suzy” & “Filling the River with Tears” (Randall Franks/Peach Picked Pub./BMI) Based on a poem by Evelyn Rose Brock.

To Support Programs Like This Please Donate to the

Share America Foundation, Inc. 

P.O. Box 42, Tunnel Hill, Ga. 30755

To donate to Share America, click here:


Copyright 2015 Randall Franks Media in association with Share America Foundation, Inc.

A bluegrass era nearing its end

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When I reflect upon my life, some of my greatest joy came upon the grounds and on stages of bluegrass festivals across the country.
My youthful days brought a desire to throw an instrument in the car, a tent, sleeping bag and enough clothes and food to get by while I took in day and evening shows and late night jam sessions.
The people attending, the performers became my family. I once compared the experience to living in Mayberry. We had a small town that each weekend moved to a new location with many of the same lovable characters making up our world.
All we did circled around a group of established and much loved performers whose talents surpassed all we knew and who could keep us mesmerized again and again as they flowed onto the stage and sang the songs that touched our hearts. The first generation of those performers were the kings and queens of our world. As fans we shared their lives in ways no other music industry ever afforded. We actually came to know them, their families, we often shared meals and laughed around the record tables to endless stories.
Most of that first generation has stepped off the stage. In recent weeks, the heavenly bluegrass band expanded by two more mandolin players and lead singers whose sound and songs were known around the world. First, Jesse McReynolds of Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys. His career spanned from 1947 until 2023. He and his late brother Jim joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1964. Their career was infused by breaking musical barriers and taking their unique bluegrass style across genres. They turned heads in the 1960s dedicating an entire album to the songs of Chuck Berry in bluegrass style. Johnny B. Goode became a career-long fan favorite. Jesse could as easily play with a Rock and Roll star as a Jazz virtuoso innovating his instrument with two distinct approaches including split-stringing and cross-picking. Both of which made him the envy of every player and an inspiration for generations.
He and his brother created bluegrass hits such as “Cotton Mill Man,” “Paradise,” “Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes,” “Hard Hearted,” “Pardon Me,” “Border Ride” while adding hundreds of songs to America’s music catalog.
Of course, with their distinguished career came International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame induction, America’s highest musical award – National Heritage Fellowship, Grammy nominations, and countless other awards.
I first saw them as a youth at one of those festivals, and I was blessed to have them both a mentors in my life and career. I appeared both as a Virginia Boy and as a guest star on the Jim and Jesse Show. I slept in their bus and Jesse’s house many times. No bluegrass legend invested more in my life than Jesse. He and Jim were my family, so with Jesse’s passing I lost an adopted father in many respects. But the world lost a vital link to a generation of music performance which will never be again.
Another legendary figure, who I was also blessed to be friends with who died four days after Jesse was Bobby Osborne. Beginning as part of the Hall of Fame Lonesome Pine Fiddlers in 1949, he and his brother Sonny – The Osborne Brothers, also joined the Opry in 1964. Before that they performed with the Stanley Brothers, Red Allen, Jimmy Martin and others. Their vocal blends combined with the coordination of their banjo and mandolin talents endeared them to worldwide audiences. Their albums were an annual feast of what was going to be the next hot song heard in jam sessions. On stage, they were unmatched in their ability to entertain. If you are from America, you probably heard their big hit “Rocky Top,” which they popularized. Bobby could sing “Ruby, Are You Made At Your Man” with a voice so high he could catch the birds in flight above the stage he was singing upon. They also added hundreds of stylistic performances to the American songbook – “Big Spike Hammer,” “I’ll Be Alright Tomorrow,” “Up This Heal and Down,” “Pain In My Heart,” “Me and My Old Banjo” and others.
They also were International Bluegrass Hall of Fame inductees. Among their awards were major ones in both country and bluegrass. And they also received the National Heritage Fellowship Award. I was honored to feature The Osborne Brothers on shows I produced. I will add my sorrow among the many fans who will miss Bobby. There are only a handful of the first generation performers remaining. These were the last two among the Opry family, which added to their legacy. I wish I could once again throw my fiddle in the back of the station wagon and head down some old dirt road to a pasture by a creek where in front of a stage thousands were gathered around to hear Jim & Jesse and the Osborne Brothers and so many other legends once more. We sure were blessed to know them!

Grand Master Fiddler Championship crowns 2018 master

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I have been honored for many years to serve as the celebrity host of the Grand Master Fiddle Championship, now held at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville.
I have watched had the honor of watching a new generation of fiddlers come of age as I have watched from the wings or the podium. One such young fiddle from Birch Tree, Mo. has competed for several years, each year becoming a little better. Three times he came in second to other fiddlers but this year he advanced taking the top position becoming the Grand Master Fiddler. His name is Trustin Baker. Trustin took home $1,200 in cash, a $500 gift certificate courtesy of D’Addario, a Grand Master Fiddler plaque, and will appear on the Grand Ole Opry in 2019. He also won the Charlie Bush Traditional Fiddler Performance Award presented in honor of late director Charlie Bush.

Grand Master Fiddler Champion Trustin Baker (second from left) of Birch Tree, Mo. of receives his award, from left, GMFC Director Ed Carnes, GMFC Host Keith Bilbrey, GMFC Host Randall Franks, and GMFC Director Howard Harris. (GMFC Photo: Michelle Mize)

“I can’t hardly believe it,” Baker told me after receiving the title. “It’s been a contest I have wanted to win ever since I started playing the fiddle.”
Among his winning tunes in this competition were “Grey Eagle,” “Gardenia Waltz” and “Black and White Rag.”
“I think maybe I am becoming more consistent with my playing,” he said. “I am looking forward to playing the Grand Ole Opry.”
The two-day 47th annual Grand Master Fiddler Championship is the nation’s premier championship event held on Sept. 1 and 2, 2018.
I am honored to walk in the footsteps of former celebrity hosts Porter Wagoner and Roy Acuff continuing the tradition of the Grand Ole Opry’s fiddle event now coordinated by the founder’s son Howard Harris and fiddler Ed Carnes and a non-profit board.
“It seems with every passing year we surpass the previous one with the level of talented fiddlers who participate and the amazing enthusiasts who fill the seats,” said Howard Harris, GMFC President. “Fiddlers came from coast to coast to add to the legacy of fiddling at our event. The amazing skills shown brought hours of applause and cheers from the audience and yielded some tough decisions for our judges.”
The Grand Master Fiddler Championship, Inc. is a Tennessee non-profit and a U.S. IRS 501(c)(3) charitable corporation, formed to educate about and perpetuate fiddling as an art form and cultural treasure.
Fiddlers competed for over $15,000 in prizes.
In honor of its founder, the organization presented the Dr. Perry F. Harris Award to Dr. Robert “Roby” Cogswell, retired Tennessee Arts Commission Folklife Program Director and guitarist.
WSM All Nighter’s Marcia Campbell and Keith Bilbrey of “Larry’s Country Diner” and “Huckabee” joined me in co-hosting the event.
The other top winners included in descending order: Ridge Roberts of Granbury, Texas; Andrew Lin of Lexington, Ky.; Billy Contreras of Nashville. Tenn.; Ivy Phillips of Chapmansboro, Tenn.; Matthew Lin of Lexington, Ky.; Wes Westmoreland of Temple, Texas; Joel Whittinghill of Bowling Green, Ky.; Mari Black of Cambridge, Mass.; Karissa Nugent of Fort Worth, Texas; Mark Ralph of Whitesville, Ky.; Kerry Varble of Salem, Ohio; Benjamin Lin of Lexington, Ky.; Bill Jones of Covington, Ga.; Jason Andrew of Whitewright, Texas; Noemi Turner of Otis Orchards, Wash.; Cody Stadelmaier of Fort Collins, Colo.; Blakeley Burger of Louisville, Ky.; and Josiah Colle of Batesville, Ark.
The Grand Master Traditional Champion is Tyler Andal of Nashville, Tenn. who won $300, a $500 gift certificate

Tyler Andal won the Grand Master Traditional Fiddler Championship at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Sept. 1. From left, GMFC Celebrity Host Randall Franks, GMFC Director Ed Carnes, Andal, and GMFC Director Howard Harris. (GMFC photo)

courtesy of D’Addario, a Grand Master Fiddler plaque.
Andal, who has been playing 18 years, said it is one of his favorite competitions and divisions. He said the most impactful tune that he presented was “Lost Child.”
“It’s really exciting to me to get to play with people that know what is going on,” he said.
“It’s a lot of fun to do it with friends like Mr. Rob Pearcy that back you up in the competition and make some groovy dance music.”
Other winners in descending order are Giri Peters of Nashville, Tenn.; Tessa Dillon of St. Albans, W.V.; Clelia Stefanini of Nashville, Tenn.; Henry Barnes of Washington Court House, Ohio; Andrew Magill of Asheville, N.C.; and Hillary Klug of Shelbyville, Tenn.
The Grand Master Youth Champion is Leah Bowen of Sparks, Nev.
She won $300, a $500 gift certificate courtesy of D’Addario, and a Grand Master Fiddler plaque. She has been playing for four years. Her winning tunes included the Tennessee Wagoner and Rose of Avenmore Waltz and Black and White Rag.
“It’s not really about the winning,” she said. “Winning is great, but it’s about being with the people and the guitarists.:

GMFC Directors Ed Carnes (left) and Howard Harris (right) presents Grand Master Youth Champion Leah Bowen of Sparks, Nev. (Photo: Randall Franks)

Other winners in descending order are Miles Quale of Alameda, Calif.; Emilie Miller of Otis Orchards, Wash.; David Lin of Lexington, Ky. Teo Quale of Alameda, Calif., Jane Eby of Whitehouse, Ohio; Kate Ward of Kuttawa, Ky., Devon Waite of Goodlettsville, Tenn.; Christiana Nugent of Fort Worth, Texas; and Nathan Pedneault of Fort Worth, Texas.
Winning guitar accompanists are Drew Miller of Otis Orchards, Wash., Rob Pearcy of Smyrna, Tenn.; Jonathan Trawick of Portland, Ore.; Elijah Baker of Birch Tree, Mo.; Jim Reina of Conroe, Texas; and Todd Varble of Salem, Ohio. Miller who took first, won $200 and a certificate.
As a fiddler since the age of eight, whose instrument has taken me places I could never imagine the music it played would open doors from coast to coast, from backstages to board rooms allowing me to become known around the world. It is exciting for me to see their youthful dreams coming to fruition and watch the dream grow even bigger for their futures. I am honored to be watching  these talents from the wings!
Like http://www.facebook.com/grandmasterfiddler or watch on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/GrandMasterFiddle or Livestream http://www.grandmasterfiddler.com/videos/ For more information, visit www.grandmasterfiddler.com.

New music from Dailey & Vincent and Kiefer Sutherland takes to the road

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Actor/entertainer Kiefer Sutherland, star of TV’s “Designated Survivor” is getting back on the road this year to play in more than 20 cities.

Momentum continues for Kiefer Sutherland’s music career and debut album, DOWN IN A HOLE, which includes 11 co-written tracks by Sutherland and producer Jude Cole.

Recently, Sutherland performed “Can’t Stay Away” on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “Calling Out Your Name” on “The View.”

Sutherland, known for his starring role in and Fox series “24,” also starred in movies like “Stand By Me,” “The Lost Boys,” “Young Guns,” “Flatliners,” “A Few Good Men,” “A Time to Kill,” “Dark City” “Melancholia” and most recently, a western called “Forsaken.”

Keep up with Sutherland on the road by visiting kiefersutherlandmusic.com.

Upcoming Grand Ole Opry stars Dailey & Vincent will release their eighth album, Patriots & Poets on March 31. The project features collaborations with bluegrass music’s top musicians including Steve Martin, Doyle Lawson, Bela Fleck, and David Rawlings.

The project features 16 all-new tracks that were all written or co-written by Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent, with a collection of energizing upbeat songs, along with slow sing-along anthems. Standout tracks on the project include the feel-good track “California” which features a very special verse by comedic and bluegrass enthusiast Steve Martin. Other highlights on the project include thought-provoking songs like, “Beautiful Scars” and “American We Love You,” all highlighting harmonies by 6-time “Male Vocalist of the Year” winner Jamie Dailey and 5-time Grammy® winner Darrin Vincent. Another feel-good moment on Patriots & Poets includes the track “Bill and Ole Elijah.”

Also, their hit RFD-TV program, “The Dailey & Vincent Show” is back with season one and season two of the popular variety series, now airing on Friday nights at 7:30pm ET, throughout all of 2017.
The IBMA award-winners were recently honored by the International Bluegrass Hall of Fame and Museum with the brand new exhibit, “A Decade of Dailey & Vincent: An American Music Journey,” which features artifacts and memorabilia from their decorated career as a duo and beyond. Fans can also catch the hit makers appearing at venues and festivals nationwide, including their annual music festival Dailey & Vincent LandFest in the Mountains, presented by Springer Mountain Farms.

For more information, visit DaileyandVincent.com.

Bill Anderson and Charlie Monk reflect on life in the country

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Songwriting icon and legendary performer “Whisperin’ Bill” Anderson released his new autobiography Whisperin’ Bill Anderson: An Unprecedented Life In Country Music recently.

AndersonCompA2.indd In addition, listeners can sit back and enjoy a NEW audio book narrated by Bill Anderson. The audio book bundle also includes a Bonus CD featuring 10 never-before released self-penned acoustic recordings by Anderson, including smash hits like “Whiskey Lullaby” (Brad Paisley/Alison Krauss), “Give It Away” (George Strait), “City Lights” (Ray Price) and seven more.

Whisperin’ Bill Anderson: An Unprecedented Life In Country Music is a representation of Anderson’s journey, and published by University of Georgia Press. Read by Bill Anderson himself it features eye-opening personal stories from his nearly eighty years of living – from early days of radio broadcasting in Georgia, to standing alongside the greatest country music stars in the world onstage at the Grand Ole Opry, to meeting Elvis Presley, to being named BMI’s first ICON Award winner in the country music genre.

The book is a 360-page reflection of Anderson’s journey includes Peter Cooper as a contributing writer. It includes rare, never-before-seen photos and eye-opening personal stories from Anderson’s nearly eighty years of living – from early days of radio broadcasting in Georgia, to standing alongside the greatest country music stars in the world onstage at the Grand Ole Opry, to being named BMI’s first ICON Award winner in the country music genre.

With the 2015 success of Mo Pitney’s “Country,” Anderson has become the only country songwriter to tally a Top 40 hit in seven consecutive decades, and he stands today a legendary performer, who recently celebrated his 55th Anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
The book is available for $29.95 at Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, various independent book stores, and online at www.BillAnderson.com and Amazon.com.

If you work in the Nashville music business and don’t know the name Charlie Monk, you probably haven’t been around very long.  After all, he is the “Mayor of Music Row.”  This year, Monk is celebrating six decades of blood, sweat and tears in show business.

“When I started out in 1956, I wanted to be a radio or TV star or maybe an actor,” recalls Monk.  “I found out when I moved to Music City that I was a lot better at nurturing other talented people which got me into the management, publishing and production side of music.  I’m proud that I have made a good living for my family, had a lot of fun hanging with super talented folks and doing a lot of different things in the entertainment world.”

Monk recently attended his 60th high school class reunion in his hometown of Geneva, Alabama.  During his visit, the town presented him with his very own roadway, “Charlie Monk Lane.”

“Everybody in Geneva, Alabama, population 4,500, knew that I was the poorest kid in town but they knew that I was a hard worker and many of them gave me jobs and encouragement,” he says.  “It took a village to raise me. I am unbelievably honored with this recognition and thank the mayor and city council for having the ceremony during a reunion of my 1957 high school graduating class. ‘CHARLIE MONK LANE’… that’s pretty cool.”

Charlie Monk may know everyone working in Nashville’s music community. Outside of that community, Monk may very well be Nashville’s most influential unknown. Whether entertaining America on his daily SiriusXM radio show, managing Monk Family Music or hosting a major music event, he is honest and frank in everything he does. It’s his unique personality, combined with 60 years experience in show business, that has made Monk one of the most respected executives on Music Row.

Through the years, Monk has developed strong instincts. In 1983, for example, Monk signed a young singer/songwriter named Randy charlie-monkTraywick — now known as Randy Travis. He signed Kenny Chesney to his first songwriting deal and negotiated his first record contract with Capricorn Records. Songwriters Monk has signed “off the street” include Marcus Hummon, Holly Dunn, Jim McBride, Keith Stegall, Aaron Tippin and Philip Douglas.

Monk Family Music Group published songs have been recorded by Travis, Tippin, Led Zeppelin,  Lonestar, Reba, LeAnn Rimes, Tracy Lawrence, The Mavericks, Cheap Trick, Kenny Rogers, Sandi Patti, Glen Campbell, Otis Redding, Louise Mandrell, Trick Pony, Carolina Rain, Ike & Tina Turner, Jeff Treece, and John Michael Montgomery.

Monk’s entertainment career began in 1956, sweeping floors at WGEA in Geneva, Alabama. He landed a weekend air shift at the station and remained throughout his high school years.
A founder of the Country Radio Seminar, Monk produced and hosted the annual New Faces Show for over 40 years. He is an alumnus of Leadership Music, lifetime Director of the Country Radio Broadcasters, a member of the Country Music Association, the Academy of Country Music and the Gospel Music Association. He has served as VP of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, VP of the Nashville Songwriters Association International, VP of the Gospel Music Association, Board of Leadership Music, and local President of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (now known as AFTRA-SAG).  Monk was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 2014.
This year, Monk is nominated for induction into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame as well as the Country Radio Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

An American Legend and the Opry – Violet Hensley

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Violet Hensley on stage at the Grand Ole Opry on Aug. 6. (Photo by Marcia Campbell/http://www.facebook.com/marciacampbellradio)

There are moments which bring people together. Common experiences such as championship wins of athletes or sporting teams, pivotal events which shape our nation or world, or iconic performances or awards highlighting those who inspire us through performance.
I was honored to be among just such a group on Aug. 6, 2016. I traveled to Nashville to see a legendary folk fiddle performer and maker Violet Hensley. I spent a couple years of my life helping Violet bring together her life story for the book “Whittlin’ and Fiddlin’ My Own Way: The Violet Hensley Story.”
God Lord willing, Violet will mark her centennial as she celebrates her 50th year as Silver Dollar City’s longest serving spokesperson and folk artisan at a special event on Oct. 21 in Branson, Mo.
She has entertained countless millions both live and on television through appearances on American standards such as “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “Captain Kangaroo,” “To Tell the Truth,” “Regis and Kathie Lee” and countless other shows through decades of performing.
One performance dream which she had yet to realize was an appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. The show came on the air when she was 9 years old and was initially heard on a battery-powered radio in the rural Arkansas farm area of Alamo where she grew up. Now known as the Whittlin’ Fiddler from Yellville, it was another Arkansas fiddler named Tim Crouch who read of her dream in her autobiography and called Grand Ole Opry star Mike Snider. Snider then arranged for her to guest on his portion of the Grand Ole Opry.
The hit making country group Shenandoah had just left the stage as a place was prepared for her and though now her sight is limited by macular degeneration, her daughter walked her to the stool that stage hands had placed center stage near where all the country legends have performed.
As the Opry announcer passed the show back to Snider, the excitement was already building. He began an introduction, and barely got out his first few words out: “I’ve had the privilege to introduce a lot of great people on the Grand Ole Opry but it’s rare I get to introduce a National Treasure and I have one sitting hear beside me. This little lady was born in 1916…”
When the audience responded with a standing ovation that filled the Grand Ole Opry House. A wave of sound flooded the stage as the centenarian’s face beamed, as did that of her daughter Sandra and grandson Sterling who joined her musically on stage with Snider’s band. That moment broadcast across the world on wsmonline.com and on the same airways that she listened to as a girl with her fiddle playing father brought people lining the stage to tears.
She is one of America’s first nationally known female fiddlers and fiddle makers. She inspired generations of girls and boys on every imaginable children’s show from coast to coast to know they could play American music and even learn to build a fiddle if they desired. Someone who became the image of one of America’s most iconic theme parks and thus a part of the fabric of America itself.
Much like Dolly Parton is to Dollywood and Mickey Mouse is for Disney – Violet Hensley’s smile, laughter, wit and uplifting spirit, helped shape the family memories and experiences that fueled rhe Midwestern American culture. On this night America was giving something back to her – love for a century of entertaining, teaching, and encouraging, while all the struggles and hardships that went along with it.
Among the audience in the Opry house and listening were many of her descendants, but in a way, all of us whom she had touched through radio, TV and in person were her musical descendants. Had this occurred just a few years earlier, she probably would have placed the fiddle on top of her head and while she fiddled and sang “She’ll Be Comin’ ‘Round the Mountain,: she would have danced a little jig, but tonight she selected the fiddle tune “Angeline the Baker” and seriously applied her expertise to make her Ozark forebearers proud.
She accomplished that goal and more. I think all that were touched by the moment will always remember it. Though now the focus of our attention is split between hundreds of media sources, unlike in the days when there were just a handful of clear channel radio stations like WSM or two or three local TV stations. In those days, you knew what everyone would be talking about the next morning.
This was one of those moments to talk about. If you missed it, maybe you can at least learn more about this amazing American Legend by visiting VioletHensley.com or liking “Whittlin’ and Fiddlin’ My Own Way” on Facebook. There is much to learn about life from someone who lived 100 years, raising a large family while living as a farmer, migrant farm worker, and keeping the tradition of Ozark music thriving.