Jimmy Ellis, frontman of the Trammps, has died at the age of 74. He passed away yesterday in Rock Hill, South Carolina from complications of Alzheimer's disease.

Ellis was best known as the singer of the band's 1976 song "Disco Inferno," which became a smash hit in the United States in 1978 after it was included on the soundtrack for Saturday Night Fever. The Trammps also scored hits on the R&B charts with their cover of Judy Garland's signature tune "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart," "Hold Back the Night" and "The Night the Lights Went Out," which was inspired by the New York City blackout of 1977.

Photos: Random Notes
The Trammps reformed in 2005 after a 25-year hiatus to perform "Disco Inferno" when the song was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame. Ellis continue to play with the band until 2010.

You can watch the music video for the Trammps' "Disco Inferno" below.

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