Randall Franks Ministries

Whether he is appearing at a special program for youth, seniors, or entire congregations, singer, actor, musician and author Randall Franks shares his ministry of music, comedy and testimony with churches across the United States.

Since dedicating his life to Christ at age 12, God has richly blessed Randall’s life in entertainment. Randall shares those blessings as a witness in front of millions around the world on television, radio and in person.

The Lord brought music into his life at the age of eight and used those talents to open many doors for Franks leading him to the Grand Ole Opry and network television.

He often shares how God's gift of music brought him through a childhood filled with infirmity and led him to an adulthood beyond his childhood dreams.

His musical paths has brought him to perform on stage with gospel artists such as his own Peachtree Pickers, The Marksmen Quartet, Jeff and Sheri Easter, The Primitive Quartet, The Isaacs, The Watkins Family, Dottie Rambo, Dr. Jerry Goff and Little Jan Buckner Goff, Tim Lovelace and numerous others.

He has appeared at National Quartet Convention, numerous regional gospel music singings, Christian Booksellers Association, and Gospel Music Association events.

As TV’s “Officer Randy Goode” on the hit series “In the Heat of the Night,” he appeared five years on CBS and NBC and now WGN. It was during his time there that God revealed a purpose to him that has helped him share the scriptures with millions around the world.

Randall shares his Appalachian style music around the world from Malaysia to the Grand Ole Opry.

Singing News gave his top 20 selling release, “Handshakes and Smiles,” four stars. The Crimson project featured four single releases distributed through Riversong by the Benson Company.

He then produced and appeared on the Sonlite/MGM/UA hit CD “Christmas Time's A Comin'” featuring the cast of “In the Heat of the Night” and a host of music stars.

He followed that project with his Sonlite instrumental release “Sacred Sounds of Appalachia,” sharing his rich mountain heritage playing most of the string instruments including the fiddle, mandolin, guitar and mountain dulcimer. The project also featured several radio singles including his hits “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” and “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem.”

Franks's success in Nashville continued throughout the 1990s expanding his recording in the fields of bluegrass and comedy. He also co-starred in the Christian Sci-fi film “Phoenix Falling” co-starring with Stella Parton.

His 2001“God’s Children” CD with David Davis beckons back to the brother duet sounds of Appalachia while welcoming guests such as Sonny Shroyer, “Enos” from “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “Doc” Tommy Scott, Cotton and Jane Carrier and Marty Hays.

Lamp Music Group released his single “Children in Need.”

His 2007 release “An Appalachian Musical Revival” is a fundraiser for the Share America Foundation, Inc. featuring 19 artists and 23 recordings gospel performances.

Randall dedicates much of his personal efforts in various Christian endeavors for his home church, Christian and civic organizations. He hosts Sacred Sounds Fridays, a gospel music series at the Ringgold Depot and airing in Northwest Georgia on WBFC FM 107.5.

He serves as an advisor to the Southern Gospel Music Association Board of Directors.

He continues to make career choices regarding the films and commercials in which he appears based upon his Christian faith.

Ministry Management:

Providing overall career support and representation for limited speaking engagements and church appearances:

Entertainment Management Consultants P.O. Box 42 Tunnel Hill, Ga. 30755

Comedy

Actor/ Entertainer Randall Franks began his comedy career through his work with his childhood bluegrass and gospel group The Peachtree Pickers in Chamblee, Ga.

“I remember the first time I realized I could make people laugh,” he said. “We were performing at Everett’s Bluegrass Barn in Suwannee, Georgia. Just before we went on my glasses fell into the sink and broke. Without my glasses, I am blind as a bat. I couldn’t see my set list, I couldn't see how to put the capo on the guitar, and I couldn't see the faces of the audience. So I began playing the vision problem and throwing out every country joke I knew, the audience rolled in the aisles with laughter. I knew then that I wanted to make people laugh whenever I went on stage.”

Franks carried his comedy along with his group to appearances for the Grand Ole Opry and a regular role in the early cable series “The Country Kids TV Series,” a children’s “Hee Haw” filmed in Dallas, Texas

Franks strengthened his talents under the tutorage of the late Georgia Music Hall of Fame member Cotton Carrier, 1940s host of the WSB Barndance in Atlanta, and under the late Doodle Thrower of Tallapoosa, Ga. Franks often made appearances with Carrier and his wife Jane learning from his polished country comedy with which he made millions laugh on Saturday nights.

“I still have his typed joke book that he used on radio,” he said. “There are some wonderful routines in there, unfortunately the audience’s tastes have left much of the old country comedy behind.”

Doodle Thrower was a mechanic by trade but to thousands he was the guy in overalls and funny leather hat that played the harmonica. He was highlighted by Alan Lomax in his documentary “Appalachian Journey” Thrower made thousands laugh on stages from the National Folk Festival to the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville, Tenn. with his band The Golden River Grass. Franks began working with Doodle sharing the stage as fiddle player and often serving as straight man for some of Doodle’s routines in 1984 following a run as a member of Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys.

“Some of my favorite memories are when I could turn the tables on Doodle and make him play straight to my comedic lines,” he said. “I watched him put crowds of any size or any socio-economic background in the palm of his hands and make them laugh, cry or simply come to the feet in elation. I learned a lot about comedy from him.”

Franks went on to feature comedy as a regular part of his solo act as he established himself as an actor and entertainer in his own right. After appearances in film beginning with the 1988 TV movie “Desperate For Love” with Christian Slater, he landed a role as “Officer Randy Goode” in the TV series “In the Heat of the Night” working alongside TV comedy legend Carroll O’Connor, “Archie Bunker” from “All in the Family.”

“I learned everyday from watching him how to get a line across to the television audience, whether it was serious or funny,” he said. “I was blessed to learn from one of the best there ever will be in the comedy business. He understood how to make a character work and I am thankful he shared that with me.”

Through O’Connor’s influence, Franks’ character often brought a southern comedic charm to the show making millions of television fans laugh on Tuesday nights on NBC and CBS.

Randall continued adding jokes to his stage shows and as he became a top selling Christian artist in 1990 with his release “Handshakes and Smiles,” he became bluegrass music’s first solo crossover artist into mainstream Christian music.

On the bluegrass side, he kept a steady stream of fiddle albums feeding into the genre. He hosted the SPBGMA Bluegrass Music Awards in Nashville, Tenn. in 1995 and continued making appearances for the Grand Ole Opry. In 1996 he added comedy to his recordings with his “Tunes and Tales from Tunnel Hill” release adding to his list of titles in numerous publications — humorist.

He and former Grand Ole Opry star “Doc” Tommy Scott recorded “Comedy Down Home."

Appalachian scholar Loyal Jones in his 2008 book “Country Music Humorists and Comedians” recognized his place in country music history as a comedian alongside his heroes Minnie Pearl, and Jerry Clower and contemporary Jeff Foxworthy.

Community Service
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