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SUFFERIN' SUCCOTASH

SUFFERIN' SUCCOTASH'S DEBUT
THE SECOND ANNUAL BROOKLYN COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL

On Sunday, July 31, 2005, "The Band Formerly Known as The Gowanus Canal Hotshots " made its public debut as The Sufferin' Succotash String Band at Freddy's Bar & Back Room for The 2nd Annual Brooklyn Country Music Festival.

Shlomo Pestcoe and Jack Hirschorn ("The Mayor of Old-Time Country Music in New York City") founded The Gowanus Canal Hotshots (GCHS) back in 1985. The band took its name from Brooklyn's most famous and fragrant water artery, the Gowanus Canal, where GCHS alumnus, master fiddler/luthier Steve Uhrik, had set up his vintage instrument shop and "clinic," New York String Service, a couple of years earlier.

Over the course of twenty years, the Hotshots played a whole bunch of great gigs throughout the Big Apple, ranging from appearances at the such venerable NYC institutions as the New York Historical Society and the Metropolitan Museum of Art to playing on the Staten Island Ferry for a Japanese TV show. Many of NYC's finest "trad" musicians were members of the band at one point or another. Through it all, GCHS founders Shlomo and Jack were the two "constants" as the last remaining members of the original band.

The End of an Era & The Beginning of a New One....

Finally, in July of 2005, Jack had decided to retire from performing with the band. Recognizing that The Gowanus Canal Hotshots just wouldn't be The Gowanus Canal Hotshots without the hottest Hotshot of 'em all, the boyz decided to retire the band's venerable name and make a fresh start of it as The Sufferin' Succotash String Band.

The BCMF gig at Freddy's proved to be the ideal venue to launch the "new" band. A fine time was had by all and Sufferin' Succotash is off to a great start for another twenty year stint!

Our compliments and thanks to Alex Battles and Dock Oscar for a job well done in producing The Brooklyn Country Music Festival.  

Illustration Credits:

• Sufferin' Succotash at The 2nd Annual Brooklyn Country Music Festival. Brooklyn, NY, 2005. (Courtesy of Alex Battles)

• The Gowanus Canal Hotshots on the Gowanus Canal (left to right): Shlomo Pestcoe, Andy Cotton, Peter "Trip" Henderson , & Jack Hirschorn. Brooklyn, NY, 2000. (Photo by Robert Gilberg)