Randall Franks and David Davis share a gospel duet last May at Ringgold, Ga. for the Share America Foundation, Inc. Concert of Celebration benefiting the Pearl and Floyd Franks Scholarship Fund.
Photo by Terry Pennington
Actor/entertainer Randall Franks, "Officer Randy Goode" from TV's "In the Heat of the Night," is making strides in songwriting and publishing with two new cuts through his BMI company Peach Picked Publishing. Franks scored with his song "Filling the River with Tears" which is among the cuts that make up "Troubled Times" from David Davis and The Warrior River Boys on Rebel released in October to rave reviews. The song is inspired by a poem written by Evelyn Rose Brock, Franks said.
"I first heard "Filling The River With Tears" probably ten years ago on Randall's 'Tunes and Tales from Tunnel Hill' and thought it was a great piece of music and very well written," Davis said. "I've always had it in the back of my mind to record. The song has all the ingredients that I look for: interesting story, opportunity for good harmonies within the melody, and the real bell ringer for me is the bluesy feel that Randall incorporated within the song originally.
"We wanted to bring that bluesy approach out through the instruments and vocals in our cut and I feel we accomplished that," he said. "Randall is one of my long-time friends in the business, we're proud of the cut the band got on the song and hope that he enjoys our treatment of his material. I've noticed the stations are giving 'Filling The River With Tears' much airplay and we get many requests for the song on our personal appearances."
A second Peach Picked Publishing cut penned by Bluegrass Hall of Honor member Curly Seckler entitled "The Way It Was" is featured on Copper Creek's new CD "Bluegrass, Don't You Know" featuring Seckler.
"One of my favorite all time tenors and people is former Foggy Mountain Boy Curly Seckler," Franks said. "I am honored to have several of his songs and arrangements as part of our publishing catalog. He is a true American treasure and this song is one of most unique contributions."
The Peach Picked Publishing catalog includes songs and tunes written including Franks, Seckler, late WSB Barndance host Cotton Carrier, James (Roberts) Carson, Chubby Wise, Mark Wheeler, John Farley, among others.
Recordings from the catalog feature a variety of artists some of those are Gospel Music Hall of Fame members The Lewis Family, Grand Ole Opry star Jesse McReynolds, Country Music Hall of Famer Bill Monroe, Jeff and Sheri Easter, The Marksmen, Sonny Shroyer "Enos" from "The Dukes of Hazzard," Steve "Rabbit" Easter and Alan Autry. Randall Franks Music also administrates over 300 songs of early Grand Ole Opry and Western film star Ramblin' "Doc" Tommy Scott in Katona Publishing Co. of ASCAP.
Franks' musical stylings have been heard in 150 countries and by more than 25 million Americans. His musical career boasts 14 album releases, 15 singles, and over 200 recordings with various artists from various genres. The award-winning fiddler's best selling release, "Handshakes and Smiles" was a top twenty Christian music seller. Many of his albums were among the top 30-bluegrass recordings of their release year.
As an actor he has co-starred or starred in six films with his most recent for Hallmark Hall of Fame. He is a syndicated columnist working with News Publishing Co. of Georgia.
