Boardwalking, Mum Style

The 2011 Philadelphia Mummers String Band Association Show of Shows lit up Boardwalk Hall this weekend in Atlantic City.  16 String Bands entertained at two shows,  led by crowd-friendly performances from the Captains, like Thomas D’Amore to John Baron to Denny Palandro to Jack Hee to Charlie Roetz to Anthony Celenza to 2011 1st Prize [...]

Tribute to a King

Many folks are looking forward to the annual Philadelphia Mummers String Band Show of Shows in Atlantic City this weekend.  The Show of Shows has always been a time that the String Bands, and, in particular, their Captains are even more up close and personal.  In one sense it is easy to honor the Captains [...]

Best B&B

The last two nights I had the pleasure of being with the best B&B as determined by the thousands of people who took part in the PHl17 Viewer’s Choice Poll.  The viewers selected Quaker City String Band and Bill McIntyre’s Shooting Stars as the finest performers on New Year’s Day.  I presented the awesome Viewer’s Choice [...]

Good ‘n Plenty

As we prepare for the exciting Show of Shows at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on Saturday, February 26th, 2011, there is another development in the world of String Bands.  An orderly transition of leadership is taking place within the String Band Association.  Mr. John Pignotti, the Hall of Fame former First Prize winning Captain of Hegeman [...]

Remembering Tony

The condolences continue following the passing Monday morning of Mr. Tony Bonanno. The arrangements for the viewing and funeral have been made. The viewing will take place Thursday night, February 10, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Murphy-Ruffenach Funeral Home at 3rd and Wolf in South Philadelphia.  The viewing will continue Friday morning from [...]

With Sadness…

It is with much sadness that I report the passing this morning of Mr. Tony Bonanno.  Tony died about 7:45 a.m. at his home in South Philadelphia.  His life and his spirit through his long illness are inspirational.  To his wife, Maria, and all his family, his friends and colleagues, and his Quaker City String Band family, [...]

One for Tony

String Band brothers and sisters and other Mummers streamed into the Quaker City Clubhouse Friday night.  They came together for Tony and Maria Bonanno.  The dollar draught and the dollar dogs were a good draw, but it was love and respect for Tony and Maria that really pulled them in. Tony is seriously ill and Maria [...]

Shaken or Stirred!

Like James Bond, Tony Bonanno likes martinis.  And you need to shake, stir or at least look at one this Friday night, because it’s time for us to step up in honor of Tony and his wife, Maria.  If you follow this column, you know that I have reported that Tony has been very ill.  Maria has [...]