Song:The Rapper
Album:The Real '70s
The 1970 top five hit The Rapper was the only big hit for The Jaggerz. A couple of other songs charted but they are perceived as a one hit wonder. The Jaggerz were from Pittsburgh led by Dominic Ierace. He would become famous in the 80s as Donnie Iris. He didn't use that name until after he left The Jaggerz. While attending Slippery Rock State College in the early 60s, Ierace was a member was a member of The Tri-Vels who would become Donnie and the Donnels. He dropped out of college in 1964 and met Gary and the Jewel Tones guitarist Jimmie Ross. They formed The Jaggers in 1965. Other members were Benny Faiella on guitar, Thom Davies on piano, Bill Maybray on bass and Jim Pugliano on drums. Ierace and Ross shared lead vocals and wrote the songs. The Jaggers signed with Gamble Records in 1968 and discovered there was another band called The Jaggers so they changed it to The Jaggerz. Their 1969 debut album Introducing The Jaggerz did well locally in Pennsylvania. The band wanted national success and signed with the Buddah Records label Kama Sutra Records. The Rapper is from their 1970 album We Went To Different Schools Together. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is a cautionary one to girls to beware of guys who lie to seduce them. You can get The Rapper on this 3CD various artists budget comp from BMG. After releasing a couple more singles, Kama Sutra dropped The Jaggerz in 1973. After recording the 1975 album Come Again for Wooden Nickel Records, The Jaggerz split up in 1976. Ierace joined Wild Cherry (Play That Funky Music). It was there he met keyboard player Mark Avsec and would become Donnie Iris after Wild Cherry split up in 1979. Jimmie Ross reformed The Jaggerz in 1989 and still leads a version of the band today. Here's a video for The Rapper by The Jaggerz.
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