Shared Stages and a Life’s Calling
Ralph Stanley and Randall Franks in 1988.
In the summer of 1985, I stood under the bright lights of Nashville’s Fairgrounds Speedway, my mandolin ringing out as I harmonized with bluegrass legends Ralph Stanley, Wilma Lee Cooper, and Bill Monroe on “I Saw the Light.” The roar of 12,000 fans filled the air, and in that moment, I felt a fire ignite in my soul. That year, through shared stages with mentors and massive crowds, I discovered my calling—not just to play music, but to uplift and connect with audiences for a lifetime.
Randall Franks and Wilma Lee Cooper
The week began at the Country Music Association’s Fan Fair, a vibrant celebration drawing 25,000 country music lovers to the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. On that Monday night, my band, the Peachtree Pickers, took the stage for the Grand Ole Opry’s Early Bird Bluegrass Show, marking our second Opry appearance. We shared the spotlight with giants like Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys, Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys, and Wilma Lee Cooper. Though the exact songs we played have faded from memory, the thrill of our set—our teenage energy blending with bluegrass tradition—remains vivid.
The highlight came when I joined Stanley, Cooper, and Monroe to sing “I Saw the Light.” As we sang, my mandolin chops keeping time, I felt both awe and belonging. These legends, whose records I’d worn out as a kid, were now my peers for a fleeting moment. My hands trembled matching Monroe’s rhythm, but their warm smiles steadied me, teaching me that true artistry lies in serving the music and the audience. After the show, while my young bandmates headed home, I stayed to sign autographs and visit with fans throughout Fan Fair week, soaking in the connection that would fuel my career.
Weeks later, I traded my mandolin for a fiddle and faced an even bigger stage at the National Folk Festival in Ohio’s Cuyahoga Valley National Park. As the fiddler for Doodle and the Golden River Grass, I represented Georgia’s fiddle band tradition, walking in the footsteps of Gid Tanner and Clayton McMichen.
Randall with the Doodle and the Golden River Grass in 1990.
Shuttles whisked us backstage, where a funk band’s deafening set made tuning my fiddle a challenge. With 60,000 people waiting and a live radio broadcast looming, I battled nerves to tune my fiddle’s notes. When the emcee introduced us, I launched into “Fire on the Mountain,” giving it everything I had. Doodle Thrower, a master showman, worked the crowd like a conductor, guiding them from elation to sadness with a twist of his harmonica. His jokes sparked ripples of laughter that washed over the crowd like waves. I’d never felt the impact of an audience’s applause like that before or since—it flowed through my fiddle, confirming this was where I belonged.
Nashville taught me the power of mentorship; Ohio showed me the magic of moving a crowd. The lessons I absorbed those days reshaped my life’s path and led me to where I am today. Moments can make us—don’t miss yours. To hear more about my time with Ralph Stanley, watch the mini-documentary Bluegrass Legends: Ralph Stanley & Randall Franks An Interview
