Mullica Hill man still strutting in city staple
While the rest of the country typically celebrates New Year’s by tuning into the Time’s Square broadcasts, clinking champagne glasses and enjoying time with friends and family, Philadelphia and South Jersey wait in anticipation for the first glimpse of the Mummers.
The story of the Mummers’ origin offers a tale of culture sharing, and when viewing pictures from past parades, Mummer lovers enjoy transporting to earlier years of Philadelphia.
There is one man who has an insight into the dancing, feathery figures that many outside of the region may just see as the most accurate description of what a Mummer is.
Denny Palandro is the captain of the South Philly String Band. While he is now a 20-year resident of Mullica Hill, Palandro hails from South Philadelphia and, like so many, enjoys the Mummers Parade just as much now as he did when he was a boy standing on the sidewalks of Philadelphia with his father, Rocco.
In 1974, at the age of 14, Palandro picked up his saxophone and earned a spot in the Tribly String Band. Four years later, Palandro and life-long friend Jim Browne joined the South Philly String Band, thus punching their tickets to play their instruments while also dressing up like Mummers every year.
Forty-four years later, and looking ahead into his 12th year as captain, Palandro said, “A city or community is identified by its tradition. Lose your tradition, lose your identity.”
When considering the meaning of tradition, Palandro acknowledges the idea of a natural order, the thought that if people enjoy something and it brings them together in a positive way, keep doing it.
The South Philly String Band joined the Philadelphia Mummers Parade on Jan. 1, 1947. The band’s creation is a tale of humble beginnings, as it was founded in 1946 by a group of men in the Grays Ferry section of South Philadelphia.
In the kitchen of one of the members, it is said that several members of the community decided to form what would later become the band that would win several awards through many years at the eminent parade.
Samuel Hamilton, one of the founding members, is documented as saying, “A good band was one that featured good people and good musicians having a good time.”
Palandro echoed this sentiment when referring to the band himself. After being asked if these words still ring true, he said simply, “Absolutely. I mean here we are 71 years later.”
The South Philly String Band boasts more than 100 members. Among those members are Palandro’s son Denny Jr. and son-in-law Robert Dougherty, along with Browne’s sons, Jim and Justin.
The string band captain said the most memorable moment of his Mummer tenure is without a doubt the first-place victory the band achieved in 2016 after parading down the streets of Philadelphia paying tribute to the Mexican culture; their performance was titled “Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead).”
In the last 12 years, Palandro has helped the band place within the top four every year. The band has claimed two first-place finishes coming in 2016 and 2018.
While this South Philly/Mullica Hill man has helped make success a tradition for his string band, his main source of pride emanates from the area’s passion and support for the Mummers Parade and the joy the tradition brings so many people.
“A Mummer is a person who celebrates New Year’s by bringing joy to people who support tradition,” Palandro said.
