Ferko String Band

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In 1914 pharmacy student Joseph A. Ferko asked the owner of Fralinger's Drugs to sponsor a string band in the Mummers parade. The request was granted, and Ferko led the "Fralinger String Band" for several years, placing third in their 1915 attempt{{cite web |url=http://www.fralinger.org/about/fralinger-history/ |title=The History of the Fralinger String Band |website=Fralinger String Band |access-date=12 September 2013}} but winning in 1920.{{cite book |last=Masters |first=Patricia |title=The Philadelphia Mummers: Building Community Through Play |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MoZwROZZ_koC&q=Ferko+String+Band&pg=PA156 |access-date=September 10, 2013 |year=2008 |publisher=Temple University Press |isbn=9781592136117 |pages=157}}

The "Ferko String Band" had its beginnings in 1922.{{cite web |url=http://phl17.com/2012/12/17/meet-the-mummers-ferko-string-band/#axzz2eLHpxXxv |title=Meet the Mummers: Ferko String Band |website=PHL17.com |publisher=WPHL-TV |access-date=September 8, 2013}} Ferko left the Fralinger pharmacy in 1921 to open his own establishment. He led the "North Philadelphia String Band" for the 1922 parade, but later that year founded his own band, co-founded by Walter Butterworth and Charles Keegan.{{cite web |url=http://www.ferko.com/pages/jandband.htm |title=Meet the Band |website=The Ferko String Band |access-date=September 12, 2013}}

Ferko first won the string-band division in 1927 with an entry entitled "Cards."{{cite web |url=http://mummers.com/string-band-results/ |title=Historical String Band Results |website=Mummers.com |access-date=September 12, 2013}} The 1929 incarnation not only won the event, but it was estimated that its parade float was the largest ever up to that point.{{cite book |last=Masters |first=Patricia |title=The Philadelphia Mummers: Building Community Through Play |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MoZwROZZ_koC&q=Ferko+String+Band&pg=PA156 |access-date=September 10, 2013 |year=2008 |publisher=Temple University Press |isbn=9781592136117 |pages=46–47}}

In addition to the Mummers Parade, Ferko also has a long history of performing in various parades and special occasions within the United States,{{cite book |last=Wood Smith |first=Elizabeth D. |title=The Charlottesville Dogwood Festival|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8B7N0GiCZ7oC&q=Ferko+String+Band&pg=PA108 |access-date=September 9, 2013 |year=2006 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=9780738542102 |page=101}}{{cite news |title=Ferko String Band Is Coming Back to Nasua|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nHljAAAAIBAJ&pg=7032,954874&dq=ferko-string-band&hl=en |newspaper=The Telegraph|location=Nashua, New Hampshire |date=May 12, 1954|page=5 |access-date=September 8, 2013}} Canada,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=g0cuAAAAIBAJ&pg=5354,2437859&dq=ferko-string-band&hl=en|title=Lavishly costumed musicians to play|date=January 7, 1995|newspaper=Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal|access-date=September 8, 2013|page=4A}} as well as places far away as France and Hong Kong.{{cite web |url=http://oceancity.patch.com/groups/arts-and-entertainment/p/ev--ferko-string-band |title=Ferko String Band |last1=Bergen |first1=Douglas |date=July 21, 2011 |website=Ocean City Patch |access-date=September 11, 2013}}

Although Ferko has always been primarily purposed for Philadelphia, highlights of 1929 contests culminated in top placement in contests in New York, Atlantic City, Baltimore, Washington, and York, PA.{{cite news |title=Prize-Winning Quaker City Band May Take Part in 1930 Festival|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=d8xPAAAAIBAJ&pg=2427,6477890&dq=ferko-string-band&hl=en= |newspaper=Evening Independent |location=St. Petersburg, Florida |page=7|date=April 2, 1929 |access-date=September 9, 2013}}

They played for Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1933 Presidential inauguration.{{cite book |author=U.S. Inaugural Committee |title=Blue Book of the Inauguration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and John Nance Garner: As President and Vice President of the United States, March 4, 1933 |year=1933 |publisher=Ransdell Incorporated |page=16}}

Although Philadelphia string bands had been exclusively a "male's club", in 1935 Joseph Ferko started a ladies' auxiliary which brought women into club activities. This action influenced other string bands to follow suit, although female participation in the actual parade was almost non-existent until the late 1970s.{{cite book |last=Masters |first=Patricia |title=The Philadelphia Mummers: Building Community Through Play |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MoZwROZZ_koC&q=Ferko+String+Band&pg=PA156 |access-date=September 10, 2013 |year=2008 |publisher=Temple University Press |isbn=9781592136117 |pages=88–90}}

In 1947 they began recording sessions at the WIP studio for the Miller Brothers' new Palda Records.{{cite book |last=Dawson |first=Jim |title=Rock Around the Clock: The Record that Started the Rock Revolution! |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vzfqADTulw4C&q=Ferko+String+Band&pg=PA42 |access-date=September 10, 2013 |year=2005 |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation |isbn=9780879308292 |page=42}} Their recording of "Four Leaf Clover" was picked up for national distribution by King Records. This prompted Paul Miller to commission new songs specifically for Ferko. One of the resulting songs, "Heartbreaker", became a national hit{{vague|Chart and position?|date=July 2018}}{{cn|date=July 2018}}, in part thanks to the 1948 musician's strike because as amateur musicians, they were not covered by the American Federation of Musicians.{{cite news |title=String Band Fad Receives Nourishment|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g_UDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA16|newspaper=Billboard |date=March 13, 1948 |page=16 |access-date=September 10, 2013}}

The profits from these Ferko records would later enable the Miller brothers to launch the career of Bill Haley. By Spring 1948 Billboard estimated they were among the top 25 musical attractions in 5 out of 8 national regions, and most popular in the Southeast United States where they ranked number 18 among all musical acts.{{cite news |title=Box-Office Barometer |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H0UEAAAAMBAJ&q=Ferko+String+Band&pg=PA18 |newspaper=Billboard |date=April 24, 1948 |page=18 |access-date=September 10, 2013}}

In May 1948, the band appeared on the cover of Billboard, in which it was announced that they had sold more than 350,000 records for Palda, and that their theme song "Hello", written by bandmembers Harry Leary and Robert Traub,{{cite news |title=Music As Written |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OAEEAAAAMBAJ&q=Ferko+String+Band&pg=PA1 |newspaper=Billboard |date=May 15, 1948 |access-date=September 11, 2013}} was selected for use at the Republican National Convention.{{cite news |title=That colorful string-band craze!|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OAEEAAAAMBAJ&q=Ferko+String+Band&pg=PA1 |newspaper=Billboard |date=May 15, 1948 |page=1 |access-date=September 11, 2013}}

Their 1955 recording of "Alabama Jubilee" sold more than 1 million records.{{cite news |title=Winter Is the Busiest Season for East Polk entertainment |first=Susan |last=Bloodworth |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Hc0_AAAAIBAJ&pg=6339,1069230&dq=ferko-string-band&hl=en |newspaper=Lakeland Ledger |date=January 23, 1992 |page=7W |access-date=September 8, 2013}}

The group found popularity in Germany in 1956 with a recording of "Happy Days Are Here Again", charting as high as position 15.{{cite book |last=Franz |first=Manfred J. |title=Deutsche Musik-Charts 1956 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v36zBcusCGkC&q=Ferko+String+Band |access-date=September 10, 2013 |year=2013 |isbn=9783944307053 |page=79|publisher=BoD – Books on Demand }} By the late 1950s the band was funded by the Continental Baking Company.{{cite news |title=Concert Here Set Tomorrow By Ferko Band |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=weZLAAAAIBAJ&pg=4046,1582822&dq=ferko-string-band&hl=en |newspaper=The Free Lance–Star |date=October 22, 1958 |page=3 |access-date=September 8, 2013}}

Founder Joseph A. Ferko died in 1964.

The band typically has around 60 performing members, but recorded performances can involve anywhere from a couple dozen to a couple hundred participants. The age of group members is wide-ranging, known to encompass members from 15 to 80 years old. Performances consist of familiar tunes arranged specifically for the band.

Instruments used include accordion, banjo, bells, drums, Glockenspiel, guitar, mandolin, saxophone, and violin The details of musical balance are largely ignored{{cite news |title=Record Reviews |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QAwEAAAAMBAJ&q=Ferko+String+Band&pg=PT31 |newspaper=Billboard |date=May 10, 1947|page=32 |access-date=September 11, 2013}} yet often achieved.{{cite news |title=Record Reviews |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UUUEAAAAMBAJ&q=Ferko+String+Band&pg=PA131|newspaper=Billboard |date=June 21, 1947|page=131|access-date=September 11, 2013}} The elaborate costumes are such essential part of the performance that a 1995 theft of the apparel caused the cancellation of several shows.{{cite news |title=Thief steals truck of band costumes|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RcJNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5758,509777&dq=ferko-string-band&hl=en |newspaper=Lakeland Ledger |date=January 12, 1995 |page=5B |access-date=September 8, 2013}} Marching maneuvers are a typical part of the presentation.{{cite news |title=4000 See and Hear Ferko String Band at Festival |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fKorAAAAIBAJ&pg=5790,2370308&dq=ferko-string-band&hl=en |newspaper=The Telegraph |location=Nashua, New Hampshire |date=September 28, 1959 |page=14 |access-date=September 8, 2013}}

The Ferko String Band can be seen briefly in the movie Miracle on 34th Street. They have also appeared on the television shows Good Morning America, The Jackie Gleason Show, To Tell the Truth and I've Got a Secret, with host Gary Moore, and Today.

The group's 2013 performance aroused controversy when their theme for the year was perceived to have alluded to blackface minstrelsy in a performance entitled "Ferko's Bringin’ Back the Minstrel Days". The performance celebrated the music of Al Jolson and his contributions to early American music and theater. This performance was criticized by some, for the portrayal of performers within a vaudeville act, including the University of Pennsylvania professor of Africana Studies Guthrie Ramsey, among others.{{cite web |url=http://thegrio.com/2013/01/03/philadelphias-mummers-parade-features-blackface-performance/ |title=Philadelphia's Mummers parade features blackface performance |last1=Tom |first1=Brittany |date=January 3, 2013 |website=The Grio |publisher=MSNBC |access-date=September 8, 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/phillynow/2013/01/04/mummers-are-willing-to-talk-rationally-about-blackface-so-we-should-too/ |title=Mummers Are Willing to Talk Rationally About Blackface, So We Should Too |last1=Murtha |first1=Tara |date=January 4, 2013 |website=PhillyNow |publisher=Philadelphia Weekly |access-date=September 12, 2013}}

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File:MediaFerkoAlabamaJubilee.jpg

• Circa 1956 — 'Happy Days Are Here Again' , Somerset Stereo—Fidelity - 33rpm 12" LP. Reissued on CD in 1990 on Alshire.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ferko-string-band-mn0001532806/discography |title=Ferko String Band Discography |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 12, 2013}}

{{reflist}}

• {{official website|http://www.ferkostringband.com}}
• [http://wogl.cbslocal.com/2011/12/22/video-the-joseph-a-ferko-string-band/ The Ferko String Band performs at 98.1 WOGL (December 22, 2011)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216124026/http://wogl.cbslocal.com/2011/12/22/video-the-joseph-a-ferko-string-band/ |date=December 16, 2013 }}

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Category:Musical groups established in 1922

Category:Musical groups from Philadelphia

Category:Parades in the United States

Category:1922 establishments in Pennsylvania