The Trammps began in Philadelphia in 1972 featuring
vocalist, Jimmy Ellis, Harold Doc Wade, Stanley Wade and Earl Young and traveled with as
many as 11 members, culled from the ranks of the busiest and best musicians, many of whom
also played for Gamble and Huff's Philly International and later for Vince Montana's
Salsoul Orchestra. The Trammps' first recording, Zing Went the Strings Of My
Heart, a remarkable remake of a tune originally recorded by Judy Garland in 1943,
was recorded at the legendary Sigma Sound Studios in 1972 and was a bona fide chart hit,
reaching #17 on the R&B; chart and #64 on the pop charts that summer. Within the
next few years, Buddah Records recorded several of the Trammps' hits, including Hold
Back The Night which reached #40 on the pop charts and #10 on the R&B; charts
and Where Do We Go From Here, reaching #44 on the R&B; charts in 1974.
In mid-1975, the Trammps became one of Atlantic
Records hottest Disco recording acts. Their first album with Atlantic yielded tracts
Hooked for Life and Where the Happy People Go which
became their biggest pop hit to date reaching #27 and continues to rank as one of the most
recognizable songs of its era. Other Trammps hits on Atlantic included, Disco
Party, Body Contact, I Fell Like I've Been Livin' (On The Dark Side Of The Moon), The
Night The Lights Went Out, and Soul Bones, which features a harmonica solo by
Stevie Wonder. The pinnacle of the Trammps career was their Atlantic sound track, Disco
Inferno. In 1977 Disco Inferno, was the hottest song on
the International Disco scene and the group was recognized as the best performing group by
one of New York's most popular clubs, 2001 Space Oddesey, the location for the motion
picture, Saturday Night Fever. The soundtrack for the movie, which included Disco
Inferno, was the industries biggest selling album to date and won the Trammps a
Grammy Award in 1979.
Throughout the years, the Trammps have made many
tours throughout the United States, Europe and South America.
Currently the Trammps, Jimmy Williams join original members, Harold Doc Wade, Stanley Wade and tour nationally and
internationally with musicians from the original touring group.
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