The Matadors (4) aka The Toreadors

Harry Bass (Lead)
 

The Matadors (4) (Brooklyn, NY.)
aka The Toreadors

Personnel :

Harry Bass (Lead)

Tommy Bethea (Bass)

Michael Edwards (Baritone)

Roy Scott (Second Tenor)

Jimmy Hall (First Tenor)

Discography :

The Matadors (4)
1962 - If You Left Me Today / It Ain't Nothin' But Rock And Roll (Keith 6502)
1962 - You'd Be Crying Too / My Foolish Heart (Keith 6504)

The Toreadors
1963 - Ring-A-Leevio (Part 1) / Ring-A-Leevio (Part 2)(Pawn 1202)
1966 - Do You Remember (Part 1) / (Midas 1001)

Jackie Wilson bb The Toreadors (Uncredited)
1964 - She's Alright' / Watch Out (Not Them) (Brunswick 55264)

Ray Pollard bb The Toreadors (Uncredited)
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

The Toreadors


Do You Remember (Part 1 & 2)

Jackie Wilson bb The Toreadors (Uncredited)


She's Alright'

Ray Pollard bb The Toreadors (Uncredited)

  
      No More Like Me                        This Time (I'm Gonna Be True)

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