Larry Franklin (musician)

Larry (Alvin) Franklin is an American fiddle, mandolin and guitar player, session musician, and composer. His style embraces country, blues, rock & roll, jazz, and Western swing.[1]

For United States Department of Defense employee Lawrence Franklin, see Lawrence Franklin espionage scandal.
Larry Franklin
Birth nameLarry Alvin Franklin
Born (1953-08-05) August 5, 1953
Sherman, Texas
GenresCountry music, Western swing
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentsFiddle, mandolin and guitar
Years active1976–present
Associated actsThe Time Jumpers, Asleep at the Wheel
Websitelarry-franklin.com

Biography

Early years

Growing up in Whitewright, Texas, Franklin took up the fiddle at age 7. He was inspired by his father Louis Franklin and his great uncle Major Franklin,[2] well-known Texas-style fiddlers. Franklin's first fiddler's contest, at age 7, was in Hale Center, Texas, on July 4, 1960 where he met famed fiddler Uncle Eck Robertson. He continued competing and winning championships thru his teens and won the World Championship in Crockett, TX when he was l6 years old.[3][4]

Franklin performed with dance bands while in high school. After 3 years in the Army (1972-1975), he co-founded the Cooder Browne Band,[5] who were signed by Willie Nelson to his Lone Star Records label where they released one album. Franklin was with the band from 1976 until 1980.[3][6]

Asleep at the Wheel

After leading his own Larry Franklin Band from 1980 until 1984, Franklin performed with Asleep At The Wheel from 1984 until 1991.[7] They won two Grammy Awards for Instrumental of the Year: in 1987 for "String of Pars" (co-written by Franklin), and in 1988 for "Sugarfoot Rag". They won another Grammy in 1999 for "Bob's Breakdowns" on the Ridin' with Bob album.[8]

Session work and touring

Franklin moved to Nashville in 1991 to work as a session musician.[3] He has worked with Lee Ann Womack,[9] Martina McBride, Alan Jackson,[10] Vince Gill,[11] Ray Price, Mel Tillis, and Miranda Lambert,[12] among others.

The Time Jumpers

Franklin performs Monday nights at 3rd and Lindsley in Nashville with the Time Jumpers, an 11-piece Western swing band anchored by three fiddles played by Kenny Sears, Joe Spivey, and Franklin.[13][14] Other members include Vince Gill (guitar), Doug Green (guitar), Paul Franklin (steel guitar), Brad Albin (bass), Andy Reiss (guitar), Jeff Taylor (accordion, piano), and Billy Thomas (drums).[15][16]

Sons of the Palomino

Franklin is a member of Sons of the Palomino, led by Jeffrey Steele.[17] The band also includes Paul Franklin, Jerry Roe, Tony Harrell, James Mitchell, and Brad Albin.[18]

Louis Franklin Fiddlefest

In 2005, Franklin started the annual Louis Franklin Championship Fiddlefest with his nephew Jason Andrew and 2010 was the final year it was held.[10]

Awards

While a member of Asleep at the Wheel, Franklin won two Grammy awards for Instrumental Performance of the Year in 1987 and 1988. Larry won a third Grammy as a guest with Asleep at the Wheel for Instrumental Performance of the Year in 1999 for "Bob's Breakdowns" from the Ridin' with Bob Album.[19]

In 1997 and 2002 the Academy of Country Music awarded him the Fiddle Player of the Year award.[20]

Franklin was inducted into the Texas Fiddlers' Hall Of Fame in 2002 and the National Fiddlers Hall of Fame in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2017.[21][22]

Discography

Solo albums
  • 1978: "Keepsake Album" w/father Louis Franklin (self-released)
  • 2001: Now and Then (self-released)
  • 2010: The Texas Fiddle Album with Ray & Royce Franklin and Steve Williams (self-released)

Cooder Browne
  • 1978: Cooder Browne (Lone Star)

Louis & Larry Franklin
  • 1981: Keepsake Album (self-released) reissued in 2007[23]

With Asleep at the Wheel
  • 1984: Pasture Prime (MCA/DOT)
  • 1987: 10 (Epic)
  • 1988: Western Standard Time (CBS Records)
  • 1990: Keepin' Me Up Nights (Arista)
  • 1992: Greatest Hits Live & Kickin' (Arista)
  • 1999: Ride With Bob (DreamWorks)
  • 2015 Still The King (Bismeaux/Mailboat)

The Time Jumpers
  • 2007: Jumpin' Time (self-released)
  • 2012: The Time Jumpers (Rounder)[24]
  • 2016: Kid Sister (Rounder)[25]

The Sons of the Palomino
  • 2017: Sons of the Palomino (3 Ring Circus)[26]

1985 - 1996

1997 - 1999

2000 - 2003

2004 - 2006

2007 - 2011

2012 - present

References
  1. Mayor, Alan (November 18, 2014). The Nashville Family Album: A Country Music Scrapbook. ISBN 9781466885677. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  2. Jasinski, Laurie E. (February 22, 2012). Handbook of Texas Music. ISBN 9780876112977. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  3. Paul Shelasky (September 1, 2002). "Larry Franklin: Nashville Session Man, Texas Hall-of-Famer". Fiddler Magazine. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  4. Gil Nelson (February 20, 2017). "Fiddlin' around: Texoma's got top string talent". Herald Democrat. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  5. Banister, C. Eric (May 12, 2016). Counting Down Southern Rock: The 100 Best Songs. ISBN 9781442245402. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  6. "Hall of Fame: Larry Franklin - inducted in 2002". Texas State Championship Fiddlers Frolics. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  7. Dicaire, David (August 18, 2008). The New Generation of Country Music Stars: Biographies of 50 Artists Born After 1940. ISBN 9780786437870. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  8. Paul W. Dennis (October 20, 2016). "Album Review: Asleep at the Wheel – 'Keepin' Me Up Nights'". My Kind of Country. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  9. Occasional Hope (December 12, 2011). "Album Review: Lee Ann Womack – 'I Hope You Dance'". My Kind of Country. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  10. Allen Rich (June 4, 2007). "Texas fiddlin' a family tradition for Whitewright's Franklin family". North Texas e-News. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  11. Chuck Dauphin (June 10, 2013). "Vince Gill and Paul Franklin Embrace 'Bakersfield' Sound on New Album". Billboard. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  12. Mary Jane Farmer (September 10, 2016). "Larry Franklin — Texas native returning home in October". Scene in Town. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  13. Bob Doerschuk (October 5, 2015). "Kenny Sears, Joe Spivey, and Larry Franklin Swing Hard with the Time Jumpers". Strings. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  14. Nate Chinen (October 22, 2015). "The Time Jumpers, Country Swing Standard Bearers, Thrive in Nashville". The New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  15. Margaret Bickman (December 16, 2016). "Concerts, Whatcom Reads! keep seniors busy all winter". Bellingham Herald. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  16. Barry Courter (October 24, 2012). "Vince Gill Recruits Time Jumpers". Times Free Press. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  17. Chuck Dauphin (July 6, 2017). "A-List Songwriter Jeffrey Steele Is Resurrecting Authentic Country Music With Sons of the Palomino". Billboard. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  18. Stephen L. Betts (May 5, 2017). "See Jeffrey Steele, Sons of the Palomino's Swaggering 'Countryholic' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  19. "Artist: Larry Franklin". Recording Academy. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  20. AP (May 22, 2003). "Winners of the Academy of Country Music Awards". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  21. Kaylea M. Hutson-Miller (February 2, 2017). "Jumpin' in Tulsa: Top fiddlers in western swing set for NFHOF induction". The Daily Ardmoreite. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  22. "Larry Franklin Bio". National Fiddlers Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  23. Dice, Ralph (March 18, 1981). "Louis, Larry Franklin Texas Fiddling Album". The Paris News. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  24. Shannon Turner (September 17, 2012). "The Time Jumpers". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  25. Stephen L. Betts (September 6, 2016). "How Grief Shaped the Time Jumpers' Lively New Album". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  26. Jessica Nicholson (May 8, 2017). "Jeffrey Steele Plans All-Star Album For Sons Of The Palomino Debut". Music Row. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
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