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The 2nd South Carolina String Band was a band of Civil War re-enactors who recreate American popular music of the 1800s with authentic instruments and in period style. The group claimed to "perform Civil War music as authentically as possible . . . as it truly sounded to the soldiers of the Civil War." [1]
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According to the band's official website, the group formed in August 1989. The founding members—consisting of Joe Ewers, Fred Ewers, John Frayler, Dave Goss and Bob Beeman—were amateurs who played a variety of 19th-century instruments, including banjo, bones, drum, fiddle, guitar, and tambourine. They began by playing informally during re-enactment campaigns. They eventually moved to playing dances and concerts. As the group grew older the roster comprised seven members, including players of the fife, flute, and penny whistle. [1]
The 2nd South Carolina String Band had released six albums through Palmetto Productions. Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns has featured their music in his films Mark Twain and Jazz . The band appears in the film Gods and Generals , directed by Ronald F. Maxwell, and their music appears on the soundtrack. In November 2004, the band received the Stephen Collins Foster Award for their preservation of 19th-century American song. The band's last personnel includes: Joe Ewers (banjo), Fred Ewers (fiddle), Dave Goss (guitar), Bob Beeman (tambourine & bones), Mike Paul (fiddle), Joe Whitney (flute) and Tom DiGiuseppe (banjo). [1]
Past band members have included Marty Grody (fife, tin whistle), John Frayler (military drum), and Greg Hernandez (fife). [2]
The band disbanded in 2019. [3]
They reunited for one last concert on November 15, 2024 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania at the Gettysburg Middle School. [4]
