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United Kingdom Tony Franklin, known as 'The Fretless Monster,' has had a career spanning decades, working with rock legends and diversifying his talents into artist relations, instructional courses, and music direction.
Tony Franklin's Signature Model Fretless Precision Bass guitar was proudly introduced by Fender, a replica of the instrument Franklin has used throughout his career. Its popularity led to a new color introduction in 2020, and a fretted version was also offered between 2008 and 2015.
Sony Creative Software released 'Tony Franklin: Not Just Another Pretty Bass,' Franklin's first sample loop library.
TrueFire offers Tony Franklin's Fretless Bass Instructional Course, which was released in the autumn of 2018. TrueFire is a platform for online guitar lessons.
Tony Franklin has served as a Rock Star Counselor at Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp, appearing at fifteen camps alongside members of Deep Purple, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, and Paul Stanley of KISS. He was also enlisted as Musical Director, arranger, and conductor for a performance of The Beatles' Sergeant Pepper album and is featured in the award-winning Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp movie.
Anthony James Franklin was born on April 2, 1962, in Derby, England, into a musical family, and first performed on stage at the age of five. He is primarily known for his distinctive fretless bass guitar work. Franklin’s career gained significant momentum in 1984 when he joined the supergroup The Firm, alongside Jimmy Page, Paul Rodgers, and Chris Slade. His unique fretless growl became an identifiable sound, prominently featured in the band’s hit song ‘Radioactive.’ Following his tenure with The Firm, which produced two hit albums and extensive tours, Franklin’s versatility led him to collaborate with numerous other prominent artists.
Throughout his career, Franklin has contributed to hundreds of albums and toured globally with various acts. His collaborations include work with Blue Murder (John Sykes, Carmine Appice), David Gilmour, Kate Bush, Whitesnake, Roy Harper, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. From September 2003 to July 2011, he served as the Artist Relations Manager for Fender and SWR, demonstrating his involvement in the business side of music. In 2006, Fender honored his impact by introducing the Tony Franklin Signature Model Fretless Precision Bass, a replica of his instrument, which remains in production and received a new color update in 2020. This same year, Sony Creative Software released ‘Tony Franklin: Not Just Another Pretty Bass,’ a sample loop library featuring his work.
Returning to full-time music performance in 2011, Franklin joined Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s band, contributing to the album ‘Goin’ Home’ (2014) and touring extensively, including opening for Van Halen in 2015. He further engaged with the music community as a Rock Star Counselor at Rock & Roll Fantasy Camps, eventually becoming a Musical Director for performances, including a rendition of The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ album. His instructional course, ‘Franklin’s Fretless Bass Instructional Course,’ was launched through TrueFire in 2018. Franklin’s continued activity also includes touring with Eikichi Yazawa, Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening, and Raiding The Rock Vault, along with ongoing recording sessions and writing.
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