Elena Madera *
Willie B.
Carman Taylor
Big "Tootin'" Buddy Lucas Band
El Toro 501
The tiny El Toro label was launched in 1963 by music store owner Buddy Dunk who was once the manager of The Limelighters, a black vocal group who recorded for a lot of budget labels under a great variety of names. (For details, see the Marv Goldberg article
HERE
"Willie B", recently re-issued, is the most obscure record ever recorded by Carmen Taylor, a New York cabaret artist, songwriter and session singer who recorded for a number of East Coast labels in the 1950s. The labels she recorded for, besides Guyden, were Atlantic, Mercury, Apollo, King and Kama Sutra.
So many records and so many songs penned (most with Willis H. Carroll) and yet, I've been unable to find much info or even a picture of Carmen Taylor who was with Lavern Baker and Ruth Brown on Atlantic Records at the same time and was not less successfull.
Exit Carmen Taylor, enter Elena Madera.
Born in Havana, Cuba of a Cuban-born mother who was a professional dancer, and a father, born in the USA, who was a bandleader in the Philadelphia area. Elena came to the United States of America at age two, began singing at age three, For a little more details about Elena Madera, see
Alex who is just as curious about the fact that there isn't much info about Elena Madera on the web.
After extensive research (I'll spare you the details), there is no much doubt in my mind today that Carmen Taylor, Carman Taylor and Elena Madera are one and only one person !
Carmen Taylor : My Son (Kama Sutra)
Elena Madera : Pepito
Elena Madera : El Chipi-Chipi
