Disco Profiles - The Trammps

The Trammps began in the early 1970's with their first hit "Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart", released on Buddah Records. "Zing" was originally recorded by Judy Garland in 1943 and became a hit for The Trammps reaching number 17 on the R & B Chart and number 64 on the Pop Charts in the summer of 1970. The group consisted of Jimmy Ellis, Stanley and Harold Wade, John Hart Jr. and Earl Young. During the mid '70's, John Hart Jr. was replaced by Robert Upchurch and the group began to travel with as many as twelve members selected from the ranks of the busiest and best musicians on the Philadelphia music scene.

On Buddah Records, The Trammps released several singles including "Pray all you Sinners" and "Hold Back The Night" which became number 10 on the R & B Charts in the mid '70's.

The Trammps eventually found their way to Golden Fleece Records and released hits such as "Love Epidemic", "Trusting Heart" and "Where Do We Go From Here" which reached number 44 on the R&B Chart in mid 1974.

After Golden Fleece, in mid 1975, The Trammps joined Atlantic Records and in 1976 released their first album on Atlantic, "Where The Happy People Go". The "Where The Happy People Go" album included hits such as "Hooked For Life" and "That's Where Happy People Go", which became a pop hit at number 27. Other Trammps hits on Atlantic included "Disco Party". "I Feel Like I've Been Livin' - (On The Dark Side Of The Moon)", "Body Contact Contract" and "The Night The Lights Went Out" which refers to the 1977 New York City blackout.

By far the biggest hit for The Trammps was "Disco Inferno" which was included on the soundtrack for the movie "Saturday Night Fever". In 1978, The Trammps won a Grammy Award for their contribution to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Throughout the '70's, The Trammps worked both nationally and internationally with several tours to England, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Germany and throughout South America. In the early '80's, the group continued to tour with vocalist Jimmy Ellis, Harold Wade, Stanley Wade, Robert Upchurch and band.

In the mid 1980's, Jimmy Ellis discontinued his live performances and was replaced by Jimmy Williams, lead vocalist on the disco hit "Ten Percent of Something is Better Than 100 Percent of Nothing At All" with Double Exposure.

Since the mid 1980's up to the present, the nucleus of the group, consisting of Jimmy Williams, Robert Upchurch, Stanley Wade and Harold Wade continued to perform the group's hits both nationally and internationally. Currently, the group tours with a six piece band including rhythm guitar, lead guitar, two keyboards and drums.

- from various online resources