It’s a well known fact that bands were an important part of the military. When you spend years in the field away from home, the band can be the only source of joy and entertainment you get. Since Joe was a musician, it was natural for him to seek out others in the group to form a period-style band to add authenticity to the reenactments. Joe’s background was playing three-fingered bluegrass, so he started learning the old style and playing, along with the band, the most popular wartime songs of the mid 1800s. While the purpose of the band was to add fun and realism to the encampments, their popularity grew and they were soon playing dances and concerts.

The 2^nd South Carolina was far from the only period band around, and most of them were playing all the same songs; Dixie, Bonnie Blue Flag, Jine the Cavalry, and such. As Joe and the band began reading personal letters from the war to better understand the mindset of the people, they noticed something. There were many songs mentioned in the conversation of the letters over and over. They were reading by the hands of the people which songs were the “Pop” music of the era.

America at this time was still close enough to the war with England to feel a residual contempt toward things considered British. Because of this there was what seemed to be a deliberate distaste for classical music. America was still discovering its identity and the people wanted a musical style that was uniquely American. The combination of Celtic, frontier music, and African folk made this sound, and men such as Joel Sweeney, Daniel Emmett, Stephen Foster, and George Root were taking it to the masses. The music celebrated larger-than-life American characters such as Davy Crockett, Paul Bunyon, Old Dan Tucker and John Henry. The songs reflected the character of the common man rather than the intellectual elite.

This is the sound that the 2^nd South Carolina String Band brings to life again. It’s been over a decade since the band was formed, and though they’ve added a second fiddle, fife, pennywhistle and flute, four of the five original members are still with the group. You might think that with success and time friction would case the band to break apart. Not with these guys. Joe say’s “Everybody takes a back seat to the music” and as long as that’s good, they’re in it to stay.

The band’s website states “Over the years they have worked with filmmaker Ken Burns in contributing period music to the soundtracks for the documentaries "Mark Twain", and the Emmy nominated "JAZZ". Their music is now found on four CDs, which have received airplay on folk music stations from Australia to the United Kingdom, including many university radio and National Public Radio stations in the United States. They have been featured in periodicals as diverse as People Magazine, U.S.A. Today and U.S. News & World Report. In 2002, the band was selected by director Ron Maxwell to provide background instrumental music for the soundtrack as well as to give a rousing on-screen performance in the Warner Brothers film, "Gods & Generals". In November, 2004, at a benefit concert at Gordon College in Massachusetts, the group received the prestigious Stephen Collins Foster Award, in recognition of their contributions to the preservation of 19th century American arts and culture. At a Fall 2005 reenactment they were filmed for an upcoming episode of the British/Public Television travel show, Globe Trekker. On July 4th 2006, they released their fourth CD, Dulcem Melodies, which has been very well received and is "selling like hot cakes".

More information about the band can be found on their website at www.civilwarband.com. From there you can buy their music as well. I recommend that you do.