Randall Franks - Keep 'Em Smilin' - Christian Music and Comedy

International Bluegrass Music Museum

Legend and country humorist Randall Franks, “Officer Randy Goode” from

TV’s “In the Heat of the Night,” returns to his Southern gospel music

roots with his new CD “Keep ‘Em Smilin’.” He called on the skills of

former Stamps Quartet pianist Curtis Broadway. Broadway also performed

with Gold City, the Pelfreys and many others. Selections on “Keep ‘Em

Smilin’” include some of his most requested songs: “This Little Light of

Mine,” “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” “Amazing Grace,” “Old Time

Religion,” and “In the Garden.” Among the comedy stories are “Chicken

Addiction,” “A Tunnel Runs Through It/Re-Enactment,” “Indigenous/Sgt.

York,” and “Cousin Viola and the Sanctified Grape Juice.”

International Bluegrass Music Museum Legend and country humorist Randall Franks, “Officer Randy Goode” from TV’s “In the Heat of the Night,” returns to his Southern gospel music roots with his new CD “Keep ‘Em Smilin’.”

With his latest release from Crimson Records, the Appalachian Ambassador of the Fiddle combines his fiddle stylings, dulcimer playing, vocals and comedy with a Southern gospel style piano. He called on the skills of former Stamps Quartet pianist Curtis Broadway. Broadway also performed with Gold City, the Pelfreys and many others.

Franks said this project came together accidentally.

“I was doing a show at the Walker County Civic Center in Rock Spring, Ga. with my good friends - the Testimony Quartet, and I asked Curtis to join me on my solo show that night as we performed to a packed house,” he said. “What I didn’t know is that Tim Owens of Journey On Ministries recorded the entire performance that night and he later came to me and saying ‘It was so good; I should consider releasing it.’

“After listening, I agreed, he had captured the spontaneity of me encouraging the audience to join me in the cheerful fun of worship through these classic musical selections, and simply laugh at some country comedy,” he said.

Appalachian scholar Loyal Jones included Franks amongst the region’s greatest country music humorists alongside Jeff Foxworthy and Minnie Pearl in his educational work “Country Music Humorists and Comedians.”

“I have always shared comedy all the way back to my days on ‘The Country Kids TV Series’ but unlike my old friend the late Jerry Clower, I have mainly shared my funny stories in print through my syndicated newspaper column – Southern Style,” he said. “This gives folks a taste of the stories between some of my musical offerings, just enough to hopefully bring a smile to their faces and leave a song in their hearts.”

Selections on “Keep ‘Em Smilin’” include some of his most requested songs: “This Little Light of Mine,” “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” “Amazing Grace,” “Old Time Religion,” and “In the Garden.” Among the comedy stories are “Chicken Addiction,” “A Tunnel Runs Through It/Re-Enactment,” “Indigenous/Sgt. York,” and “Cousin Viola and the Sanctified Grape Juice.”