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The Halifax Contraband: A Timeline
1809 – The first record of the term “Halifax Contraband” appears on a “wanted” poster, depicting men in the act of smuggling illicit moonshine and guns. “Halifax contraband” referred to those materials that were being shipped out of the Halifax Country.
1830’s – A band goes by the name “Halifax Country Band” as a reference to the infamous and mythical Halifax Contraband Bandits from the early part of the century. Though they apparently played just once during a celebration of the U.S. claiming from Spain the territories of East and West Florida. The Second Seminole Indian wars break out and Florida is vacated.
1840’s and 50’s – People begin to return to Florida and live nomadic “cracker” lifestyles. Songs around the campfire with a certain Florida motif that seem to change each time they are played are referred to as “Halifax contraband”, that is songs stolen from others and rearranged to the new players liking.
1860’s - A Confederate army band with members from East Florida resurrects the name Halifax Country Band, yet still comedic refer to their songs as “Contraband”, stolen songs, or illicit, for their content. The army is disbanded and so it seems was the band.
1880’s - The style of music “Halifax Contraband” seeps its way into the free black yet segregated culture of Florida, as well as, into the growing Latin Culture emanating from the Tampa area.
1887 – Two tourist promoters and Hotel entrepreneurs John Anderson and Joseph Price once again resurrect the name “Halifax Country Band.” In 1911 the two men died within 6 months of each other and once again the band was laid to rest.
1930’s – The Halifax Country Band is the name of a fictional band in the musical “Life of a Cracker”, a group of musicians that go from town to town selling their wares. The current Halifax Contraband is planning a restaging of the musical at the 3rd Annual Festival of Crackers in March of 2009
1950’s – An old English style folk dance becomes known as “Contra” Dancing and is popular in rural areas of Florida, particularly Barberville, where the band that played the tunes for the dancers was called the Halifax Contra Band. Ironically The communal nature of the festivals that featured Contra Dancing were under investigation by the government as part of the McCarthy Era communist witchhunt, and though the music was full-fledged American, to escape the law, the band went underground once again.
1965 – The earliest year that a poster for The Halifax Country Band can be found. Slowly over the years, photographs, recordings, and a few vintage films are taken of the amorphous music group.
1984 – The Halifax Country Band, The Halifax Contra Band, The Halifax Contraband, THC, and several other monikers, are copy written, registered, and incorporated under The Halifax Contraband llc.
2003 – The Halifax Country Band plays its first show in almost 20 years with all new members.
2009 – The Halifax Contraband celebrates 200 years of Music, Romance, and Illicity with New Century Hoe Down Celebration.
7:57 PM
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