The Joseph A. Ferko String Band or Ferko String Band is a perennial performer in Philadelphia's Mummers Parade. They gained national popularity through their hit recordings in the 1940s and 1950s.

History

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 but winning in 1920.

The "Ferko String Band" had its beginnings in 1922. 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.

Ferko first won the string-band division in 1927 with an entry entitled "Cards." The 1929 incarnation not only won the event, but it was estimated that its parade float was the largest ever up to that point.

In addition to the Mummers Parade, Ferko also has a long history of performing in various parades and special occasions within the United States, Canada, as well as places far away as France and Hong Kong.

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.

They played for Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1933 Presidential inauguration.

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.

In 1947 they began recording sessions at the WIP studio for the Miller Brothers' new Palda Records. 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, in part thanks to the 1948 musician's strike because as amateur musicians, they were not covered by the American Federation of Musicians.

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.

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, was selected for use at the Republican National Convention.

Their 1955 recording of "Alabama Jubilee" sold more than 1 million records.

The group found popularity in Germany in 1956 with a recording of "Happy Days Are Here Again", charting as high as position 15. By the late 1950s the band was funded by the Continental Baking Company.

Founder Joseph A. Ferko died in 1964.

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.

Performance style 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 yet often achieved. The elaborate costumes are such essential part of the performance that a 1995 theft of the apparel caused the cancellation of several shows. Marching maneuvers are a typical part of the presentation.

Appearances in film and television 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.

Philadelphia Mummers Parade results

Year Awards 1923 2nd – musical 1924 3rd – musical 1925 2nd – musical 1926 2nd – musical 1927 1st – musical 1928 3rd – musical 1929 1st – musical 1930 1st – musical 1931 1st – musical 1932 1st – musical 1933 no official parade 1934 no official parade 1935 3rd – musical 1936 1st 1937 1st 1938 1st 1939 1st 1940 3rd – musical 1941 5th – musical 1942 2nd – musical 1943 6th – musical 1944 2nd – musical 1945 3rd – musical 1946 4th – musical 1947 1st – musical 1948 2nd – musical 1949 2nd – musical 1950 1st – musical 1951 1st – musical 1952 2nd – musical 1953 2nd – musical 1954 2nd – musical 1955 9th – musical 1956 4th (tie) – musical 1957 3rd – musical 1958 1st – musical 1959 4th – musical 1960 4th – musical 1961 2nd 1962 4th – musical 1963 5th – musical 1964 4th – musical 1965 3rd – musical 1966 6th – musical 1967 2nd – musical 1968 2nd – musical 1969 1st – musical 1970 5th – musical 1971 5th – musical 1972 3rd – musical 1973 4th – musical 1974 1st – musical 1975 3rd – musical 1976 13th – musical 1977 3rd – musical 1978 6th – musical 1979 2nd – musical 1980 2nd – musical 1981 4th – musical 1982 1st – musical 1983 4th (tie) – musical 1984 5th – musical 1985 2nd – musical 1986 4th – musical 1987 6th – musical 1988 4th – musical 1989 4th – musical 1990 3rd – musical 1991 5th – musical 1992 4th (tie) – musical 1993 2nd – musical 1994 1st – musical 1995 2nd – musical 1996 1st – musical 1997 1st – musical 1998 1st – musical 1999 3rd – musical 2000 3rd – musical 2001 5th – musical 2002 4th – musical 2003 3rd – musical 2004 4th – musical 2005 4th – musical 2006 3rd – musical 2007 3rd (tie) – musical 2008 4th – musical 2009 4th – musical 2010 2nd – overall1st – musical5th - Anthony Celenza, Captain5th – Captain 2011 2nd – musical4th - Anthony Celenza, Captain4th – Captain 2012 4th – musical5th – Anthony Celenza, Captain 2013 5th – musical11th – Anthony Celenza, Captain 2014 6th – musical2nd – Anthony Celenza, Captain 2015 5th – musicalTied for 3rd – Anthony Celenza, Captain 2016 2nd – musical6th – Anthony Celenza, Captain 2017 5th – musical1st – Thomas D'Amore, Captain 2018 5th – musicalTied for 4th – Thomas D'Amore, Captain 2019 6th – musical 4th – Thomas D'Amore, Captain 2020 9th – musical12th – Michael Luciany, Captain 2022 10th – musical13th – Anthony Celenza, Captain 2023 6th – musical10th – Anthony Celenza, Captain 2024 7th – musical11th – John Evans, Captain 2025 9th – musical8th – Scott Ratzke, Captain

Discography

Singles Year Title Peak chart positions B-side Issued on Album 1947 Dilly Dally Polka - When You Wore a Tulip Palda 101 Hello - Golden Slippers Palda 102 1948 Bowery Boys - I Want a Girl Palda 104 Alma mater – Cornell U. - Fight On, Penn. Palda 105 Auld Lang Syne - Drunkard's Medley Palda 106 Heartbreaker 21 Kelly & H-A-R-R-I-G-A-N Palda 109 (I'm Looking Over a) Four Leaf Clover - Heart of My Heart Palda 110 Alibi Baby - Roll 'Em Girls Palda 114 Two Timer - You Darlin' Palda 116 1955 Alabama Jubilee 14 Sing a Little Melody Media 1010 You Are My Sunshine29* Ma (She's Making Eyes At Me) Media 1013 *"Coming Up Strong" chart 1963 Golden Slipper Strut - Ferko's Monkey Argo 5451

Albums Circa 1956 – 'Happy Days Are Here Again' , Somerset Stereo—Fidelity – 33 rpm 12-inch LP. Reissued on CD in 1990 on Alshire.

References

External links

The Ferko String Band performs at 98.1 WOGL (December 22, 2011)