Lost State of Franklin Finds Its Way

Cleveland is often referred to as a big small town, and it is ever apparent in the music scene. Where else can two men with a gospel background, a Southern actress, and a Swiss/English expat meet, become a country-jazz-rockabilly band, and manage to win a touring van along the way? As the old adage says, sometimes you need to get lost before you can get found. What they don't say is how and what you find is a story unto itself. During a cloudy, December afternoon Cool Cleveland found the Lost State of Franklin hanging around the Cleveland Public Theater. It was there, in the empty audience seats before the Santaland Diaries ' stage, where each of their stories came out.

Along with being a preacher's kid, musician Scott Franklin, openly talks of a lineage which includes wanderers and story tellers. Transplanted to Cleveland, he played trumpet and guitar in a handful of bands and did some solo-time on the coffee house circuit, under the name J. Scott. He landed and lost a job with the Cleveland city schools, which led to an open road tour. Returning again to the area his focus changed. Franklin dropped the "J" from his name and spent time thinking about a songwriting career in Nashville. Before moving, he wanted to have a catalog of songs written, so not to become just another dreamer on Music Row. He began composing and continued to play the grounds rounds and various pick-up gigs.

No relation to the above, the conveniently named, Rob Franklin Muzick hails from Elyria. As a six-year-old guitarist he began performing in a family-led gospel band called the Singing Bryans. He was on the road often and when things slowed down he came home to become an accomplished musician. After spending a formidable amount of time in cover bands, Muzick wanted more of a career and started thinking about getting involved in the Cleveland-based music scene. He met Franklin when the two performed back-to-back versions of Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues" at Mike's Barn, a former hangout and jam locale for area musicians.

Singer Tyler Postma attended Case Western Reserve University, where she received a Masters of Performing Arts. She spent time acting, and singing in an area jazz band. She too felt the need to do something more original and expand her horizons. Hailing from Southern Alabama, the love and affinity for traditional country music has always been in her veins. She met Franklin when he substituted for a trumpet player in band where they had a mutual friend.

Upright bassist, David Mooser, took a longer path to get here. Born in Switzerland and raised in England, he came to the states in his early 20's. As the bassist for Ethernet, a dark-pop band, he enjoyed a share of success in Cleveland and Europe. While living in Lakewood, Franklin knocked on his door asking for permission to practice trumpet in the storage space below Mooser’s apartment. In these brief conversations he learned Mooser possessed an upright bass.

In the winter of 2005, Franklin and Muzick gathered at the home of a mutual friend and began playing around with some tunes. They performed songs which combined their love of gospel, traditional country and Franklin's jazz background. They often performed as a duo and one night, while playing at the Johnny Cash Birthday Bash in Chicago, the pair came to the conclusion they wanted an upright bass player. Franklin recalled his former neighbor Mooser owned such an instrument.

How does a one-time Crammps-following, psychobilly-loving, former rock bassist "tie into Scott?" is the question Mooser posed to himself when approached by the duo to join their new project. While Mooser loved his upright base, he admitted to feeling than competent on it. To add to the matter, he felt little connection to the music the others enjoyed; such as Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Waylon Jennings, and Carl Perkins. He enjoyed a certain sound, and took the time to listen to Muzick, the band’s musical historian. After learning how 50's rock beget rockabilly which beget psychobilly, his ears and heart realized the sound he loves is bluegrass.

While one might look at this foursome as a slap-dash, band of misfits, it is the histories and styles they bring to the band that make the Lost State of Franklin a united front. Accomplished singers and musicians, each have the talent to blend their respective influences together. Their combined experience handling the compromises and collective decisions of band dynamics makes them better as individually and together. To hear them speak is to hear a certain maturity and obvious fondness in their voices. All are fairly low-key and soft-spoken and each makes it clear this is a four-way partnership. While Franklin is currently the main songwriter, the band is open to hearing new songs from Muzick. Be it an idea, a vocal line, or a suggestion for an arrangement; they’ve each had their hand in the musical process. Postma kindly refers to it as "machine of equity."

Just as musically their histories are unique, it is from a rare piece of American history that the band takes its name. In 1784, North Carolina ceded some land to an area to its West. Left without a government, the people formed their own union called the State of Franklin, then lost the area in a struggle for control, some four years later. The geographic Lost State of Franklin is located in Eastern Tennessee, an area familiar to a certain, like-named musician. It was on Christmas Eve in 2005, when he happened upon the street sign in Tennessee and brought the idea for the band’s name to the others.

Individually they talk about being comfortable, and feeling like family. Even Mooser, who has the least amount of experience with this type of music, feels the kindred spirit. They all consider the Lost State of Franklin where they are meant to be. Postma says being with in this band is "kind of like coming home." Muzick speaks metaphorically and exclaims, "I tripped and fell into a mud puddle and Scott helped me out." Postma also says her time performing as a live singer is on top of any other performance she has ever done.

To date, the band has played in Cleveland, with some mini-tours a day's drive away and recorded a CD, which is scheduled for official release on January 27. Their goal of being able to tour in one vehicle, and go greater distances, was made easier in early-December, when they won the Pabst Blue Ribbon sponsored Battle of the Bands. By bringing in 87 fans to a local show, the Lost State beat out the competition by a landslide. The head-count for the runner up was around 30 people. The band was happy to see some ardent fans make their way from Geneva-on-the-Lake's Sandy Shanty, to help them seal the win. It was a great achievement for the group, as it made them clearly see their fan-base. When asked about ego and the spoils of winning, the band agreed the van is nice, but knowing they have the support of their community makes the win all the better.

With the disc completed, the band has set new goals for 2007. They hope to get college radio play and become better known in and outside of Cleveland. Their dreams are becoming a reality and the journey together is beginning to unfold. From a history of chance meetings and diverse musical tastes a band has formed. And it appears these four musicians have all found their niche by getting into the Lost State of Franklin.

Lost State of Franklin celebrates their latest CD, Quarter to Lonely on Saturday, January 27 at the Hi-Fi Club, 11729 Detroit Rd, Lakewood. For more info visit the band's MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/loststateoffranklin. Look for a review of Quarter to Lonely in the Feb 21 edition of Cool Cleveland.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Christine Young itsmecayATvisn.net

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