I have some sad news to share. It has been confirmed that the oldest name in string bands is gone. The Original Trilby String Band is “non-existing” and not part of the String Band Association anymore according to the Original Trilby String Band’s Facebook page. The 2018 Mummers Parade will be the second year in a row the ORIGINAL Trilby String Band will not perform in the Mummers Parade. Over the past few years, Trilby has struggled with declining membership and soaring costs and they could not get a band together for 2018.
The ORIGINAL Trilby String Band was organized in 1935 and marched for the first time on January 1, 1936, however the band commonly used 1898 as the year they organized. The Original Trilby String Band considers the separate Trilby String Band (organized 1898 and last marched in 1924) as part of their history. The highest the ORIGINAL Trilby String Band placed in a Mummers Parade was a tie for 2nd in 1952. Trilby last performed in the 2016 Mummers Parade.
Here are some video’s of The Original Trilby String Band from the past.
Trilby String Band will live in my memory forever along with John Miller the banjo player who took me to 1919 Morris St.,Trilby’s rehearsal hall, In 1962 to join the band. I was only in HS, but I met so many great guys that knew how to have a good time. Retired now in AZ I was telling a few friends on Veterans Day about the Philadelphia Mummer’s and Trilby in particular only to read this morning that the oldest string band is no more. I’m sad about the band but I will always have fond memories of being a Trilby band member.
I look forward every year to see Tribly perform. My dad’s last year in the string band was for Trilby. In fact it was the last year he lived. He marched On Jan 1, 1959 and died Feb 19, 1959. I am so saddened that the oldest string band is no longer. Why cannot someone buy the name and band and perform once again. I am trying to watch this year’s bands but have little interest without Trilby. My dad, Charlie Hart started in the Comic Division then to Woodland, Broomall and ended with Trilby.
When I was in high school, in the 60’s I marched with Trilby. I remember Adam Quaglia, Walk Majefiski, Phil Peschi Sr and Stan Pojak. I may have spelled some last name wrong but these were fine mummers. Shame for Trilby, shame really, for mummery. The decline in popularity during my lifetime is noteworthy. I remember 4 deep spectators on Broad Street most of the way up to City Hall. Now, while there is still a parade, only a handful of bands are capable of winning, some just exist and others fight the fight to make the numbers. What a shame for a homegrown musical tradition unique in the world and found only in Philadelphia.
My dad marchedwithTrilby for many years. He passed away in1989. RussellRegalbuto!
HI NAME IS MARK STARR I WANNA SAY THAT ME MY BROTHERS ARE ALSO LONG TIME MEMBERS OF THE STRING BANDS WE HAVE BEEN WITH OTHER STRING BANDS LIKE DUFFY STRING BAND UKRAINIAN AMERICAN STRING BAND PETER A BROOMALL STRING BAND AGUA STRING BAND AND OVER BROOK STRING BAND BEING A MUMMER IS EXCITETING AWESOME FABOLASS AND BEING WITH THE STRILLBYM STRING BBAND ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME I GOT MAKE NEW FRIENDS IM SADDEND BY THIS TRAGIC NEWS THIS IS VERY SAD HOW EVER I THINK THAT THEY WILLL BE BACK AGAIN ONE DAY AS WELL AS THE OTHER BANDS HAD FADED AWAY SO TO JOE KAMINSKI THE CAPTAIN THANK YOU FOR A WONDER FULLTIME ALL THOUGH ITS BEEN A SHORT TIME I WANNA SAY ITS BEEN A HONOR AND PLAYING AND GETTING TO KNOW THEM SO TO THE CAPTAIN AND THE BAND MEMBERS OF TRILLBY WE LOVE YOU GUYS AND GALS GOOD LUCK TO WHERE YOU ALL WHERE EVER YOU ARE P.S MAYBE WE CAN HAVE REUNION ONE DAY IT WOULD BE VERY NICE THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL FROM THE STARR BROTHERS
So sad to see so many string bands folding if people would just be deticated to one string band instead of jumping back & forth to other string bands because their club doesn’t win we wouldn’t have this problem it’s about having fun & celebrating the new year sure it’s a little more exciting if you’re club wins & it’s not fair that some string bands have like a 1000 members & others only have like 50 or so this is why they need to stop jumping ship to other clubs every so many year people are just not as dedicated to one club anymore I’m in the Wench Division with I’m Malley NYB since 1996 & I won’t match with any other club in our division I am dedicated to O’Malley NYB I would only join another club if I left the Wench Division witch I am not I would not go with a string band only because I don’t know he to play a instrument
A lot of old Mummers are turning over in their graves (Adam Quaglia, Phil P, Tea Rossi, Gene Naimoli, Jimmy McKinght, Jerry Vitelli and all the old timers who went up Broad Street with Trilby.
Breaks my heart to see a band not able to go up the street or close it’s doors. This was the last band I went up the street with. I was there for the merger with Burke and had met a lot of good people and will hold many, many fond memories of my time with them.
Sad to see them go this was my first band back in 2000 and my first parade was 2001 “In Dah Nile” theme, good times sad to see them go.