Second Line Krew

I’ve been fascinated with parades for a very long time, but this story doesn’t start at the beginning of that fascination. It starts with a black and white television show back in the early 50’s, “The Lawrence Welk Show.” My parents watched that show every Sunday, which meant that my brother and I watched it as well, no choice. They had an accordion player, Myron Florian, on the show. I thought that the accordion was the coolest instrument in the world. My parents figured since I thought it was so cool, I should play the accordion. Now the story starts.

I was about 10 or so when I got my first accordion. With it came hours of practice, not a whole of fun for a kid who would rather be outside playing. We had a mailman back in the day who brought the mail to the door. He heard me practicing and thought I had talent. He expressed this to my mom and at the same time, said I should try out for the band he played in, The Ferco String Band. Ferco was one of the string bands that marched up Broad Street in Philadelphia on News Years Day in the Mummers Parade, a custom that brought in the New Year. With the mailman’s praise and invitation, I didn’t have a chance. My parents started taking me to the Mummers Parade. I loved it; the colors, dancing, costumes, floats and the music. The parade was really exciting and great!! That was it; parades became an important part of my life and still are. I didn’t march in the Mummers for several reasons: it was too cold, and I don’t like the cold, practices were too late for a school age kid, and the accordion was too heavy to carry up Broad Street. But the major reason was, I broke my arm in Judo, ending the accordion lessons and the endless practicing.

Over the years that followed I discovered that parades happen all over the place. Although I’ve never been in New Orleans for Mardi Gras, I’ve seen other parades on Bourbon Street. What a party; music costumes, colors, Bourbon Street, balconies, and beads being thrown from balconies in exchange for flashing boobs… what’s not to love?  Mardi Gras is not the only parade in New Orleans. There are also the Second Line parades put on by Social Clubs from local neighborhoods outside the French Quarter, also known as “SECOND LINERS.” The paraders are called the “KREW.” Their parades also have music, dancing, costumes and almost everything the Mardi Gras Clubs offer, only on a smaller scale. The biggest difference between and Mardi Gras Clubs and the social clubs is that the social clubs celebrate everything from births to funerals, and they celebrate all year long.

I keep going back to New Orleans and other places for the excitement and inspiration for future works. Let the parade keep GOING ON!!!!