1965 - No More Like Me / This Time (I'm Gonna Be True) (Shrine 103)
Discography :
The Matadors group actually evolved from a teenager street corner
doo-wop ensemble. They were Harry Bass and his younger brother Albert
who out sang Frankie Lymon on any given day of the week. Roy Scott and
Michael Edwards a guy Richard Steele joined together with Harry &
Albert to form The Epsilons. Tommy Bethea joined the singing group as
bass vocal accompaniment. in 1962, The group consisted of Harry Bass,
Tommy Bethea, Michael Edwards, Roy Scott and Jimmy Hall . In time they
link up with Richard Tenryke (Ritchie Tee) the classically trained
pianist who would travel with them to Broadway for recording auditions
and finally for Songwriter and producer: and co-founder of Shrine
Records : Eddie Singleton.
Ray Pollard
Eddie Singleton and the group decided on a new name. The Matadors.
Under that name they recorded "If You Left Me Today" / "It Ain't Nothin'
But Rock And Roll" and "You'd Be Crying Too" / "My Foolish Heart" on
Keith Records. Later they realized that another vocal group had the name
Matadors. So they became the Toreadors. This was part marketing
strategy and also an expression of cultural solidarity with the Spanish
speaking community members proliferating in NYC There were many Puerto
Rican doo-woppers, same as they and the Italians doing street corner
work. Also, the thing was, that they had designed some Matador style
costumes and could not afford to scrap the costumes. In 1965, Michael
Edwards, Harry Bass and Tommy Bethea sing backing vocals behind Ray
Pollard on the Shrine roster.
Songs :
The Matadors (4)
If You Left Me Today You'd Be Crying Too
My Foolish Heart It Ain't Nothin' But Rock And Roll
