John La Torre - The Story of Americas First Integrated Rock-n-Roll Band

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eBook ISBN: 978-1-54393-511-0

Contents

Forward: I am so happy to share my experiences of Americas First, Professional, Racially Integrated Rock-N-Roll Band with you. Ive attempted to remember and convey all the great memories of so many years gone by.

I hope you enjoy this story as I have enjoyed meeting people, sharing my music, and entertaining through the years alongside my band members who were like friends and brothers to me.

Dedication: Traveling on the road as a professional musician was very difficult as I was away from my wife, Carmela, for a long time. I owe so much to my wonderful wife for allowing me to travel. She understood my great passion for music and supported me every step of the way.

A Western Union Telegram Dated January 27th, 1956. Carmela was living with her sister, Lydia Bisaccia, when I traveled.

A historical account shared by John La Torre of Johnny La Torre & the Rhythm Rockets: Americas First Professional, Racially Integrated, Rock-N-Roll Band.

I would like to share my story of a great neighborhood in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and how we lived in harmony.

Our neighborhood, on Eighth and Kater Street, just half block from South Street, was diversified with many nationalities.

I am a first-generation American of Italian descent. But we came together, both Italian-American, and African-American without prejudice.

We worked hard daily, and we all just wanted to have a good time. Music always brought us together.

I knew a lot of people in the neighborhood because my family owned a poultry store called, Reliable Poultry.

Our truck read, Sam La Torre & Sons, Reliable Poultry. Our home and store were located in the same building. My family and I worked very hard in our poultry business.

Every day was about daily survival. My father needed me to leave school earlier to come help with the business, and so I graduated 6 months sooner than my classmates.

While all this was going on I was playing with my band, rehearsing and gigging. It was a crazy time. It was a fun time.

However, Im getting ahead of myself. Let me tell you how it all began.

Our family had a live poultry store on the corner of 8th and Kater Street where my two brothers and I grew up. Our poultry shop involved hard work and sacrifice, but it was the only way of life we knew in order to survive. We lived one half block from South Street. The neighborhood then was mostly made up of Jewish, African-American, and Italian people.

In 1943, at the age of 14, I purchased my first guitar at, Jacks Pawn-shop located at 8th and South Street.

Every week I saved up my money and put $10.00 down on a guitar that I didnt know how to play. I would continue to pay 50 cents weekly until my guitar was finally paid off. Ill never forget that guitar. It was a Gibson acoustic and it served me well. I'm sure my mom and dad would have liked to buy a guitar for me, but I knew that would not have been possible due to their financial position.

From a very young age I was interested in playing the guitar. I remember watching an elderly neighbor who played guitar outside. I was just a teenager at the time. I was also influenced by my Uncle Leonard, (on my mothers side), who played the mandolin.

Uncle Leonard would sing in Italian, do re mi so fa la ti do I can still hear him singing while strumming his mandolin!

Fortunately I was able to take a few vocal lessons. Almost all of my free time, which wasnt much, was dedicated towards learning the guitar. I used the EZ Method book. I would practice for months in the chicken store, and even in between helping customers!

Also, I should mention that we lived next to a Church. It was predominantly a congregation of African American people with both Black and White Ministers.

I always remember the people of the congregation being very friendly towards me and my family. This definitely impacted me musically as well.

As a favor to the ministers of the Congregation, my parents would help bring my brother Albert and I and some youth members to yearly picnics.

Every year my mom and dad would drive us to the shore of Sea Isle City, NJ. I would bring my guitar and play on the beach. This would draw large crowds of teens. Some of the kids I became close to were Jewish. I remember some of the names like Howard Pincus, and Jerry Silverman. I became close to both of them, but later in life we lost touch.

I have such fond memories of playing for the crowds on the beach, meeting people, and making friends. It was a great time and so much fun.

Living next to the church, we got to know the custodians family.

I remember one of the custodians sons, Bill, played the piano. I would walk by and hear Bill playing the piano as the church was open all the time into the rectory. Oh how I enjoyed listening to the music from next door and Bill was especially talented. The people of the church were always so good to me and my family. It was a wonderful experience to live next to that church. I would hear their music almost daily, and it was wonderful.

But I will never forget the day I heard a lot of commotion and great excitement outside. I rushed over to the church and there was Bill smiling and holding a rope to the church bell. He handed me the rope! I rang the bell to celebrate! Ill never forget it.

The war was over! The war was over!

Some time had passed and I would continue to practice and play in the chicken store. The doors were always open in the summer and everyone could hear me playing.

So at the age of 17, my childhood friend and neighbor named, Robert Bell and another band member, Sonny Davis, asked me to join their band, The Bell Tones. It was 1946.

In those days most people did not have a whole lot of money to go out for a good time, but they did look forward to the local parties, which back then were called, Cabaret Parties.

It was common for our band to play at the African-American cabaret parties. The people who threw the parties would sell tickets and the money would pay for hall rental and a band. These parties, at KP Hall or (Knights of Pythias), were located on 19th and Addison in Philly.

The songs we played were: "My Little Red Top" (a jump tune), "After Hours" (a slow dance song), "the Blues in the Closet" (a jump tune), "Night Train" (a major jump tune) and "Flying Home" (a jump tune). These were rock tunes; they were upbeat! This was rhythm and blues music because no one had coined the phrase, rock n roll yet. It was a great time to play there! Everybody was dancing and the place was jumpin!

With exception to my younger brother Albert, who came and helped out often, I was the only caucasian person in the band and in the Hall! It was a party filled with people having a good time. I never felt out of place there because these were my neighbors and my boyhood friends. I never cared that I was the only white kid there! We were rockin!

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