PAUL FRANKLIN moved from Detroit to
Nashville in 1972 to play the pedal steel guitar with Barbara
Mandrell. Later in the 70's, he recorded and toured with Jerry
Reed and Mel Tillis. In 1981, Paul decided to quit the road and
focus strictly on session work in Nashville. Since then, he has
been well received throughout the recording industry. You can
listen to his playing behind such legendary artists as Sting,
Mark Knopfler, George Strait, Alan Jackson, Shania Twain,
Barbara Streisand and Megadeth for examples of Paul's
musicianship. His ability to create music outside of the country
field has taken him well beyond the stereotype by which the
pedal steel guitar has always been limited. Paul's soulful
playing on this uniquely voiced instrument is clearly from the
heart and makes him one of the busiest session musicians in
Nashville.
Paul has also been instrumental in bringing several new musical
sounds to the forefront of Country Music: the Pedabro,
the acoustic lap steel (nicknamed "The Box" by Mac Macanally)
and the Baritone Steel.
The Pedabro looks and plays like a steel, but sounds like a
hybrid of the Dobro or resophonic guitar and was built and
patented by Paul's father. The first of many hit records
featuring the Pedabro was Forever and Ever, Amen by Randy
Travis.
The Box looks like a long narrow box with ten strings and
sounds somewhat like a swampy acoustic guitar being played with
a bottleneck. A good example of this instrument can be heard on
the intro and solo of You and Your Friend on Dire Straits
On Every Street CD. |
