Eddie Torres was born and raised in Texas and after a stint in the Marine Corp he relocated to California.
Eddie attended East Los Angeles College and majored in sociology. Upon graduation Eddie took on a job working with gang members and potential gang members to keep them out of trouble.
As part of his plan in helping gang members, Eddie began promoting dances with local bands. At a dance held at St Alonsos Church in East Los Angeles, Eddie met a band called The Fabulous Gentiles. Impressed by the band Eddie urged them to change their name. They became Thee Midniters (taken from one of their favorite groups Hank Ballard & The Midnighters).
Eddie became the groups manager and arranged concerts for the band while giving them discipline and direction. The band would do as many as four shows a night traveling great distances between performances and their popularity grew.
Over the years Eddie became friends and partnered with Dick Hugg "Huggy Boy" and they promoted and sponsored concerts and dances in the neighborhood as well as the Huggy Boy Show.
To promote the band, Torres contacted Mike Carcano, owner of The Record Inn on Whittier Boulevard who showcased the band's record releases by holding in-store appearances. While the rest of the world was caught up in Beatlemania, Eddie Torres in East Los Angeles, California was giving rise to Midnitersmania.
In December, 1965 Eddie booked Thee Midniters to a major concert held at the Hollywood Bowl and hosted by Casey Kasem and radio station KRLA. The band also got exposure on local television shows Shebang and 9th Street West.
In 1966, Torres started his own record label, Whittier Records to further promote the band and their music. Thee Midniters were now the hottest band in town but Eddie wanted them to get them to the next level. He urged them to start writing their own songs which under major pressure they did.
The only thing missing was a record deal with a major record label and national exposure. Eddie contended that his Whittier label would become as big as another local record label, A&M Records but try as he might Eddie could never achieve that success.
RCA Records became interested in signing the band but a deal was never made. The band has their side of the story and Eddie has his. Whether Torres didn't want to lose control of the band and sabatoged any deal or the fact that RCA didn't want to give Torres or the band any upfront money for their album "Love Sprecial Delivery" is up for discussion.
The RCA debacle marked the beginning of the end of the relationship between Eddie and the band. Eddie officially departed in late 1968.
Eddie did not leave the music business. He would go on to promote other Chicano musicians including Thee Impalas, The Runabouts and Mark Guerrero. The importance and impact of Eddie Torres on the East Los Angeles music scene can not be over emphasized. He gave us the best band to ever come out of East L.A...... Thee Midniters.
Eddie Torres passed away October 17,2019, a legend of the Easiside Sound.
Rest in Peace Eddie, we had fun watching football and sharing time together. Miss you man.
ReplyDeleteThank you Vicente for telling the story of an under appreciated contributor of East L.A. Music and culture.
ReplyDeleteOur sincere condolences and prayers to the Torres Family.
Little Willie G.
If you were anywhere a part of the ELA Music scene in the 60's there's no way that the name Eddie Torres escapes your memory, if you attended dances, or concerts with the likes of Thee Midniters, and so many other local bands, "Eddie Torres presents," was always visable. I for one remember seeing that everywhere, and was priveledged to have met Mr. Torres many times back in the day. I call it ELA Royalty, There are a few that qualify as ELA Royalty, and through his contributions to the ELA music scene of the 60's, he earned a membership in this prestigous club...RIP Mr. Torres..
ReplyDeleteIn the High Desert (Barstow, Victorville), we were very much aware of and participatory to the East LA sound. Thee Midnighters and others of like origin were always part of what we listened to in our parties and HS dances. Thank you Mr. Torres for making this possible.
ReplyDeleteI remember Eddie, i was in a band called Thee Good Tymes and we played with the Midniters at the montebello ballroom and the hawthorne drop inn. R.I.P
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your kind and considerate remarks. My Dad loved what he did with music and entertainment by creating memories. He loved you all.
ReplyDeleteEddie was our mg., he was the Best, he opened us up at St Alphonsus school…that lil aditorium was the happening place for the young in the 60’s. It was the place to be, to hear good live music+ dance……The best of times, I was Blessed at such a young age to have Eddie as mg…♥️♥️♥️
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