GUITARGUITAR MANMAN STORY BY PAUL HOFFMAN Frank Dean, owner of Frank’s Guitars in Franklin. PHOTOS BY DON MEYER 8 october 2012 I southside business exchange Shop owner, musician loved Franklin so much, he moved there rank Dean’s aunt likes to tell a story his house didn’t have running water or an indoor about when he really got the itch to play Frank’s Guitars toilet — Dean rarely talked at school. guitar. Address: 55 East Jefferson St., Franklin IN “Everybody made fun of us for the way we talk- 46131 While at one of the family’s weekly Phone: (317) 738-4497 ed,” he said. “I didn’t want to give them another FSunday dinners at his grandparents’ house in the Website: http://franksguitarshop.com/ reason to make fun of me.” rural southwestern West Virginia area known as Hours: Monday, noon-6; Tuesday through Thursday, noon-8; Friday, noon-6; Saturday, But then, the Beatles hit America. And Frank Gillman Bottom, Dean’s cousin, Dan, at the ten- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dean, who knew a few chords on his guitar, start- der age of 4 or 5, suddenly brought out a Bible Owner: Frank Dean Opened: 2005 ed playing Beatles songs and his popularity soared. and started preaching up a storm. Lessons: Guitar, mandolin, banjo, bass, violin, “All of a sudden, I went from a nothing to a star drums, keyboard and harmonica. “He couldn’t even read, but I’m sure he’d heard at the school,” he said. someone preach before,” said Dean, who was By the time he was 12, he was in his first band, about the same age as his cousin. Franklin still isn’t sure the story’s true. But he says which would have been called the Damn Dan’s preaching caused quite a stir among the his aunt insists it is. Torpedoes had the boys’ parents not told them to young girls in attendance, something Dean quickly ‘From nothing to a star’ remove the first word. From there, as Dean tells it, noted. His aunt, who had recently taken her A fan of music ever since he was little, Dean does one thing led to another. He kept playing and young nephew down the road to see Elvis Presley recall another moment when playing guitar got him meeting musicians, which led him to play all over perform on TV, says that Dean immediately ran to a lot of positive attention. He was 6 years old when the country, opening for just about every enter- get a toy guitar he’d received as a gift. Conjuring tainer he ever wanted to (except for the Beatles, up his inner Elvis, Dean launched into his version his family moved to the Ravenswood neighborhood the Rolling Stones and Van Morrison), forging of “Hound Dog” and all the girls turned their on the north side of Indianapolis. Coming from attention away from his cousin and toward him. Appalachia, and living in the only poor neighbor- close friendships with such music legends as Marty The owner of Frank’s Guitars in downtown hood that fed into North Central High School — guitars, page 16 “I have the honor to be part of this community that I live in and the experience to help keep these kids from making some of the same mistakes I’ve made. “ — Frank Dean ” october 2012 I southside business exchange 9 other arrangement. Frank Dean’s guitars “That’s a good feeling,” he said. music highlights continued from page 9 Dean makes sure the kids who take lessons at his Besides his solo efforts, Frank Stuart and Loretta Lynn and meeting a slew of store know and obey the rules. He also said young- Dean has performed with regional other famous musicians. er kids are not allowed to wait outside on Jefferson favorites Blue DeVille, and Hillbilly “Lou Gehrig was wrong,” Dean, a big baseball and Street for their parents to pick them up; they stay Central. He also founded and front- New York Yankees fan, said, referencing a famous inside. And if a parent is late, he makes sure the ed Sindacato, one of Indiana’s most speech by the former Yankee. “I’m the luckiest man store stays open until the child is picked up. popular and critically acclaimed to walk the face of the earth. Not in money, but I’ve “We do what I’d want someone to do for my groups. Their albums “Logan met all sorts of the greatest people.” kids,” he said. County” and “Sindacato” each won Giving back Small-town business Album of the Year awards from The Franklin is fortunate to have Dean, too. His Dean said that treating people fairly is the way Indianapolis Star and NUVO maga- store has been in town for seven years, and he he goes about life anyway, but in the case of a zine while chalking up three Band of moved there a year ago “because I liked everyone small-town businessman, it’s imperative. the Year awards from both critics and so much,” he said. During his time in Franklin, “In a small town, if readers polls. Dean has become an advocate of the Humane you’re a jerk, you His songs have Society of Johnson County, playing an annual fun- won’t be in business been performed by draising concert for the nonprofit organization. He long,” he said. more than 100 acts, including the also was instrumental in the donation of several Clockwise from lower left: A big fan of many types Dean opened his recording of his trib- violins to the Franklin Boys and Girls Club so that of music, Dean’s shop features this concert poster first guitar store in the the club could offer a string program. promoting two of America’s most famous bluesmen, ute to Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. The shop offers all 1980s at 10th and “You Walked Tall,” Dean was able to donate all the violins because the accessories. Dean poses with country legend Rural in Indianapolis, he’d been contracted by the Indiana Historical Johnny Cash. Dean and country star Marty Stuart by Cash’s band of have become friends. surrounded by a body Society to obtain several violins and make them 30 years, The shop, a bar and a to-go “look old” for an exhibit it wanted to present. He Tennessee Three. don’t, they’ll bury you. That (advice) has saved us a pizza place.The fumes made a deal with the Historical Society that he Dean also performs few times.” coming from the body would only charge them cost if they would donate with The For example, Osborne cut Fender guitars, one of shop presented a the violins to the Boys and Girls Club when the the world’s most popular lines, from her lineup Snakehandlers, a unique challenge for exhibit ended its run. Dean hadn’t realized all the when Fender made some demands to which she ‘50s and ‘60s style the businessman, and violins were full size, too big for most children, and refused to acquiesce. But a few years later, Fender Chicago Blues he eventually moved to he ended up ordering smaller violins for the kids. dropped its demands and came back to Arthur’s. group, and with duo partner Scott East Washington Street in the the Irvington neigh- “I’d made the commitment, so I kept it,” he said. “She knew how to sell guitars and to sell quality Parkhurst. borhood. Guitar Town still stands there today. “That program is so great.” stuff that was reasonable,” Dean said. Some of the musicians Dean has He and Darryl Traylor opened Dean Traylor Guitar Dean has also become a What makes him most performed with or opened for: Dickey Company in Franklin in 2005, and Dean bought out staunch supporter of the city. proud of his shop, though, is Betts, George Jones, Wynonna, his partner about 18 months later, changing the name “It’s great to be in a small the teaching staff he has and LeAnn Rimes, Reba McEntire, Lynyrd to Frank’s Guitars. While he can’t say he’s made a load community because in a small how those teachers go out of Skynyrd, Hank Williams Jr., Merle of money with the store, he can say that he had a hand community you can make a their way for the students. Haggard, Marty Stuart, Dwight in sending five people from his bands “to the show,” difference,” he said. “I love He was faced with losing Yoakam, Emmylou Harris, Ralph including students Jason Roller and Jason Franklin. I love that there are several students in 2008 as Stanley, Junior Brown, Doc Watson, Schermerhorn. Roller plays with country star seven or eight private restau- Franklin dealt with a major Alison Krauss, Blind Boys of rants where I can eat. I like flood, the closing of Arvin Wynonna Judd and Schermerhorn plays with Michelle Alabama, Rodney Crowell, Rosanne that the (Historic) Artcraft Industries and the economic Wright, one of Canada’s top country music artists. Cash, Patty Loveless, Beach Boys, (Theatre) still shows movies. downturn that affected the As for having a successful business, Dean said he Travis Tritt, Kitty Wells, Ricky Skaggs, It’s a great community to be whole nation. can’t equate that to money. Robert Earl Keen, Todd Rundgren, part of.” “It wasn’t their fault,” he “I had someone ask me once ‘What’s the No. 1 Steve Earle, Albert Lee. B SOURCE: FrankDean.com Dean credits much of his said of the students.