Billy Connolly has been to Frailers about five times. On the first occasion he was playing at the Apollo in Manchester. He needed his Vega banjo repairing...the same one seen on his programmes. He went to lunch with Mike Harding and Mike suggested Billy visits Frailers to do the job. Billy visited Frailers on two occasions three days apart and of course customers recognized him. He signed lots of autographs. Frank asked Billy if he minded being approached all the time for autographs. He said he did not mind at all and 'it's better than working in a shipyard!' Frank used to run folk music events and as Billy started on the folk music circuit they both knew a lot of the same people so they had a lot to talk about. They both play Appalachian Mountain styles on the banjo....and they play a banjo of the same make!
On his last visit here before he retired, Billy brought a Martin guitar to be fixed. He said it was given to him by Monty Python's Eric Idle. A couple of years later on one his shows, Billy was touring the Martin Guitar factory in Pennsylvania. The Martin employee showing him around asked Billy if he had a Martin guitar. Billy said he had a Martin given to him by Eric Idle...the same one Frailers fixed.
On another of Billy's shows, he is travelling along Route 66. He visits a collector in Missouri who has 17 rooms of collectable guitars and other items. Frank knows this collector very well from his many visits to American vintage shows.
On his last visit to Frailers before retiring, Billy said "I love this shop, I have never seen so many Martin guitars in one place."