In addition to the pedal steel guitar and lap steel guitar, Franklin plays Dobro, fiddle, and drums,[2] as well as three custom-built instruments called the Pedabro, The Box, and the baritone steel guitar. Since 2016 Franklin has been offering online steel guitar lessons.[5][6]
Musical innovations
He is noted for bringing multiple musical innovations to the country music scene.[3] One of these, the Pedabro, is a type of Dobro fitted with pedals and played like a pedal steel guitar. This was invented by Franklin's father. The first of many hit records featuring the Pedabro was "Forever and Ever, Amen" by Randy Travis.[7]
Franklin has also created two new variations of steel guitars, the first of which is a type of lap steel guitar nicknamed "The Box", whose sound has been described as a "swampy acoustic guitar".[3] The other type of guitar that he invented is the baritone steel guitar, the strings of which are tuned an octave lower than a traditional pedal steel guitar.[3]
Franklin is a member of The Time Jumpers, a country and western swing band. In July 2013, he and Vince Gill released a collaborative album called Bakersfield.[8]