Dr. John Torrey, assistant professor of Philosophy and a contributing professor in the Africana Studies unit at Buffalo State appeared on AM Buffalo to talk about The Royal Serenaders Men’s Choir. The Royal Serenaders Men’s Choir was founded by Roy Mathis. Roy Mathis was born in Chattanooga Tennessee on June 7, 1926. When he became of age, he moved north in search of better opportunities and landed in Buffalo in 1945.
Roy was the youngest of ten and decided to do a chorus with his brothers and it was called the Mathis Brothers Quartet. They performed for over 70 years and Dr. Torrey says once they got started in 1946 his friends wanted to see how his brothers were doing and how well they were singing, and they jumped in and the Royal Serenaders were born. They performed until 2016. Dr. Torrey says they had a 70-year span of doing concerts, they had a radio show in the 60’s and they were in high demand, and they were showcasing the legacy of the arts and strength that Buffalo has and they were touring nationwide.
For more information on The Royal Serenader’s Men’s Choir, you can visit the Dr. Monroe Fordham Regional History Center which is housed in the library at Buffalo State University.
