Obituaries

Jimmy Ellis 1938-2012

By | Published on Monday 12 March 2012

Jimmy Ellis

Jimmy Ellis, co-founder and frontman of The Trammps, best known for their 1976 hit ‘Disco Inferno’, has died aged 74 from complications linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

The Trammps originally came together in Philadelphia during the late 1960s, but first came to wider attention in the US in 1972 when their cover of 1930s song ‘Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart’ charted. Arguably one of the first disco bands, further success on America’s R&B charts followed, though it was the 1976 release ‘Disco Inferno’ that was to be their biggest hit.

The record was popular in the UK straight away, but came to wider attention in America and elsewhere when it was included on the soundtrack to 1977 movie ‘Saturday Night Fever’. A re-release in the US the following year saw them enter the main Billboard charts with the record, which continues to be played three decades on.

Although they peaked in the 70s, The Trammps have remained a popular act, and have continued to tour on and off with differing line ups over the years (with, on occasion, differing versions of the group touring concurrently, as sometimes happens with pop acts from their era). Ellis himself toured with the group on and off until 2008, and regrouped with the outfit’s original line-up when ‘Disco Inferno’ was inducted into the Dance Music Hall Of Fame in 2005.

According to a spokesman, Ellis died on Thursday at a nursing home in South Carolina. CNN reports that a memorial service is being planned for Friday in Charlotte, North Carolina.



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