Died On This Date (March 8, 2012) Jimmy Ellis / Lead Singer Of The Trammps; Had Huge Hit With “Disco Inferno”
themusicsover Jimmy Ellis
DOB Unkown – March 8, 2012
Jimmy Ellis is best remembered the lead singer for the popular disco group, the Trammps. Formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1972, the R&B outfit first flirted with success with their unlikely cover of “Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart,” a song originally made famous by Judy Garland some 30 years earlier. The following year, they released “Love Epidemic,” widely considered their first disco song. In 1976, they put out what would become their signature tune, “Disco Inferno,” a high-energy dance number that went on to help define the disco era. The song wasn’t initially a big hit, but when it was re-released as part of the Saturday Night Fever film and soundtrack in 1978, it hit the mainstream and landed at #11 on the pop charts. The song then took on a life of its own as it was played in heavy rotation at discotheques around the world and virtually every disco-themed party ever since. Its celebratory refrain can still also be heard at most major sports arenas around the US. It has also been covered by the likes of Cyndi Lauper and Tina Turner. In 2005, “Disco Inferno” was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame. The Trammps’ other hits included “The Night The Lights Went Out” and “Disco Party.” Jimmy Ellis was 74 when he passed away in a nursing home on March 8, 2012.
What You Should Own
Known to millions around the world as “Smokin’ Joe” inside the boxing ring, Joe Frazier also flirted with a career in music by fronting his own R&B group, the Knockouts. As a fighter, Frazier’s well-documented career included a gold medal in the 1964 Olympics as well as numerous professional victories over the likes of Jerry Quarry, Jimmy Ellis, and of course, Muhammad Ali, in a 1971 fight that has been dubbed the “Fight Of The Century.” His trio of battles with Ali (including the legendary 1975 “Thilla In Manilla”) made up one the greatest rivalries in sports history. Throughout the course of his professional career, Frazier had an impressive record of 32 wins, 4 losses, and 1 draw. What many didn’t know however, was that Frazier could very well have been a champ of the music charts as well. He loved to sing – both inside the ring and out, and he recorded several decent records over the years. That list includes “If You Go, Stay Gone,” “Little Dog Heaven,” “The Bigger They Come,” and “You Got The Love.” He also formed his own soul revue outfit, Joe Frazier & the Knockouts, who performed regularly in Las Vegas