From: "Dik de Heer" Date: Sun Sep 29, 2002 2:13 am Subject: Born To Be With You : Tillman Franks TILLMAN FRANKS (By Shaun Mather) Born 29 September 1920, Stamps, Arkansas The story of Tillman Franks is a typical one of a musical journeyman who worked closely with many legends, happy to stay in their shadow as a rock they could rely on when the chips were down. This was never more obvious than with his mentoring role for the Singing Fisherman, Johnny Horton. Although he was born 60 miles north of Shreveport in Stamps, the family moved to Shreveport when Tillman was only two. He was all set to join the baseball big-leagues when he fell in love with Roy Acuff and country music. He got drafted into the Army and whilst serving in the Pacific during World War II he learnt to play the double bass. Upon discharge he returned to Shreveport and joined the band of his neighbour, Webb Pierce before hooking up with the Bailes Brothers. Next came a short spell in the police force followed by a stint selling cars in Houston. He moved back to Shreveport again and became bass player and manager of the Carlisles, moving them to Nashville for nine months between 1952 and 1953. He returned home again to serve as booking agent and manager of Jimmy (Lee Fautheree) and Johnny (Mathis - Country!), arranging their Chess hit, If You Don't, Someone Else Will. He quit them in the spring of 1955 and was bumming around waiting for the phone to ring when Johnny Horton approached him. He was to prove the spark that Horton needed, following semi-success with the Abbott and Mercury labels. Franks and Horton had made acquaintance before on the Lousiana Hayride and a live show in Memphis when Tillman was with the Carlisles. The first thing he did was get Horton signed to Columbia, a fruitful move which was to last until the tragically premature death of Horton. Franks wrote some classic rockabilly (I'm A One Woman Man, Honky Tonk Man, I'm Coming Home) but preferred to use other bass players in the studio, like Bill Black (Honky Tonk Man, I'm Coming Home) and Lightnin' Chance (Honky Tonk Mind etc.). At this time the touring band consisted of Horton and Franks together with lead guitarist Tommy Tomlinson (although the lead work in the studio was done by Grady Martin). Another route of success came with the saga songs that Horton made his niche. Franks was on hand to write several of these, like When it's Springtime In Alaska, Sink The Bismarck and North to Alaska. In November 1960 the band was involved in a car crash which killed Horton, caused head injuries to Franks and the amputation of one of Tomlinson's legs. Tillman's brother Billy was the preacher at the funeral. Franks produced a minor hit for Billie Jean (widow of Horton and Hank Williams) in 1961 for 20th Century Fox. He began working with Claude King and was instrumental in early hits such as Big River, Big Man and Wolverton Mountain. He is also said to have enjoyed a bizarre after-life experience with Horton, involving the song One Woman Man - you gotta love the music business! Website: http://www.tillmanfranks.com Autobiography: Tillman Franks with Robert Gentry, I was there when it happened. Many, LA : Sweet Dreams Publishing, 2000.