The Matys Brothers were an American lounge act made up of four singing comedians. They were born and raised in

Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...

, in the

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

area . The quartet's first record, "Muskrat Ramble," released on the

Essex Records Essex Records was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1951 by Dave Miller (producer), David Miller primarily to record contemporary country and western, rhythm and blues as well as jazz and Gospel music, gospel. Jack Howard was the promot ...

label, was a big hit in 1954, and by 1956 the group was part of

Bill Haley William John Clifton Haley (; July 6, 1925 – February 9, 1981) was an American rock and roll musician. He is credited by many with first popularizing this form of music in the early 1950s with his group Bill Haley & His Comets and million-sel ...

's talent and booking stable and recording for

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...

. The members of the band were Emil on saxophone, John on bass and violin, Gene on drums, and Walt on accordion.

History

On August 28, 1957, the Matys Brothers appeared on ''

American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'', abbreviated ''AB'', is an American music-performance and dance television program that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989, and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as the pro ...

'' performing "Muskrat Ramble" and "Crazy Street". "Muskrat Ramble" was a 1954 chart entry in Cashbox and Variety. In 1958, the Matys Brothers made two records for Haley's Clymax record label, one of which, "Crazy Street," co written by Haley, later was considered a rockabilly classic. On this song and the three others recorded for Clymax, the Matys Brothers were backed by members of Bill Haley's band,

The Comets Bill Haley & His Comets were an American rock and roll band founded in 1947 that continued until Haley's death in 1981. The band was also known as Bill Haley and the Comets and Bill Haley's Comets. From late 1954 to late 1956, the group record ...

(several of their recordings were also written by members of Haley's group). Later, the Matys Brothers grew to rely on their own instrumentation (Walt: the accordion, John: the bass and fiddle, Emil: the sax, and Gene: the drums). Gene and Emil could play any instrument (you put in their hands) and began recording

polka Polka is a dance and genre of dance music originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though associated with Czech culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the Americas. History Etymology The term ...

music for the Sunnyside and Select labels during the late 1950s and early 1960s. "Rummy Polka" was a hit for them in 1959, and the Matys Brothers scored their biggest hit in 1963, " Who Stole the Keeshka?" In the 1960s and 1970s, the brothers, John, Walt, Emil and Gene, toured the west coast. They appeared in the 1960s at The Showboat in Las Vegas, The Holiday Hotel downtown Reno, Nevada, and The Commercial Hotel in

Elko, Nevada Elko (Shoshoni: Natakkoa, "Rocks Piled on One Another") is the largest city in and county seat of Elko County, Nevada, United States. With a 2020 population of 20,564, Elko is currently growing at a rate of 0.31% annually and its population has i ...

. Some of the brothers struggled, at times, to maintain normal family life due to the late hours and the demanding travel, that was a part of their profession. Emil has a daughter, Terri, who was born during his first marriage to Mertis. After a divorce, he then married the band's singer Maria Carmen and they have one son, Marc. Gene had two children with his first wife, Wanda, they were Tom and Diane, that ended in divorce. He then married Pearl and had two sons, including Gene Jr. After his second marriage, Gene married Donna and had two children Ross and Tanna. Emil lived in Elko, Nevada and died on May 5, 2008; Gene died 12 October 1993 in Elko. Emil was not only remembered for his years of entertaining with the Matys Brothers, but also for the time and efforts he spent voluntarily while working with high school musicians, during the last several years of his life in Elko.

Discography

* "Cut the Meatballs in Half" Vinyl single * "Drunk Last Night" 7 inch Vinyl single * "Rummy Polka" Sunnyside Records, 7inch Vinyl single * "Kazoo Polka" Sunnyside Records, 7 inch Vinyl singe * "Crazy Street" Coral-61941 Vinyl single * "I Want to See the Sunshine in Your Smile" 7 inch Vinyl single * "My Truly Truly Fair" 5.90 4.90 * "That's a Plenty" Sound-106 Vinyl single * " Who Stole the Keeshka?" Select-719 Vinyl single * "With Friends Like You" Fayette-1627 Vinyl single * ''Crazy Street'' Bear Family BCD 15971 MCA 11119 (CD compilation) * ''Rock Me Daddy'' Collector CLCD 4475 (CD compilation)

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Matys Brothers, The Rock music groups from Pennsylvania Musical groups from Philadelphia Rockabilly music groups