The Jets
A family act originally from the Polynesian island of Tonga, the Jets are eight of the 14 children of Mike and Vake Wolfgramm. The family moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, USA but eventually settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The oldest boy, Leroy (b. 1965), began showing musical interest as a young child and joined a club act including some of his uncles when he was aged 11. Leroy and several of his sisters formed their first group, Quasar, in 1978, performing as a Polynesian act at restaurants in the midwest. In 1984 the group signed with Don Powell, once a manager of the Jacksons. They eventually grew to eight, featuring Leroy, Eddie (b. 1966), Rudy (b. 1969), Haini (b. 1968), Kathi (b. 1970), Moana (b. 1973) and Elizabeth Wolfgramm (b. 1972), the last providing lead vocals on many of the group's hits. The eighth member, Eugene, left the group in 1988 to form a duo, Boys Club, earning them a US Top 10 hit that same year with I Remember Holding You. The Jets’ first US Top 10 hit, Crush On You in 1986, which was later a 1987 Top 10 hit in the UK, made them teen sensations. The group continued their success in the USA with four further hits, but their albums did not fare as well. By the end of the '80s the appeal of the Jets had lessened considerably.