The Matys Brothers

The Matys Brothers were a rockabilly musical act made up of the four Matys brothers, and their sister Vera for a time, were born and raised in Chester, in the Philadelphia area . The quartet's first record, "Muskrat Ramble," released on the Essex Records label, was a big hit in 1954, and by 1956 the group was part of Bill Haley's talent and booking stable and recording for Decca Records.

History

On August 28, 1957, the Matys Brothers appeared on American Bandstand 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,[1] 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 (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 music for the Sunnyside and Select labels during the late 50s and early 60s. "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 '70s, 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, NV, and The Commercial Hotel in Elko, Nevada. The brothers also incorporated comedy into their act, some rehearsed, but most of them did not.

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, that 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, NV and died on May 5, 2008; Gene died 12 Oct 1993 in Elko. Both men brought happiness into the lives of their families, when it was possible, at different times in their lives.

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, NV.

Discography

• CRAZY STREET/REMEMBER 7 inch Vinyl single

• CUT THE MEATBALLS IN HALF Vinyl single

• DRUNK LAST NIGHT/AIN'T THAT NEW YOR 7 inch Vinyl single

• I WANT TO SEE THE SUNSHINE IN Vinyl single

• RUMMY POLKA/HEEL & TOE POLKA Vinyl single

• CRAZY STREET/REMEMBER coral-61941 Vinyl single

• I WANT TO SEE THE SUNSHINE IN YOUR 7 inch Vinyl single

• I WANT TO SEE THE SUNSHINE IN YOUR S Vinyl single

• MY TRULY TRULY FAIR/BEER BARREL POLK 5.90 4.90

• THAT'S A PLENTY/DIXIE DANNY sound-106 Vinyl single

• WHO STOLE THE KEESHKA?/PORTKI select-719 Vinyl single

• WITH FRIENDS LIKE YOU/JASHU FOUND "T fayette-1627 Vinyl single

• Crazy Street Bear Family BCD 15971 MCA 11119 (cd compilation)

• Rock Me Daddy Collector CLCD 4475 (cd compilation)

Sources

• http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/compart/m/mat39310.htm accessed 12/24/08
• http://www.allbutforgottenoldies.net/bands-and-artists/info.php?id=matys-brothers accessed 12/24/08