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Appalachian Fiddler Randall Franks joins The Moonlit Road.com for a new podcast celebrating it’s 28th Anniversary

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Randall Franks (second from left) reviews his musical enhancements in the studio with director Craig Dominey (left) and audio engineer Henry Howard. (Randall Franks Media)

Appalachian entertainer/actor Randall Franks, JMA Musician of the Year – Fiddle, adds his original musical accompaniment to a new episode of the heralded folklore podcast The Moonlit Road.

“Storytelling and fiddling has long gone hand in hand,” Franks said. “My great grandfather A.J. “Harve” Franks combined the two, entertaining all who came his way. In this adventure, I support another great storyteller.”

The Moonlit Road.com, the definitive online home for strange tales and ghost stories from the American South, today announced the exciting relaunch of The Moonlit Road Podcast. Celebrating its 28th anniversary, the influential digital folklore project is returning with an all-new series featuring performing storytellers and musicians, some of whom have not recorded with the team in over 25 years.

The relaunch signals a renewed commitment by the original production team to share the rich, eerie tapestry of the Southern storytelling tradition. The site and podcast, which has been hailed as the “masters of campfire lore” by Garden and Gun Magazine, will feature ghost stories, strange folktales, and regional myths, blending professional audio production with authentic Southern talent.

Inaugural Episode Features World-Renowned Musician

The first episode of the new series, “The Cow That Ate The Preacher,” sets a high bar for the season. This chilling and darkly funny Arkansas ghost story tells the tale of a traveling preacher, who has lost more than his way, and seeks revenge on an inhospitable farm couple.

  • The story is masterfully told by local storytelling legend David Hirt.

  • It features original musical accompaniment by world-renowned bluegrass musician and actor Randall Franks (Find him at https://randallfranks.com/).

“Many of my people come from the land of kilts, fiddles and bagpipes,” Franks said. “This retelling of a folktale from the old country just in time when many are focusing upon things that go bump in the night, allowed me to reconnect a bit with my Celtic heritage.”

The storytellers featured in the new series are well-known to the Atlanta, Ga. community, regularly performing at beloved live events such as the Tour of Southern Ghosts in Stone Mountain and Capturing the Spirit of Oakland in Oakland Cemetery. Check out the podcast at https://www.themoonlitroad.com/the-cow-that-ate-the-preacher/ .

A Return to the Dark Backroads

“We are thrilled to celebrate nearly three decades of sharing the South’s most spine-tingling stories by bringing the original team back together,” said Craig Dominey, Founder and Producer of The Moonlit Road.com. “This relaunch is a homecoming, allowing us to post new, high-quality audio stories that capture the unique atmosphere of the Southern storytelling tradition. For long-time fans and new listeners alike, it’s a chance to light a lantern and join us back down The Moonlit Road.”

New episodes of The Moonlit Road Podcast will be posted monthly and are available on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and via the website at TheMoonlitRoad.com.

About The Moonlit Road.com

Founded in 1997, The Moonlit Road.com is the web’s leading source for Southern ghost stories, folktales, and strange-but-true tales, narrated by the region’s best storytellers. For over 25 years, the organization has been dedicated to preserving and promoting the oral tradition and distinct folklore of the American South.

CONTACT: Craig Dominey, Founder/Producer – The Moonlit Road.com feedback@themoonlitroad.com

103 Years and counting – an American treasure Violet Hensley

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I just got off the phone doing something that only a handful of folks get to do in life. I wished “Happy Birthday” to a friend – Violet Hensley – who was celebrating her 103rd birthday.
There are moments just such as these which bring people together. Common experiences such as championship wins of athletes or sporting teams, pivotal events which shape our nation or the world, iconic performances or awards by those who inspire us through performance.
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” a few years ago.
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. She even reached her dream of playing the Grand Ole Opry, a show that 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. She has appeared three times since her 99th birthday.
She is one of America’s first nationally known female fiddlers and fiddler makers who had 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 an American folk legend.
Much like Dolly Parton for Dollywood and Mickey Mouse for Disneyland – Violet Hensley’s smile, laughter, wit and uplifting spirit, helped shape the family memories and experiences that fueled Midwestern American culture. As she continues the path before her, this season she is working at Fall Festival in Branson at Silver Dollar City where folks have seen her for 53 seasons. They are still giving love back to her for a lifetime of entertaining, teaching, and encouraging and thanking her for all the struggles and hardships that went along with it and fueled her life experience.
Last year, the Arkansas Living Treasure was inducted into the National Fiddler Hall of Fame. Thank you, Violet, for touching America and the world with your talents, your strong-willed work ethic and never-faltering faith! To learn more about her visit VioletHensley.com or like “Whittlin’ and Fiddlin’ My Own Way” on Facebook. There is much to learn about life from someone who lived 103 years, who raised a large family while living as a farmer/migrant farm worker, and all the time keeping the tradition of Ozark music alive and thriving.