June’s reminiscences of banjoist/festival director/Your Father’s Mustache founder Joel Schiavone garnered many emails and letters! I’ve left out churlish ones like “How can you eulogize a banjo player?” and “Now I’ll never get the ten bucks he owed me” to share some memories, stories and photos of this supreme showman. Buckle your safety belts!
First, a brief history of Your Father’s Mustache (from here on YFM) from cornetist—and leader of the Galvanized Jazz Band, or GJB—Fred Vigorito:
Fred Vigorito: Joel Schiavone graduated from Yale and went on to Harvard Business School, graduating in 1961. Joel believed the timing was right to get the world smiling and singing, and in 1962 he opened Red Garter Clubs in Boston and Cape Cod.
The Red Garter: just think red walls, lots of vintage pictures, peanuts on the floor, beer flowing, and a banjo band leading everyone in songs from WW1 and WW2. The bands consisted of college students with incredible musical abilities, playing in any key, any tempo, any time!
In 1964 Joel decided to part with the Red Garter and go out on his own. First, he held a national contest to name the new club. Among hundreds of suggestions (one was “Shaggy Stocking”), the winner was “Your Father’s Mustache,” an old saying that goes back to the 1930s. YFM clubs were opened in Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver, New Jersey, New Orleans,
