Ram Jam

Biography

Ram Jam was an American rock band formed in New York City in 1977. The group is best known for their hit single "Black Betty". The classic lineup consisted of Bill Bartlett on guitar and lead vocals, Howard Arthur Blauvelt on bass, Pete Charles on drums, and Myke Scavone as the lead singer. Jimmy Santoro joined as a second guitarist for the tour supporting their debut album and contributed to their second album.

Formation and "Black Betty"

Before Ram Jam, guitarist Bill Bartlett was a member of the bubblegum pop band The Lemon Pipers. After that, he formed a band called Starstruck. It was in Starstruck that Bartlett took the 59-second Lead Belly song "Black Betty" and arranged it into a rock anthem. The song became a regional hit under Bartlett's own TruckStar label. This success caught the attention of producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeffry Katz, who then formed Ram Jam around Bartlett. They re-released "Black Betty," and it surged to national and international fame in 1977, reaching the top 20 in the United States and the top ten in the UK and Australia. The recording released under Ram Jam was the same one originally recorded by Starstruck, though significantly edited.

The song's lyrics, however, drew controversy, with civil rights groups like the NAACP and CORE calling for a boycott, claiming they were offensive to Black women. Despite this, the boycott was unsuccessful. The origins of the song "Black Betty" itself are much older, believed to be an African-American work song from the 19th century, with the first known recording being an a cappella version by convict James "Iron Head" Baker in 1933.

Discography and Disbandment

Ram Jam released their self-titled debut album, Ram Jam, in 1977, which featured "Black Betty". The album performed reasonably well, reaching the top 40 in the US. The band released a follow-up album in 1978 titled Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ram. This album, however, failed to achieve the commercial success of its predecessor, and the band disbanded that same year. Bassist Howard Arthur Blauvelt passed away in 1993, and drummer Pete Charles died in 2002.