Hickory Rose: Scranton, Pa. Band Keeps Traditional Country Music Roots
The above is the nutshell version of how Scranton’s Hickory Rose formed. The time? 1992, just as the class of ’89 (read: Garth Brooks, Clint Black, Alan Jackson) were taking the country by storm. But Scranton was behind the times with this country music craze, explains lead singer Phyllis Pitch.
“Scranton wanted no part. You had to go south of Wilkes-Barre or north of Binghamton. My husband said, ‘Give ’em ten years.’ Now, people are turning country,” she said. Pitch’s husband, the band’s bass player, passed away three years ago, but fellow band member, the Nashville-trained steel player Gerard Drury, encouraged Pitch to keep the music going.
Despite the changes in country music over the past decade, Pitch is keeping her roots firmly planted in the place where Hickory Rose- and the genre- got it’s start.
“This is my comfort zone for singing country music,” explains Pitch. “A lot of people don’t want to put this music in clubs, even if it is just one day from 5:00-9:00. They are closing the door to a lot of people.” Pitch added that they have a gig coming up in May at the Green Alley Pub in Throop, which is adding a country night.
Mainstream country has certainly grown in the past few years, even since the class of 1989, with a new class of superstars. Pitch does not discredit their talent or success, however, she feels it’s not “true country music.”
“It’s something else. They just didn’t give it a name yet. I could scream out a Gretchen Wilson song, yeah, we’ll do new stuff, but I like to sing the traditional. I prefer doing what I do best. They say take one thing and give it all you got,” she said.
And, this is what she’s got. “People are starving for this. A lot of old time musicians follow us; they can’t believe we are keeping their music alive.”
Although Top 40 country stations aren’t playing old hits and local venues aren’t bringing in big name traditional acts, Pitch knows there is a market for it. She sees crowds all the time at venues like local VFW’s and American Legions, county fairs, festivals and campgrounds. And, even at the summer chicken barbeques at area Gerrity’s supermarkets. (Pitch says people bring lawn chairs.)
“For a traditional artist to get airplay today, they have to team up with a new artist,” said Pitch, explaining how Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and George Jones teamed up with Brad Paisley, Toby Keith and Garth Brooks respectively for radio success. But Pitch has a gripe. Many old songs that were never given radio play are suddenly new hits, for instance, Martina McBride’s “Rose Garden.” Also, Toby Keith’s “I Love This Bar” Is a remake. So is Tracy Byrd’s “Jose Quervo” and Alan Jackson’s “Pop a Top” and “Who’s Cheatin’ Who.”
“Martina sings it. It’s a hit. She put out a new album, Timeless, and all those tunes she brought back, we do,” said Pitch. “I love to sing Lee Ann Womack, she is traditional sounding.” She added George Strait, Brad Paisley and Trisha Yearwood to the list of “new” acts keeping it “old.” These artists perhaps will give traditional country a chance at survival.
Pitch has found her niche and stays true to it. And, Hickory Rose has found several niches through the Northeast to play their music. Since they began playing in the outlying areas such as New York and the Poconos, they have followings at places like the Cortland Country Music Park in New York, where Pitch was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999.
“I thought you had to be 80 to be inducted into any hall of fame,” laughed Pitch. “They put me on stage with Bill Anderson, Little Jimmy Dickens and Loretta Lynn.”
Hickory Rose also has dates lined up for the Wayne County Fair and the West End Fair in Gilbert. But Pitch’s favorite places to play are the community posts.
“I love to play VFW’s and legions because people like to hear what we play.”
Perhaps as the newer mainstream country artists find their roots and bring them to the airwaves, those in NEPA will realize what Hickory Rose has known all along.
“That’s what country music is,” said Pitch.
BOX:
Hickory Rose is:
Phyllis Pitch- vocals
Pat Fino- bass
Jim Hindmarch- drums
Gerard Drury- pedal/steel guitar
INFO: Entertainment Unlimited, 457-2808
