The Jets (Minnesota band)
{{Short description|Tongan-American family band}}
{{About|the 1980s pop band|other bands|Jet (disambiguation)#Music groups}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = The Jets
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| background = group_or_band
| birth_name = The Wolfgramm Family
| alias =
| origin = Robbinsdale, Minnesota, U.S.
| instrument =
| genre = {{hlist|Teen pop|dance-pop|R&B|freestyle|Minneapolis sound}}
| occupation =
| years_active = 1985–present
| label = MCA, Shadow Mountain, Liberty Park
| associated_acts = Boys Club, My Sisters, Against the Season, Jett17
| website = {{url|instagram.com/the80sjets}}
| current_members = LeRoy Wolfgramm
Eddie Wolfgramm
Haini Wolfgramm
Rudy Wolfgramm
Kathi Wolfgramm
Elizabeth Wolfgramm
Moana Wolfgramm
| past_members = Eugene Wolfgramm (deceased)
}}
The Jets are a Tongan-American family band from Robbinsdale, a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota.{{cite web | title = Minnesota's Impact on 80s Music | date = May 23, 2020 | url = https://river967.com/minnesotas-impact-on-80s-music |access-date = February 14, 2024}} The Jets are composed of brothers and sisters LeRoy, Eddie, Eugene, Haini, Rudy, Kathi, Elizabeth, and Moana Wolfgramm, who perform pop, R&B, and dance music.{{cite web|last1=Prato|first1=Greg|title=Biography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-jets-mn0000089306/biography|website=AllMusic|access-date=18 February 2022|archive-date=December 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211223201251/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-jets-mn0000089306/biography|url-status=live}} They started performing as a family band in 1977. The group enjoyed worldwide success in 1985–1990, performing three world tours, and producing five top-10 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Background
The original band consisted of the eight oldest children of Maikeli "Mike" and Vaké Wolfgramm, who were originally from Tonga.{{cite book|title=The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|page=1284}} The family has 17 children: 15 by birth, and two, Eddie and Eugene, by adoption. The children attended Robbinsdale Cooper High School. The family are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The band initially called themselves Quasar after a now-defunct brand of television sets. They changed their name to the Jets, a name taken from the Elton John song "Bennie and the Jets", on the suggestion of manager Don Powell.{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-ph/entertainment/music/the-jets-to-perform-in-manila-and-cebu-for-30th-anniversary-tour/ar-AAe3yzI?ocid=sf|title=The Jets to perform in Manila and Cebu for 30th anniversary tour|access-date=2015-10-30|publisher=MSN Entertainment|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819100540/https://www.msn.com/en-ph/entertainment/music/the-jets-to-perform-in-manila-and-cebu-for-30th-anniversary-tour/ar-AAe3yzI?ocid=sf|archive-date=August 19, 2016}}
Member Eugene Wolfgramm died on April 15, 2024, at the age of 57.{{cite web |title=Eugene Fh Hunt |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/eugene-hunt-obituary?id=54948437 |website=Legacy |access-date=22 May 2024}}
Career
The original members of the Jets had a number of Billboard Hot 100 hits, five of which reached the top ten, including the 1986 single "Crush on You", which peaked at No. 3 in July 1986 (No. 5 UK, No. 4 US R&B, No. 4 US Dance). They are also known for the singles "You Got It All", "Cross My Broken Heart", "Rocket 2 U", and "Make It Real". "Sendin' All My Love", which peaked at No. 88 on the Hot 100, reached No. 1 on the Billboard dance chart. "You Got It All" and "Make It Real", both ballads featuring lead vocals by Elizabeth Wolfgramm, were No. 1 hits on the Billboard adult contemporary chart.{{cite web|title=The Jets [pop band] Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography|url=https://www.musicvf.com/The+Jets+%5Bpop+band%5D.art|website=Music VF|access-date=18 February 2022|archive-date=February 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220218201404/https://www.musicvf.com/The+Jets+%5Bpop+band%5D.art|url-status=live}} The band was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1988 for the song "Rocket 2 U" that featured lead vocals by Haini Wolfgramm. The Jets also performed the theme song for Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers in 1989.
The group performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the seventh game of the 1987 World Series, held in Minneapolis, and at Game 3 of the 1991 Stanley Cup Finals in suburban Bloomington. The band also performed at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea and the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
=Recent appearances=
{{update|date=June 2023}}
- On October 10, 2009, seven of the original band members reunited to perform at the Mega 80s & 90s Music Festival in Honolulu, Hawaii along with fellow MCA recording artists Ready for the World, the Cover Girls, and En Vogue.
- On April 9, 2010, all of the original members except Eugene performed at the State Theatre in Minneapolis. It was billed as their 25th-anniversary reunion show.
- In 2015, the band celebrated its 30th anniversary with performances in Manila and Cebu, Philippines.
- In July 2015 in Orem, Utah, the Jets performed a hometown concert with Debbie Gibson.
- The Jets were featured on the TV One music documentary Unsung on March 17, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.eurweb.com/2019/03/exclusive-clip-tv-ones-unsung-celebrates-the-jets-watch/|title=TV One's 'Unsung' Celebrates The Jets|website=Eurweb.com|date=March 17, 2019|access-date=March 18, 2019|archive-date=July 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708220944/https://eurweb.com/2019/exclusive-clip-tv-ones-unsung-celebrates-the-jets-watch/|url-status=live}}
- In 2021, the original drummer Rudy went on to produce a documentary called "The Jets: Making It Real" with the help of director Kels Goodman, who also produced the YouTube sensation "Will it Blend".
Line-up
The Jets' original lineup consisted of eight of the siblings.
- LeRoy Wolfgramm (born July 19, 1965) – vocals, guitar
- Eddie Wolfgramm (né Lavatai) (born August 14, 1966) – vocals, tenor saxophone, assorted percussion, additional keyboards
- Eugene Wolfgramm (né Hunt) (born September 24, 1967; died April 15, 2024) – vocals, assorted percussion, alto saxophone
- Haini Wolfgramm (born January 25, 1968) – vocals, bass
- Rudy Wolfgramm (born March 1, 1969) – vocals, drums, percussion, choreography
- Kathi Wolfgramm (born September 6, 1970) – vocals, keyboards, additional percussion
- Elizabeth Wolfgramm (born August 19, 1972) – vocals, additional keyboards and percussion
- Moana Wolfgramm (born October 13, 1973) – vocals, additional keyboards and percussion
=Spin-off=
In 1988, Eugene Wolfgramm (who reverted to his birth name of Eugene Hunt) and Joe Pasquale formed the duo Boys Club, which recorded for MCA Records. Boys Club released the song "I Remember Holding You", which reached No. 8 on the Hot 100. Eugene later reunited for the album The Best of the Jets (1990), but he and other siblings (Eddie, Elizabeth, Kathi) eventually left the band in succession. The band was also featured on the soundtrack for The Disney Afternoon, on which they performed the Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers theme song. They also appeared on the soundtracks for Burglar (1987) ("Tough Guys"), Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) ("Cross My Broken Heart"), The Karate Kid Part III ("Under Any Moon"), and The Family Man (2000) ("La La Means I Love You").
Influence
American pop singer Britney Spears recorded a new version of "You Got It All" in 1997,{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yd2Hm8BlzZUC&q=%22you+got+it+all%22+britney+spears+larry+rudolph&pg=PA92 |title=Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry ... - Steve Knopper - Google Books |date=2009-01-06 |access-date=2012-04-13 |isbn=9781416594550 |last1=Knopper |first1=Steve |publisher=Simon and Schuster |archive-date=August 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220822190406/https://books.google.com/books?id=Yd2Hm8BlzZUC&q=%22you+got+it+all%22+britney+spears+larry+rudolph&pg=PA92 |url-status=live }} which appears on international editions of her 2000 album Oops!... I Did It Again. Musical artists Arnee Hidalgo, Pinay, and MYMP have also covered the song. "Crush on You" is featured as the base sample for the French house anthem "Intro" by Alan Braxe and Fred Falke (2000).
Pop singer Aaron Carter included "Crush on You" on his first album, which became a top-10 single in Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom in 1997. Singer Nayobe recorded a version of "Make It Real" that became a hit in Latin America. Exposé recorded a version of "The Same Love" on their 1992 self-titled album. More recently, the UK electronic music act Nero sampled "Crush on You" on their 2011 track of the same name.
The Jets and the Jets Original Family Band
As of 2022, there are two touring groups of Jets, which include original members:
- The Jets: Elizabeth, Eddie, Kathi, Moana
- The Jets Original Family Band: Haini, LeRoy, Rudy
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Album ! colspan="4"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Certifications ! rowspan="2"| Record label |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:30px;"| US ! style="width:30px;"| US ! style="width:30px;"| CAN ! style="width:30px;"| UK |
| 1985
| style="text-align:left;"| The Jets | 21 | 16 | 77 | 57 | align=left|
| rowspan="4" | MCA |
| 1986
| style="text-align:left;"| Christmas with The Jets | — | — | — | — | align=left| |
| 1987
| style="text-align:left;"| Magic | 35 | 26 | — | — | align=left| |
| 1989
| style="text-align:left;"| Believe | 107 | 74 | — | — | align=left| |
| 1995
| style="text-align:left;"| Love People | — | — | — | — | align=left| | Liberty Park |
| 1997
| style="text-align:left;"| Love Will Lead the Way | — | — | — | — | align=left| | Shadow Mountain |
| 1998
| style="text-align:left;"| Then & Now | — | — | — | — | align=left| |
| 2006
| style="text-align:left;"| Versatility | — | — | — | — | align=left| | Hip-O |
| 2014
| style="text-align:left;"| Reunited | — | — | — | — | align=left| | Refinement Records |
| colspan="15" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
=Live albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| Year
!Album details |
|---|
| 2007
| style="text-align:left;"| Greatest Hits Live
|
=Compilation albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| Year
!Album details |
|---|
| 1990
| style="text-align:left;"| The Best of The Jets
|
| 2001
| style="text-align:left;"| 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Jets
|
| 2004
| style="text-align:left;"| Greatest Hits
|
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="9"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:30px;"| US ! style="width:30px;"| US ! style="width:30px;"| US ! style="width:30px;"| US ! style="width:30px;"| AUS ! style="width:30px;"| CAN ! style="width:30px;"| NLD ! style="width:30px;"| NZ ! style="width:30px;"| UK |
| | 1985
| style="text-align:left;"| "Curiosity" | — | 8 | 21 | — | — | — | — | 23 | 41 | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="4"| The Jets |
| rowspan="3"| 1986
| style="text-align:left;"| "Crush on You" | 3 | 4 | 4 | — | — | 9 | — | 43 | 5 |
| style="text-align:left;"| "Private Number"
| 47 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| style="text-align:left;"| "You Got It All"
| 3 | 2 | — | 1 | — | 11 | — | — | 79 |
| rowspan="2"| 1987
| style="text-align:left;"| "Cross My Broken Heart" | 7 | 11 | 8 | — | — | 17 | — | 32 | — | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="6"| Magic |
| style="text-align:left;"| "I Do You"
| 20 | 19 | — | — | — | 68 | — | — | — |
| rowspan="4"| 1988
| style="text-align:left;"| "Rocket 2 U" | 6 | 5 | 3 | — | 79 | 12 | 90 | — | 69 |
| style="text-align:left;"| "Make It Real"
| 4 | 24 | — | 1 | — | 6 | — | — | — |
| style="text-align:left;"| "Anytime"
| — | — | — | 35 | — | — | — | — | — |
| style="text-align:left;"| "Sendin' All My Love"
| 88 | 72 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| rowspan="2"| 1989
| style="text-align:left;"| "You Better Dance" | 59 | 73 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | — | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="4"| Believe |
| style="text-align:left;"| "The Same Love"
| 87 | — | — | 15 | — | — | — | — | — |
| rowspan="3"| 1990
| style="text-align:left;"| "Somebody to Love Me" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| style="text-align:left;"| "Under Any Moon" (re-issue)
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| style="text-align:left;"| "Special Kinda Love"
| — | 83 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| The Best of The Jets |
| | 1991
| style="text-align:left;"| "Forever in My Life" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| colspan="15" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Tours
- 1985–1986: The Jets World Tour
- 1986: Christmas with The Jets World Tour
- 1987–1988: Magic World Tour
- 1989: Believe World Tour
- 2015: The Jets - 30th Anniversary Concert
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{citation|url=http://ldsliving.com/story/70577-johnny-lingo-cast-the-jets-and-other-mormon-celebs-where-they-are-now|title=Johnny Lingo Cast, The Jets, and Other Mormon Celebs: Where They Are Now|first1=Brooke|last1=Ward|first2=Jenny|last2=Spencer|date=September 18, 2014|work=LDS Living|publisher=Deseret Book}}
External Links
- {{discogs artist|The Jets}}
- {{imdb name|3102947}}
{{The Jets}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jets, The}}
Category:American dance music groups
Category:American contemporary R&B musical groups
Category:American people of Tongan descent
Category:Family musical groups
Category:Sibling musical groups
Category:Musical groups from Minnesota
Category:Latter Day Saints from Minnesota
Category:American freestyle music groups