The Matadors (3)

The Matadors (3) (Bronx, New-York)
Ref. The Miracles (4)


Personnel :

Smokey Robinson

Clarence "Humble" Dawson

Pete "Peewee" Moore

Ronnie "Whitey" White

James "Rat" Grice


Discography :

Unreleased :
1955 - Adios, My Desert Love


Biography :

While attending Northern High School in 1955 Smokey Robinson started his own vocal group the Five Chimes. The group included along with Robinson, Pete Moore, Ronnie White  James Grice and Clarence Dawson. When Dawson quit Emerson Rogers (Claudette's brother) was added and the name was changed to the Matadors. Cleveland quit the group after getting his girlfriend pregnant and Bobby Rogers who was Claudette's cousin took his place.


The Miracles

Robinson's initial influence was another great group, Nolan Strong and the Diablos. In 1955 Robinson and the Matadors (as the Miracles originally called themselves) did an a cappella demo of the Diablos' "Adios, My Desert Love" that revealed a distinctive though rough Robinson falsetto already taking shape.



In 1956 Emerson was drafted and his place was taken by his sister Claudette Rogers. In 1957 the Matadors auditioned for Jackie Wilson's manager who turned them down because he felt they sounded too much like the Platters. A young writer named Berry Gordy was there and he liked the Matadors. By early 1958 Gordy along with Jackie Wilson's cousin Tyrone Carlo had written an answer song to the Silhouette's hit "Get A Job" called "Got a Job". Berry brought the song to the Matadors, since they now had a girl in the group re-named themselves the Miracles, and helped get it recorded on End Records in March 1958.


Songs :


Adios, My Desert Love




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