Larry Franklin (musician)
Larry Franklin is an American Fiddler, mandolin and guitar player, session musician, and composer. His style embraces country, blues, rock and roll, jazz, and Western swing. 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, 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 through his teens and won the World Championship in Crockett, Texas, when he was 16 years old. Franklin performed with dance bands while in high school. After three years in the Army (1972-1975), he co-founded the Cooder Browne Band, 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. 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. They won two Grammy Awards for Instrumental of the Year: in 1987 for "String of Pars" (co-written by Franklin), and