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Chanteur
Country Néo-Zélandais né le 25 Septembre 1936 à Hawkes Bay. Rex Franklin est
décédé le 8 Janvier 2016.
Rex Franklin
(b. 25 September 1936, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand) was attracted to country music
as a boy from hearing the recordings of Tex Morton and
Buddy Williams and
American stars Wilf Carter and
Hank Snow, which had been released in New Zealand.
After leaving school, he worked on a remote farm and bought his first guitar
with his first wages. In September 1953, he made his first public appearance in
a talent show and soon after, he formed the Ruahine Ramblers with two fellow
contestants. They made their debut in January 1954, singing to the crowd waiting
the arrival of Queen Elizabeth, during her New Zealand visit. They played
regularly on 2ZA Palmerston North; toured locally and in May 1954, Franklin met
his future wife, Noelene Anderson (b. 22 January 1936, Fielding, New Zealand).
The Ramblers played on several other stations including 2YZ Napier and 2XA
Wanganui and in January 1955, they recorded seven sides for the Tanza label.
Franklin and Noelene began singing together and calling themselves the Sun
Valley Trail Singers, they toured both North and South Island. In September
1956, they recorded four sides for Tanza Records and their first 78rpm release,
‘Would You Mind’/‘I Wonder Where You Are Tonight’ proved popular. They were
married on 17 November 1956 and toured with their Western Variety Show.
Between 1959 and 1962, they made recordings for Viking
Records which led to albums and several EPs including The Shearer’s Jamboree
(1959), Serenading In The Evening (1960) - both as the Sun Valley Trail Singers,
Drover’s Dream (1962), Fraulein (1963), Western Round Up Volume Five (1963). In
1963, Franklin also recorded with his band, the Prairie Pals. In 1966, their
bestselling A Country Singalong was released. The following year they relocated
to Palmerston North, where Franklin began his popular Country Round Up Show on
2ZA. This later moved to Nelson, South Island on 2ZN, where he was regularly
joined on air by touring artists that included his idol Hank Snow. The show
lasted until 1976 and during this time they made further recordings for Viking
and Franklin and also recorded two albums for Philips Records. Later Franklin
hosted a popular weekly talent show. In the late-70s, they worked the club and
hotel circuits sometimes with drummer Bruce Lauchlan as a trio calling
themselves Wildwood.
During his long career Rex had Australian chart hits and in
the mid-60s, surprisingly had Top 20 success in the Netherlands with his
recordings of ‘Shackles And Chains’ and ‘Mansion On The Hill’. He has written
several songs with ‘On The Takapau Plains’ being the most popular but he has
never classed himself a great songwriter. In 1988, the Franklin’s were presented
with the New Zealand Country Music Pioneer Award. Their daughter Lorraine sings
and, owing to her father’s tuition, has became a fine guitarist. They are still
active on the New Zealand/Australian country scene. They recorded two cassette
albums for sales on tour and in 1997, they released a CD album Trip To Paradise,
which contains some of their very best recordings. In 1999, Bear Family Records
released two CDs by the Franklins that contained many of their early recordings
plus several previously unreleased tracks.
Rex Franklin died on January 8, 2016.
https://www.audioculture.co.nz/people/rex-franklin
Talents : Vocals, Guitar
Style musical : Traditional Country
Rocky Mountain Lullaby
(1956)
Three Score Years And Ten (1962)
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Years in activity :
| 1910 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 2000 | 10 | 20 |
DISCOGRAPHY
Singles & EP
| 1956 | SP TANZA Z312 (NZ) | . |
Rex Franklin & Noeline
Anderson – Oh,
Why Can't You Say? /
Rocky Mountain Lullaby
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| 11/1961 | SP VIKING VS.65 (NZ) | . |
Rex Franklin & Noeline Anderson - The Prisoner's Song / Ballad Of A Teenage Queen |
| 12/1961 | EP VIKING VE.83 (NZ) |
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Rex Franklin & Noeline Anderson - Hillbilly Hit Parade - One Small Photograph / When You Have No One To Love You / Bushman's Radio / The Prisoner's Song / Beautiful Girl Of The Prairie |
| 1962 | EP VIKING VE. 107 (NZ) |
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Rex Franklin - Drover's
Dream And Other Country Songs - Drover's Dream / Roundup Time In
Sunny Old Alberta /
Three Score Years And Ten
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| 03/1964 | EP VIKING VE. 123 (NZ) |
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Rex Franklin - Fraulein And Other Country Hits - Fraulein / Act 1, Act 2, Act 3 / I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes / When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again |
| 1965 | EP VIKING VE. 161 (NZ) |
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Rex Franklin with The Prairie Pals - WESTERN ROUNDUP NUMBER 5 - A Ten Year Sentence / You're The Reason / Be Honest With Me / China Doll |
| 10/1966 | EP VIKING VE. 225 (NZ) |
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Rex
Franklin & His
Prairie Pals - Country
Sounds - All Or None /
I Love
You Because - Pearly Shells - Wahine Song
/ Four Walls
/
Little Green Valley - Someday - One Has My Name
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Albums
| 1961 | LP 12" VIKING VP 44 (NZ) |
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1,000 Miles Out Yonder - Some Songs Of The Outback - Rex Franklin & Noeline Anderson - Let's Be Sweethearts Again / When The Moon Across The Bushland Beams / Rocky Mountain Lullaby / Little Boy Lost / Way Up On The Mountains / Chasin' A Rainbow / 1,000 Miles Ago / Singing In The Darkness / I'll Never Be Fooled Again / I'll Sing You A Lullaby Tune / Blues In The Springtime / Real N.Z. Cowboy Song |
| 1962 | LP 12"VIKING VP 91 (NZ) |
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Westerns - Rex Franklin with The Prairie Pals & Noelene Anderson - Rose Of The Rio / The Waltz Of The Wind / I'll Take Mine Country Style / Click Go The Shears / A Mansion On The Hill / My Star Of The Sky / Too Late To Worry / Drover's Dream / I'd Like To Sit With The Baby-Sitter / Shackles And Chains / Wabash Cannonball / Red Wing |
| 1963 | LP 12"VIKING VP 117 (NZ) |
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Rex Franklin And His Prairie Pals - If You've Got The Money I've Got The Time / The Star Spangled Waltz / I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes / I'd Like To Be / The Drover's Song / Mandrake / Lady's Man / Take These Chains From My Heart / When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again / Fraulein / The Cowhand Swing / Act 1, Act 2, Act 3 / His Guiding Hand / It Makes No Difference Now |
| 1964 | LP 12"VIKING VP 139 (NZ) |
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The Good Old Days - Rex Franklin with The Prairie Pals - Take Me Back To The Good Old Days / China Doll / On The Takapau Plains / Dont Let Me Cross Over / Lets Get Married / Croonin' Bachelor / My Dixie Darling / Be Honest With Me / A Ten Year Sentence / When The White Azaleas Bloom / Honeymoon On A Rocketship / You're The Reason |
| 1966 | LP 12"VIKING VP 210 (NZ) |
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Country Sing A Long - Rex Franklin with The Prairie Pals - Just Married / Blackboard Of My Heart / Little Green Valley / Someday / One Has My Name / England Swings / You Are My Sunshine / May I Sleep In Your Barn Tonight, Mister? / One By One / Slowly / Shearers Jamboree / She’ll Be Coming Round The Moutnain / Do What You Do Do Well / I Love You Because / Pearly Shells / Wahine Song / Wabash Cannonball / Waterloo / The Old Spinners Wheel / That Silver Haired Daddy Of Mine / When You Have No One To Love / The Prisoners Song / Have I Told You Lately That I Love You / Wolverton Mountain / You Call Everybody Darling / Croonin’ Bachelor / Let’s Be Sweethearts / Gotta Travel On |
| 1973 | LP 12"VIKING SPVP 171 (NZ) |
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The Country World Of Rex Franklin - Stop Look And Listen / Over The Rainbow / When Will It Rain / Bubbles In My Beer / The Pony That Ducked In The Cider / Did She Mention My Name / Little Ol' Wine Drinker Me / It's Getting Back To Me / Shearer Jamboree / She'll Be Coming Round The Mountain / Do What You Do Do Well / Four Walls / Just Married / Blackboard Of My Heart / England Swings / You Are My Sunshine / May I Sleep In Your Barn Tonight Mister / Wildwood Flower / Blue Blue Day / Oh Lonesome Me |
| 1973 | LP 12" FONTANA 98 (NZ) |
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The Redback On The Toilet Seat - The Red Back On The Toilet Seat / Little 'ole Wine Drinker Me / When Will It Rain / It's Getting Back To Me (That You Don't Really Care) / Over The Rainbow / Stop. Look And Listen / Best Known Street In The Land (Coronation Street) / Did She Mention My Name / Oh Lonesome Me / The Pony That Ducked In The Cider / Blue Blue Day / The Fate Of The Red Back |
| 197? | LP 12" Philips 6460301 (NZ) |
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Country Gold - Rex Franklin & His Country Gentlemen - Blue Blue Day / Did She Mention My Name / Over The Rainbow / Oh Lonesome Me / Bubbles In My Beer / I'm Movin' On / Stop. Look And Listen / Little 'ole Wine Drinker Me / When Will It Rain / The Pony That Ducked In The Cider / Satisfied Mind |
| 02/1999 | CD BEAR FAMILY BCD 16228 (GER) |
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Real New Zealand Cowboy Songs - Rex & Noelene FRANKLIN - The Shearer's Jambore / May I Sleep In Your Barn Tonight Mister? / The Ghost Of Tom Dooley / You're The Nearest Thing To Heaven / Serenading In The Evening / I Love You Because / Swiss Lullaby / He'll Have To Go / Let's Be Sweethearts Again / When The Moon Across The Bushland Beams / Rocky Mountain Lullaby / Little Boy Lost / Way Up On The Mountains / Chasin A Rainbow / 1,000 Miles Ago / Singing In The Darkness / I'll Never Be Fooled Again / I'll Sing You A Lullaby Tune / Blues In The Springtime / A Real New Zealand Cowboy Song / One Small Photograph / When You Have No One To Love You / Bushman's Rodeo / The Prisoner's Song / Beautiful Girl Of The Prairie / Ballad Of A Teenage Queen / Would You Mind / I Wonder Where You Are Tonight / Oh Why Can't You Say? / Rocky Mountain Lullaby |
| 03/1999 | CD BEAR FAMILY BCD 16324 (GER) |
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Upon the Outlaw Trail - Rex & Noelene FRANKLIN - Red River Valley Blues / Where The Golden Wattle Blooms / Wabash Cannonball / The Waltz Of The Wind / Keep The Lovelight Shining / I'll Take Mine Country Style / Three Score Years And Ten / Click Go The Shears / Drover's Dream / Red Wing / A Mansion On The Hill / Rose Of The Rio / Someone More Lonesome Than You / My Star In The Sky / Too Late To Worry / Shackles And Chains / I'd Like To Sit With The Babysitter / Roundup Time In Sunny Old Alberta / Fraulein / Act 1, Act 2, Act 3 / His Guiding Hand / The Cowhand Swing (instr.) / The Drover's Song / Mandrake / When The White Azaleas Start Blooming / You'll Regret Those Words My Darling / A Ten Year Sentence / Upon The Outlaw Trail / Croonin' Bachelor / Let's Get Married / On The Takapau Plains / Take Me Back To The Good Old Days / All Or None |
| 05/2007 | CD Autoproduction ? (NZ) |
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TRIP TO PARADISE - Rex & Noelene FRANKLIN - Is My Home Still Up There? / Which One Of Us Is To Blame / Stolen Moments / No Longer A Sweetheart Of Mine / The Star / Riverbank Ramble / Nobody's Darling But Mine / Someone Is Looking For Someone Like You / Thanks For The Trip To Paradise / The Hurting Game / Send A Message To My Heart / Red Wing / I Wish All My Children Were Babies Again / The Best Guitar Picker / Child In Me / Caribbean |
| 03/2008 | CD Autoproduction ? (NZ) |
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Out Behind the Barn - Rex & Noelene FRANKLIN - Out Behind The Barn / I Need You (Honest I Do) / Vaya Con Dios / So I Won't Cry / Under The Double Eagle / Brand On My Heart / Rose Of My Heart / All I Ever Wanted / A Church In The Wildwood / It's Getting Back To Me (ThatYou Don't Care) / A Real New Zealand Cowboy Song / Jersey 33 / The Cowhand Swing / Those Old Love Letters From You |
| 2009 | CD Autoproduction ? (NZ) |
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SILVER BELL - Rex & Noelene FRANKLIN - Silver Bell / Nothing Lasts Forever (Only Memories) / My Happiness / Tennessee Waltz / I'm Gonna Go to Viagra Before It Falls / Tell Me Tonight That You Love Me / Have You Lost Your Love For Me? / It Is No Secret (What God Can Do) / One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart / There's A New Moon Over My Shoulder / Rockin' Alone In An Old Rockin' Chair / I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You) / There's A Bridle Hangin' On The Wall / Riverbank Ramble |
| 12/2009 | CD Autoproduction ? (NZ) |
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LOOSE TALK - Rex FRANKLIN - Loose Talk / The Hands You're Holding Now (feat. Noelene Franklin) / What A Friend We Have In Jesus / Turn Out The Light (And Love Me Tonight) / Yellow Roses / Everybody's Reaching Out For Someone (feat. Noelene Franklin) / Today I Started Loving You Again / Broken Dreams / I'll Be All Smiles Tonight / Peach Pickin' Time In Georgia / The Old Rugged Cross / Maybe If I Close My Eyes (feat. Noelene Franklin) / Homestead On The Farm / Waiting For A Train / Why Did You Leave Me Alone (feat. Noelene Franklin) / Rockonover River |
| 06/2011 | CD Autoproduction ? (NZ) |
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FROM RADIO AND HOME - Rex & Noelene FRANKLIN - I Recall A Gypsy Woman / I Love You Best Of All / My Love's Wedding Band / In An 18th Century Drawing Room / Now I Feel The Way You Do / The First Sad Year / I've Been Thinking Things Over / Please Send Us Another Wee Boy / Why Did You Leave Me Alone? / Don't Be Angry / Why Don't You Open The Door / Let's Pretend / Shackles And Chains / Keep The Lovelight Shining / Down The Trail Of Achin' Hearts / Part Of Me / What's Wrong With The Way That We're Doing... / Oh Wonderful World / What's Going On In Your World / A Satisfied Mind / Don't Play Me A Symphony / A Cowboy At Heart |
| 05/2013 | CD Autoproduction ? (NZ) |
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The Redback On The Toilet Seat - The Red Back On The Toilet Seat / Little 'ole Wine Drinker Me / When Will It Rain / It's Getting Back To Me (That You Don't Really Care) / Over The Rainbow / Stop. Look And Listen / Best Known Street In The Land (Coronation Street) / Did She Mention My Name / Oh Lonesome Me / The Pony That Ducked In The Cider / Blue Blue Day / The Fate Of The Red Back |
© Rocky Productions 27/12/2020
