With two weeks of practice under his belt, he entered his first contest in Hale Center, Texas on July 4, 1961. He vividly remembers meeting and hearing Eck Robertson that day. He was disappointed to not win anything in the 18 and under division, but remembers Mike Soloman (Vernon’s son) splitting his second place prize money with him. Larry says this act of kindness kept him from giving up and he continued to play and enter contests. Several years later Larry was able to return the favor when he won a Ft. Worth contest with only one prize in his age group and split his winnings with Mike. There were fiddlers’ contests or jam sessions almost every weekend and Larry listened and learned from the greatest Fiddlers and Accompanists of our time.

Like his father, Larry went on to win many fiddling contests culminating with the World Championship title in Crockett, Texas at the age of sixteen. He credits his mother for teaching him not only to be humble in winning, but most importantly in losing.

After a three year tour of duty in the United States Army (1972-1975) Larry began playing professionally with the Cooder Browne Band (1976-1980) the Larry Franklin Band (1980-1984) and Asleep at the Wheel (1984-1991). In 1991 Larry moved to Nashville, TN and began a career as a studio musician and has since recorded with many of country music’s biggest stars. He has won three Grammy’s for instrumental performances of the year in 1987, 1988 and 1999. The Academy of Country Music awarded him Fiddle Player of the Year" in 1997.In the Fall of 2001, he released his first solo instrumental album entitled "Now and Then" His internet website is: www.larry-franklin.com