Music sensation and former co-lead singer of the Elvis White Band, ‘Toro’ George has returned to music after a 14-year hiatus. George, who is currently in Guyana, has recently dropped four singles and is planning to release his new album by the middle of next year.
In an interview with The Scene, Toro, 47, who was born Alic Arturo George in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), said that he was in Guyana for the Cricket Carnival, seeking inspiration for his upcoming album.
His return as a solo performer was sparked by his love and passion for music. “Because of my love for music, I sing from my heart, I sing from my soul, I sing because I love, I want people to feel what I feel,” he said.
In its heyday, the Elvis White Band had performed for a variety of audiences worldwide, including at Sir Richard Branson’s private resort on Necker Island in the BVI, the Hamptons social scene, and twice in Europe.
The first time the band performed in Europe was for Sir Richard’s five-day Virgin Mega Party in front of over 60,000 people, and the second time was as the opening act for Hip Hop icons the Fugees’ European tour. During that tour, they performed in France, England, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland.
The band had also opened for Keith Sweat on the 2005 Summer Sweat Tour and for Maze, featuring Frankie Beverly on the R&B Island Jam. In October 2005, the Elvis White Band won Best Live Band award at the popular Miami Carnival.
Looking back at his life as part of the Elvis White Band, Toro said it was phenomenal, as the lifestyle was unimaginable – hopping from stages to photoshoots to fancy hotels to being swarmed by fans for autographs.
One of the highlights of his career was performing with the Fugees in Europe. “Just to see that many people screaming… Screaming for you and singing the words to your song that was every artist’s dream and actually being on stage in front of a big number of people and then come off the stage and people wanting your autographs,” Toro said, is a memory he holds near to his heart.
He recalled that every night before performing he and his band members would do 100 pushups. He said this was another of his fondest memories of that time.
He believes the band failed because it did not promote itself as well as it should have. Also, at that time, the band did not have the correct fit for representation. He pointed out that although one of its major hits had taken off in Guyana, the Elvis White Band was unaware of this and never toured Guyana and other parts of the Caribbean – something he believes could have pushed their careers further.
After the band broke up, Toro returned to his homeland, became an entrepreneur and started his own construction company. But his love for music remained strong and so he has returned to the music scene to share his talent with the Caribbean and the rest of the world. “I still love it, I still like to sing, we are back at it,” he stressed in the interview.
Asked why he chose Guyana to gain inspiration, Toro said “Why not?” According to him, Guyana is “one of the biggest countries in the Caribbean, the culture here is amazing, and why not establish myself as a solid Caribbean artist?” He believes Guyanese will fall in love with the music he has to offer.
The star also has ties to Guyana through his four-year-old daughter and her mother.
Despite wanting to dip his feet back into the entertainment world, Toro said he cherishes the role of being a father. His eldest daughter is also a singer/songwriter, and he believes his youngest, an extremely animated and talented soul, will also one day join the industry.
Meanwhile, questioned about what people can expect from his new album, Toro said, “Good music, good vibes, fun music, happy music.”
He believes much more can be done to nurture and market the talents within the Caribbean. “We are a talented group of people… We lack the understanding of what we have to offer – our culture, our food, our music, our way of life,” he said.
He said if the Caribbean can fully understand and highlight the talents of “what makes us special” then it will be one of the places in the world to be reckoned with.
‘Content is king’
Meanwhile, Toro also noted that the music scene is extremely different now compared to what it was many years ago. “It has changed over the last 15 years with social media platforms. It’s so much different,” he noted. He said what he has noticed is that artists do not necessarily have to be signed to a big label to excel as now with social media they can broadcast and market their talents and art. “It’s different; you’re building your own career,” he said.
Toro noted that it is indeed a tough industry to break into again and he believes that it is somewhat more difficult as it is still a situation of “who you know and who knows you” that helps to build your platform.
Nevertheless, the seasoned performer plans to give it his all to wow his old and new fans and to create an even bigger name for himself around the Caribbean and the world at large.
