The Story of Ram Jam's 'Black Betty...
Ram Jam was an American rock band formed in New York City in 1977, best known for their hit single "Black Betty." The band was a short-lived project, primarily revolving around guitarist Bill Bartlett and featuring Myke Scavone as the lead vocalist.
Their signature track, a reimagined and electrifying version of the traditional folk song "Black Betty," became a massive success and a rock anthem, reaching international acclaim.
Despite the popularity of the single, Ram Jam struggled to replicate its success with subsequent releases, leading to the disbandment of the group in the early 1980s. While their musical legacy is limited to a brief period, Ram Jam's impact on the rock scene is remembered through the enduring popularity of "Black Betty."
Bill Bartlett went on from the Lemon Pipers to form a group called Starstruck. Starstruck originally included Steve Walmsley (bass) and Bob Nave (organ) from the Lemon Pipers.
Walmsley left the band and was replaced by David Goldflies (who later played for years with Dickey Betts and Great Southern, and the Allman Brothers).
While in Starstruck, Bartlett took Lead Belly's 59 second long "Black Betty" and arranged, recorded and released it on the group's own TruckStar label. "Black Betty" became a regional hit, then was picked up by producers in New York who formed a group around Bartlett called Ram Jam.
They re-released the song, and it became a hit nationally. The Ram Jam "recording" was actually the same one originally recorded by Starstruck (albeit significantly edited to rearrange the song structure), the band at that time comprised Bartlett (lead guitar and vocals), Tom Kurtz (rhythm guitar and vocals), David Goldflies (bass), and David Fleeman (drums).
The rest of the tracks on the first studio album containing "Black Betty" were played by the Ram Jam lineup. Even though the song was credited to Huddie Ledbetter, the NAACP and Congress of Racial Equality called for a boycott due to the lyrics.
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