Ram Jam was a great yet short-lived American classic rock one-hit wonder band formed in New York City in 1977. The band subsequently disbanded just one year later in 1978. They are best known for their 1977 remake of the Lead Belly song Black Betty. This rock version of the song was an instant commercial success as well as a popular hit. As a staple of the band, Black Betty represents a small (yet important) thread in the history of rock music. Their music was a mixture of hard rock and boogie rock. The line-up of the band consisted of Bill Bartlett (on guitar and lead vocals), Howie Arthur Blauvelt (on bass guitar), Pete Charles (on drums), and Myke Scavone (on lead vocals). They were initially known as Creekside Killshack.
Ram Jam performing in the music video of their well-known hit song Black Betty (an adaptation of an older Lead Belly song). Image source: YouTube
Throughout their relatively short existence, the band released two studio albums, more specifically Ram Jam in 1977 (which was recorded between 1975 and 1977) and Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ram (released in 1978 and recorded between 1977 and 1978). The title of their second and last studio album is a humorous reference to James Joyce’s semi-autobiographical novel entitled A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man published in 1916.
American guitarist and vocalist Bill Bartlett of Ram Jam (he also played in another band before called The Lemon Pipers). Image source: Wikimedia Commons
The band’s debut self-titled studio album charted moderately well in the United States (namely on the 34th position in the Billboard 200 chart), Australia (namely the 16th position in the Kent Music Report), and Canada (namely the 33rd position in the RPM magazine). Their second studio album however didn’t manage to chart at all. Both were released through Epic Records.
Below you can listen to and watch the music video of Ram Jam’s hit song Black Betty embedded via YouTube. Thank you very much for your time, attention, and readership! It means a lot to me! All the best, take care, stay safe, and rock on! 🙂 🤘
Documentation sources and external links:
- The band’s Wiki page on www.wikipedia.org (in English)
- Information on the band’s first studio album on www.wikipedia.org (in English)
- A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man on www.wikipedia.org (in English)
- One-hit wonder on www.wikipedia.org (in English)
See also:
- Redbone – A Legendary American Classic Rock Band, another great American one-hit wonder band known for their hit song Come and Get Your Love