Randall Franks presents photos to Connie Gaskill of Bill Monroe Museum in Rosine, Ky.
photo by Randall Franks Media/Marty Hays
Entertainer/actor Randall Franks, “Officer Randy Goode” from TV’s “In the Heat of the Night,” recently made donations of photographs performing with Bill Monroe spanning 1984 through 1992 to several museums. Mr. Franks is the 2024-25 Musician of the Year - Fiddle in the Josie Music Awards.
“In marking my 40th Anniversary as a Blue Grass Boy, I wanted to make sure images of some of my times with Bill Monroe were incorporated into the archives of key museums honoring his work,” Mr. Franks said.
Among those he has shared materials with thus far are the Bill Monroe Museum in Rosine, Ky., the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in Owensboro, Ky.
and the Bill Monroe Bluegrass Hall of Fame in Morgantown, In.
“As one of the 161 men and women who made up the Blue Grass Boys during his career from 1939 through 1996, I was so privileged to be included among them by Bill,” he said. “He was an American original and no musician can compare with his contributions to music.”
Beginning a period of mentorship by Bill Monroe in 1983, Mr. Franks began fiddling with the Blue Grass Boys in the Spring of 1984 and later filled the shoes of Kenny Baker upon his departure in October. Among the donations were photos from Randall Franks Media and photographers Donna Tracy and Barry Brower.
"I plan on additional donations reflecting this period with other key historical museums which honored Bill," Mr. Franks said.
After leaving the Blue Grass Boys, Mr. Franks regularly performed with Mr. Monroe as a guest bluegrass artist throughout the rest of Mr. Monroe’s career. In addition to his own artistry, he would go on to contribute to the legacies of 32 Bluegrass Hall of Famers.
Mr. Franks experiences and contributions are highlighted at www.RandallFranks.com/Bill-Monroe-and-the-Blue-Grass-Boys and in his Encouragers books series.
Fans can now find his film music on the #7 AirPlay Direct Global Americana Album “The American’s Creed” at https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-americans-creed/1743671704 and radio can download it at https://airplaydirect.com/RandallFranksTheAmericansCreed/.
With the support James Monroe and his fellow Blue Grass Boys – Blake Williams, Wayne Lewis and the late Tater Tate, he is releasing three live recordings of him fiddling with Mr. Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys – “Back Up and Push,” “The Road to Columbus” and “Cotton-Eyed Joe.”
Listeners may download “Cotton-Eyed Joe” on Itunes (http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1775714037?ls=1&app=itunes) or Amazon ( https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0DKPHWJV1?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_Sfqwjl59LwDm90jhLeTUvmYbj).
Folks purchasing downloads will be supporting the Share America Foundation, Inc. (ShareAmericaFoundation.org) and its Pearl and Floyd Franks Appalachian Music Scholarships.
Mr. Franks recently released a short documentary “Bill Monroe’s Rosine with Blue Grass Boy Randall Franks," available on YouTube, Rumble and Brighteon.
For more information about Randall Franks, visit www.RandallFranks.com, or about his latest film www.RandallFranks.com/The-Americans-Creed.