Jimmy Ellis, the Trammps singer who's best known as the voice behind the dancefloor classic "Disco Inferno," died on Thursday (March 8) at a nursing home in his hometown of Rock Hill, S.C. He was 74 years old.
According to the vocalist's daughter [via the New York Times], Erika Stinson, Ellis died of complications of Alzheimer's disease. He had reportedly toured with the Trammps as recently as 2010.
The Trammps were active for most of the '70s and first made their mark in 1972 with their charting cover of "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" (which had been famously performed by Judy Garland).
The band made their most lasting impact when their 1976 single "Disco Inferno" was included on the soundtrack for Saturday Night Fever, the Grammy-winning album which still stands as one if the best-selling LPs ever.
Ellis is survived his wife and their two children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
According to the vocalist's daughter [via the New York Times], Erika Stinson, Ellis died of complications of Alzheimer's disease. He had reportedly toured with the Trammps as recently as 2010.
The Trammps were active for most of the '70s and first made their mark in 1972 with their charting cover of "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" (which had been famously performed by Judy Garland).
The band made their most lasting impact when their 1976 single "Disco Inferno" was included on the soundtrack for Saturday Night Fever, the Grammy-winning album which still stands as one if the best-selling LPs ever.
Ellis is survived his wife and their two children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
