The weeks have been going by now since Greater Overbrook String Band moved from 2nd Street to Upper Darby, Delaware County, and the news is good. This move is not just a move for survival, but it is also a coming home and a realization of the suburbanization that began decades ago. I say coming home because part of Greater Overbrook's heritage is the old 69th Street String Band. It is a realization of the suburbanization of the Philadelphia region because for years some of its members had long moved to Delaware County. The band still has members from South Jersey, South Philadelphia and elsewhere, but this move may make Greater Overbrook the band of Delaware County, just as Uptown String Band can make that claim about Bucks County. Greater O President John Hicks tells me they've already picked up about ten new members. John is also a Deputy Fire Chief and the band's new headquarters is the Highland Park Firehouse. "Chief" has been Mummin' since 1961. His father told him, "You play the accordion, you can entertain anyone."

Jimmy Driadon, coming back yet another time to seve as Captain…I think it's his 5th incarnation…is excited even though he has a little farther drive from Jersey. Mr. Driadon tells me about being Captain again, "I just can't believe it. I am elated." 2010 will be 60 parades for the Great One of Greater O.

What's cool about the revitalized Greater Overbrook, too, are the young members. Such as the "Chief's" 13-year-old grandson, Steve, playing accordion. Looks like Deputy Fire Chief Jim Johnson's 11-year-old son, Kyle, is picking up the saxophone for O, and there's 10-year-old Brendan, Mary and Steve Palys's son, playing banjo.

Fundraising and membership have increased. The band had 4 good gigs over the 4th of July Holiday. The band plans on giving one or two free, Tuesday night concerts at the firehouse for the community in the coming weeks. They are getting pumped for what I think will be a very well received performance on New Year's Day. The band will be playing tunes and wearing suits that rekindle the Golden Age of Mummery or Old Time Mummers. I expect familiar music and a scale of presentation resembling somewhere between the 1950's and 1970's. Carmen Vitanza, the band's new music director, says "Basically, it's pretty fun. It's gonna be straight-ahead String Band music." Carmen says he's been picking up some new banjo players and players of every kind of instrument. As I said, what's old is what's new; and what's new is what's old. Greater Overbrook.