ricky skaggs Archives - Franklin-Theatre
615.538.2076

May 6

April Round-Up at The Franklin Theatre

April at The Franklin Theatre proved to be an extraordinary month, filled with an array of events that ignited enchantment and thrill amongst our audiences! From Grammy award-winning musical artists to a show-stopping musical debut and everything in between, April did not disappoint. Let's reminisce on the standout moments from this remarkable month:

Joanne Shaw Taylor: Kicking off the month at The Franklin Theatre was Joanne Shaw Taylor, who electrified the stage, unleashing her signature blend of soulful blues-rock. With a repertoire spanning from her acclaimed album "Nobody's Fool" to tantalizing previews of her upcoming release, Taylor's guitar mastery and vocal prowess soared to new heights, captivating the audience with each riff and lyric. Delving into her rich musical archive and delivering timeless blues classics, Taylor solidified her status as one of the foremost live acts in modern blues, leaving the crowd spellbound in a night of unforgettable soul-stirring music.

The Malpass Brothers: In a night steeped in the rich traditions of country music, The Malpass Brothers lit up The Franklin Theatre with their authentic sound and undeniable charm. From their early days singing in churches to sharing stages with legends, their performance was a masterclass in traditional country, showcasing the timeless melodies and heartfelt lyrics that have earned them worldwide acclaim. With their distinctive style and genuine passion for the genre, The Malpass Brothers proved once again that they are not just a throwback, but the genuine article, carrying the torch for traditional country music into the modern era.

Mac McAnally: Mac McAnally delivered a captivating performance showcasing his latest album, "Once in a Lifetime," which beautifully blends intimate guitar arrangements with poignant storytelling. From nostalgic reflections on his Mississippi upbringing to infectious rhythms infused with optimism, McAnally's masterful musicianship and heartfelt lyrics resonated with fans old and new. With nods to his diverse musical influences and a genuine desire to uplift listeners, McAnally's performance proved why he's a revered figure in the country music landscape.

Only Hope - A Musical Tribute to A Walk to Remember: Only Hope made its debut at the Franklin Theatre to cap off an exciting month on Main Street! Based on the bestselling novel and unforgettable Warner Bros. film that captured the hearts of millions, the unofficial jukebox musical adaptation featured songs from and inspired by the film's iconic soundtrack and stars Brian Logan Dales (pop-rock band The Summer Set) as Landon Carter and Janel Parrish (Freeform's Pretty Little Liars, Netflix's To All The Boys series) as Jamie Sullivan.

From the moment our beautiful marquee lit up Main Street in the summer of 1937, this venue has held a special place in the heart of our community. Stay tuned for all the latest and greatest live music, movies, and shows coming to The Franklin Theatre!

April 4

March Round-Up at The Franklin Theatre

March at The Franklin Theatre has been nothing short of historic, with a lineup of events that brought magic and excitement to “The Jewel of Main Street!” From movie premieres to album release parties and captivating performances, we've had it all. Let's take a look back at the highlights of March:

  • Taylor Hicks LIVE: The energy reached new heights as former American Idol winner Taylor Hicks graced our historic stage with his soulful voice and captivating presence. It was a night to remember as Hicks delivered a performance that resonated with every member of our audience.
  • Jeffrey Steele & Friends: Jeffrey Steele & Friends treated us to a memorable night of music and camaraderie. Special guest Jelly Roll added an unexpected twist to the evening, making it an unforgettable experience for everyone in attendance.
  • Eirann's Irish Dance Spectacular: St. Patrick's Day weekend was a spectacle of Irish culture as Eirann, a group of immensely talented Irish dancers, took our stage by storm with three mesmerizing performances. The spirit of Ireland filled the theatre, leaving audiences spellbound with their grace and skill.
  • Karen Kingsbury's "Someone Like You" Movie Premiere: We kicked off the month in style with the red carpet rolled out for the premiere of Karen Kingsbury's heartwarming film, "Someone Like You." The atmosphere was electric as actors from the movie graced our theatre, adding glamor and excitement to the evening.
  • Sheryl Crow Album Release Party: Wrapping up the month on a high note, Main Street was buzzing with anticipation as we closed it down for the exclusive Album Release Party of Sheryl Crow's latest masterpiece album, "Evolution." Underneath our iconic marquee, guests enjoyed a watch party like no other, celebrating the music of a true legend.

As we bid farewell to March, we look back on these highlights with fondness and anticipation for the incredible events that are still to come on Main Street. Thank you to all our patrons for making this past month truly spectacular!

March 7

Sheryl Crow to Host Album Release Concert Celebration at The Franklin Theatre

Concert performance for release of Evolution, nine-time GRAMMY® award winner Sheryl Crow’s 11th full- length studio album, will take place on March 23rd at The Franklin Theatre; Concert to be filmed and televised nationally on PBS

Sheryl Crow and The Franklin Theatre today announced that the nine-time GRAMMY® Award-winner and 2023 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame inductee will celebrate the release of her 11th full-length studio album, Evolution, at The Franklin Theatre on March 23rd, 2024 with a special concert event.

Tickets are available to Franklin Theatre Loyalty Club members today, with public on-sale this Friday (3/8) at 11 a.m. via The Franklin Theatre’s website: Tickets HERE

The concert will be filmed and broadcast to a national audience on PBS later in the year, marking the first in a series of special events at the Franklin Theatre.

The new album, which features nine new songs, was produced by Mike Elizondo (Dr. Dre, Maroon 5, Keith Urban, Gary Clark Jr) and John Shanks (the track “Do It Again”) will be released via The Valory Music Co. on March 29th. Evolution is available for pre-order HERE. The album’s stunning title track featuring guitarist Tom Morello is out now. Listen HERE and check out the lyric video HERE. A deluxe version of the album includes the bonus track “Digging In The Dirt,” a classic Peter Gabriel song, with backing vocals by Gabriel himself, available this Friday, March 8th.

Evolution is Sheryl Crow at her most authentically human self. “This music and these lyrics came from sitting in the quiet and writing from a deep soul place,” she explains. “I said I’d never make another record, thought there was no point to it. But this music comes from my soul, and I hope whoever hears this record can feel that.”

February 28

T BONE BURNETT TO RELEASE FIRST SOLO ALBUM IN NEARLY 20 YEARS, THE OTHER SIDE, APRIL 19 ON VERVE FORECAST

NEW SINGLE “WAITING FOR YOU” WITH HARMONY VOCALS BY LUCIUS OUT NOW. ARTIST TO EMBARK ON TOUR OF NASHVILLE IN MAY

Grammy-and Oscar-winner T Bone Burnett will release his first solo album in nearly 20 years, The Other Side, April 19 on Verve Forecast. The album’s lead single, “Waiting For You,” with Lucius on harmony vocals, is out today. Watch the visualizer HERE and preorder the album HERE.

Burnett will also play his first full-length concerts in two decades, embarking on a tour of Nashville that begins at the Franklin Theatre on May 3, continues at The Blue Room at Third Man Records on May 9, and concludes at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s CMA Theater on May 10. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 1 at 9am CST, and information can be found HERE.

The Other Side is a return to Burnett’s roots as a singer and songwriter, delving deeply into the myriad genres of American Music. The 12-song collection is centered on a love story, following the journey of a couple that may no longer be of this plane. Co-produced by Colin Linden, Mike Piersante and

Burnett, the album features longtime friends Rosanne Cash and early bandmate Steven Soles, newer artists Lucius and Weyes Blood, and trusted musical companions including Dennis Crouch, Stuart Duncan, Jay Bellerose, and Rory Hoffman.

A deeply personal work, The Other Side features some of the richest vocals and most direct songs of the artist’s long career.

Following his dystopic The Invisible Light series, The Other Side reflects a new outlook and approach Burnett didn’t even know he was seeking. While the album includes some songs Burnett had tinkered with before, the bulk of the record materialized in a sudden burst of writing after he finally allowed himself to buy some new guitars. “Every time I picked one up, a song would pour out of it,” he recalls of this near-magical spark of creativity. “There were all these songs in these guitars. And they just came out over a three-week period.”

When Burnett was making his new record, he was thinking a lot about “you.”

“I was reading a news story that some shocking percentage of number one hit songs had the word you in the title,” he says, and started contemplating who all those “yous” are and what it means when an artist puts them in a song. He realized that for many years, when he worked on his own solo albums as a singer-songwriter—in between acclaimed stints of coaxing the best work out of a wildly diverse set of artists as a producer or curating ideal soundtracks for an equally disparate group of films and series—he had been “tough” on listeners.

“I view the purpose of art as creating conscience, so I was constantly appealing to people’s consciences,” he says of a solo career that stretches back to the mid- ‘70s, “but I realized when a songwriter uses the word you, he is, of course, in the world of conscience, but he’s also in the world of people’s dreams. And when you enter into people’s dreams, you have to be very careful with them.”

This return to form fits seamlessly in the contemporary cultural landscape shaped so heavily by Burnett’s career in the arts. Working on The Other Side, he sought to care for himself as an artist in the same manner he has helped shepherd so many others in the studio and ended up finding himself in the process.

TRACK LIST

1. He Came Down

2. Come Back (When You Go Away)

3. (I’m Gonna Get Over This) Some Day (w/Rosanne Cash)

4. Waiting For You (w/Lucius)

5. The Pain Of Love (w/Lucius)

6. The Race Is Won (w/Lucius)

7. Sometimes I Wonder (w/Weyes Blood)

8. Hawaiian Blue Song (w/Steven Soles)

9. The First Light Of Day

10. Everything And Nothing

11. The Town That Time Forgot

12. Little Darling

T BONE BURNETT LIVE

May 3—Nashville, TN—Franklin Theatre

May 9—Nashville, TN—The Blue Room at Third Man Records

May 10—Nashville, TN— Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s CMA Theater

February 8

Cassadee Pope, Bourke Floyd, and More Join the Cast of ONLY HOPE: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO A WALK TO REMEMBER

Full casting has been revealed for the Nashville premiere of ONLY HOPE: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO A WALK TO REMEMBER, which plays the historic Franklin Theatre in Franklin, Tennessee, from Thursday, April 25th, through Sunday, April 28th, 2024.

Joining the cast will be CONNOR BARR as Clay Gephardt, BOURKE FLOYD (Dawson’s Creek, RENT) as Worth Carter, TANIA JOY as Cynthia Carter, DANI KUCERA as Tracy Sparks, ROBERT MANNIS as Reverend Sullivan, CASSADEE POPE (The Voice Season 3 winner) as Belinda Foreman, and RICHAUN STEWART as Eric Janzen.

They join original cast members BRIAN LOGAN DALES (frontman of pop-punk band The Summer Set) and JANEL PARRISH (Pretty Little Liars, To All The Boys I Loved Before) as Landon and Jamie, respectively.

Based on the beloved novel by Nicholas Sparks and unforgettable Warner Bros. film (starring Mandy Moore and Shane West), and featuring songs from and inspired by the film’s iconic soundtrack, the unofficial stage show tells the moving story of too-cool-for-school Landon Carter and devout Jamie Sullivan, two teenagers from different social circles whose lives intersect unexpectedly in the small town of Beaufort, South Carolina. Just as their unlikely friendship becomes something more, Landon learns Jamie has leukemia, but before she goes, she’ll leave a lasting impact on his heart, teaching him everything about life, hope, and the long journey ahead.

With adaptation by JORDAN ROSS SCHINDLER (co-creator of Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical) and music direction and arrangements by ELMO ZAPP, Only Hope evokes nostalgia from the novel and film, while reminding us of the profound impact love and faith can have on our lives.

Don’t miss this opportunity to experience one of Nicholas Sparks’ most cherished stories live on stage!

Get Tickets!

April 13

Local Donor Gifts Nonprofit With Franklin Theatre Tickets

In honor of April being National Volunteer Month, Jeff Miller of Millbrook Farms has graciously gifted a handful of NOOK volunteers tickets to the Deborah Allen concert at the Franklin Theatre. The performance is scheduled for the evening of Saturday, April 15th, at 8:00 p.m.

NOOK, which stands for Needs of Our Kids, is a local organization that partners with schools in our community to eliminate barriers to education for kids in crisis. Their mission is to support school staff in the Franklin Special School District and the schools of Williamson County as they work to ensure that all students enter the classroom ready to learn and succeed by achieving their highest potential.

Don’t miss your chance to enjoy this spectacular event! Come experience world-class entertainment in this celebrated venue, and purchase your tickets HERE.