ARTIST BIO
Paul Franklin
Paul began playing steel guitar at age 8. Taking lessons from a Hawaiian guitar master, he quickly progressed and when pedal steel guitars came about, he got one immediately.
He was already gigging in local clubs at age 11, and a member of the Musician’s Union. Soon calls came to the house asking for a pedal steel player for sessions in the thriving local music scene.
Not only were Pop, Motown and Jazz popular, but the “Hillbilly Highway” of Southerners heading North to build cars fueled a burgeoning Country music scene.
Paul got his first taste of national success as a teenager on Gallery’s “It’s So Nice To Be With You”, a #1 hit single. He also guested on Parliament’s “Country Boy” track and worked with Motown producer Dennis Coffey (of instrumental hit “Scorpio” fame).
The pedal steel was being embraced by Country music, and Nashville was the place for this young prodigy to be, so he headed to Tennessee as a senior in high school to join Barbara Mandrell’s band at the invitation of her father, Irby. He also toured with Dottie West, Lynn Anderson, and Donna Fargo.
Session steeler Pete Drake hired Paul to play on jingles and a few recordings. Franklin joined Jerry Reed’s band and recorded solo albums of original pedal steel instrumentals and Jazz standards. A long stint with Mel Tillis’ Statesiders playing classic country and honky-tonk with an excellent road band was next.
After leaving Tillis, his studio career took off and he was featured in many of the albums of the 1980’s-2000s. In 1991 he took a call from Mark Knopfler that led to playing on The Notting Hillbillies album and eventually with Dire Straits, touring the world and recording On Every Street with them.
In recent years, besides his busy studio schedule, Franklin is a member of Vince Gill’s touring band and holds down the pedal steel seat with the Time Jumpers who showcase Western Swing and classic Country every Monday night at a local Nashville club.
Paul's Courses
Pedal Steel Guitar Hall-of-Famer Paul Franklin shares 50 years of playing and teaching experience with you. A complete course in pedal steel guitar for E9 and C6 necks. Wide-ranging in-depth lessons covering all topics for players at every level.
E9 Pedal Steel Basics features a selection of essential lessons that demystify the E9 neck, correct bad habits, and quickly get you playing music on the pedal steel guitar.
The next step after Foundations, packed with the licks, solos, and bar techniques you need to make real music. Includes an in-depth section on how to back singers.
In C6 Essentials, Hall of Fame pedal steeler Paul Franklin guides you through a new way to look at the C6 tuning. Dust off that back neck and get started!
Paul guides you through his personal approach to the C6 tuning. All the pockets, positions, & practical theory needed to master the harmonic & melodic possibilities in any style.
Paul breaks down and teaches 50 licks & phrases covering multiple grooves & styles, sounds that artists and producers ask for. A musical Vocabulary to drawn upon.
An in-depth exploration into the pedal steel styles pioneered by Ralph Mooney, Jay McDonald, JayDee Maness, Tom Brumley and others. Many of my Intros, Solos and Licks (w/practice tracks) from the “Bakersfield” album.
Join Tommy White & Paul Franklin as they teach the History and Evolution of pedal steel guitar technique, including 3-element blocking, tone, and modern harmony.
Tommy and Paul sit down and trade licks, talk-teaching the approaches the take over some of the most popular and frequently-encountered chord progressions.
A complete set of lessons taken from The Paul Franklin Method, it’s a free mini-course in backing a singer, using the classic folk tune “Shenandoah”.
In this free course, Paul Franklin teaches one of his most frequently requested phrasings, the iconic solo on “Together Again”, from Bakersfield, his duet tribute album with Vince Gill.
