Tillman Franks facts for kids

Tillman Ben Franks, Sr. (born September 29, 1920 – died October 26, 2006) was a talented American musician. He played the bass, wrote songs, and managed many famous country music stars. Some of the artists he worked with include Johnny Horton, David Houston, Webb Pierce, and Claude King.

Early Life and Family

Tillman Franks was born in Stamps, Arkansas, in Lafayette County. When he was two years old, his family moved to Shreveport, Louisiana. They lived in the Cedar Grove neighborhood of Shreveport. Later in life, he lived close to his good friend Claude King. Claude King was a country singer known for his hit songs "Wolverton Mountain" and "The Burning of Atlanta."

Tillman Franks served in the United States Army during World War II. After the war, he married Virginia Helen Suber. Virginia was also from Shreveport and graduated from C. E. Byrd High School. She was an artist who painted with oils and a seamstress. She also sang with Tillman and their son, Tillman Franks, Jr. Tillman and Virginia were married for sixty years and had two sons and two daughters.

Music Career Highlights

After World War II, Tillman Franks and Claude King started a band called the Rainbow Boys. They also worked other jobs, often selling cars. On April 3, 1948, Tillman Franks played bass on the very first night of the Louisiana Hayride. This was a famous live radio show broadcast from Shreveport.

In 1955, Tillman Franks became the manager for singer Johnny Horton. He helped Johnny switch to Columbia Records. Tillman Franks wrote Johnny Horton's first number one song, "When It's Springtime in Alaska (It's Forty Below)," in 1959. He also helped write other popular songs for Horton, like "Honky Tonk Man" and "North to Alaska." Tillman Franks was hurt in a car accident in 1960 that sadly took Johnny Horton's life.

Tillman Franks' contributions to music have been recognized in many ways. He was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Hall of Fame. In 2003, he was honored with a spot on the Northwest Louisiana Walk of Stars. His hand and foot prints are in concrete there, alongside other famous people like Elvis Presley and Terry Bradshaw. This "Walk of Stars" is located near the Texas Street Bridge in Shreveport.

Tillman Franks helped create the phrase "The Magic Circle." He wrote in his autobiography that this was an area about 50 miles around downtown Shreveport. He said that many different kinds of music came from this area. He felt lucky to have lived his life in "The Magic Circle."

Legacy and Remembrance

On July 11, 1996, Shreveport celebrated "Tillman Franks Day." This special day was sponsored by the radio station KWKH.

Tillman Franks passed away in 2006 when he was eighty-six years old. His son, Reverend Watson Franks, led the funeral service. Tillman Franks and his family are buried at Forest Park West Cemetery in Shreveport.

In 2019, KEEL Radio remembered Tillman Franks as "a legend." They said he should be remembered for all his contributions to music history in Shreveport and to country and rock music. Tillman Franks' autobiography, Tillman Franks: I Was There When It Happened, is no longer being printed, but fans still want to read it.