The Jets: Mormon Singers
The Jets are a Mormon family band composed of brothers and sisters in the Wolfgramm family who had a series of pop hits between 1985 and 1990. Eight of their songs hit the Billboard top ten. They received an American Music Award nomination for “Crush On You” and a Grammy Nomination for Best R&B single for “Rocket 2 U.” They were invited to perform at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea, and the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. They sold over three million records. They completed three world tours, and two USO tours during Desert Storm.
The family group of eight teenagers (out of seventeen children born to or adopted by Maikeli and Vaké Wolfgramm) was discovered in the mid-1980s while living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They are originally from the island Kingdom of Tonga.
The group of original members, which consisted of LeRoy, Eddie, Eugene, Haini, Rudy, Kathi, Elizabeth, and Moana, started to break apart by 1990 and disbanded in 1997. Several of the family members unofficially kept the group going through the 1990s, switching from pop, R&B, and dance music to gospel and religious music. Various record collections of 80s music and various radio stations continue to include The Jets’ hits, especially “Crush on You,” “You Got It All,” and “Make It Real.” The band was also featured on the soundtrack for The Disney Afternoon, where 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").
The group of various family members continues to perform at small venues, such as private or community functions. For example, The Jets headlined an 80s music “Supershow” with Debbie Gibson at the Scera Shell Outdoor Theatre in Orem, Utah, in July 2015. On October 10, 2009, seven of the original band members reunited to perform at the Mega 80s & 90s Music Festival in Honolulu, Hawaii, at the Blaisdell Center Arena along with fellow MCA recording artists Ready for the World, The Covergirls, and EnVogue. The eighth member, Elizabeth was expecting a baby and was unable to perform, so sister Natalia performed in her place.
