11-30-1936 T0  4-8-2020

                     TOYE KATES, JR.

  Joe Evans already referred to Toye Kates, Jr., who used to work as the Manhattans’ road manager in the 60s.  Toye was born in Jersey City on November 30 in 1936, and in 1955 - after discharge from the Marines - he started another singing group called the Ideals with his twin sister Marie (Tiny) Kates, Charles Harris, George Rogers and Donald Paige.  Toye: “We stayed together for maybe three or four years.  We never got a break, but we were one of the hottest groups in Jersey City.  We sang all over, and we won first prize three times at the Apollo Theatre in New York.  We were destined to go there one more time to win and to get a recording contract, but Mahalia Jackson beat us out (laughing).  We never had another opportunity to record.  Several months later Donald Paige passed away and Smitty joined the group, becoming our lead singer.  Those days Edward Bivins, Smitty and I – we were like the three musketeers.”

  After the Ideals broke up, Toye went back to college for awhile, drove a tractor-trailer and started freelance broadcasting on WNJR.  “George Smith, Edward Bivins and Richard Taylor came to me in 1964 and asked me, would I be their road manager.  I was not familiar with the group nor had I met with the other members.  After meeting with Winfred Lovett and Kenneth Kelly during their rehearsal and a sense of their sincerity and family atmosphere, I decided to take a chance with them.  A few days later I was introduced to their manager and owner of Carnival Records, Mr. Joseph Evans.  We gained respect, trust and consideration for over 46 years.”

  “During our final Christmas show at the Apollo Theatre in 1967, they felt they no longer needed a road manager, and I agreed.  I was certainly proud of them along with my input of grooming them and other artists such as Ron Goodson of Ronnie and the Hi-Lites, the Tiara’s (the Lovettes) and Soul Town Band (Kool and the Gang), by my good friend, the late Donald Kee, who never received his just due.  The Mad Lads were assigned to me by another good friend, the late Otis Redding, not to mention Phil Terrell and Gregory Gaskins, our music director.”

  “After that I became the founder and one of the administrators of the New Jersey Regional Drug Abuse Agency, and, besides doing consulting work in Washington, D.C. in the 70s, everywhere I went I promoted shows, gave dances and stuff like that.  Presently I have a three-year personal contract with four of the Manhattans (Sonny, Kenny, Charles Hardy and Harsey Hemphill, Jr.) and also a five-year contract with Mr. Vic Kaply, President of Westwood Music Group, introduced to me by Joe Evans.”  The final part of the story clears up the confusion in line-ups of the group today.

  “I was always in contact with Edward Bivins.  At one time, before they started singing, we thought we were going to be baseball players.  So we’re friends ever since the childhood...  Thank you Manhattans for 46 years of friendship and still counting!”