Frequently Asked Questions   

Q: Are The Jets still performing today?
Seven of the original eight brothers and sisters, Elizabeth, Moana, Kathi, LeRoy, Rudy, Eugene, and Eddie are no longer  performing as The Jets. Each left the band at various times to focus on family life and pursue other interests.

As their older members left the group, the younger Wolfgramm brothers and sisters  took their position in the band. Original member and Bassist, Haini occasionally appears with his younger siblings, as well as performing in his band I'KONA (formerly Juice) categorized as a pop band formed with his  animated energetic cousin Aaron Watene on  lead vocals  whom also performed as a member of the Jets in the mid to late 90's. I'KONA is actively playing in hot spots around Los Angeles and Las Vegas, recently opening for Blues Traveler at the House of Blues. A six track EP is available on iTunes. Pop on over and take a listen, it's good stuff!

The Families music continues.....

JETT17,  Melding the sounds of R&B, reggae, hip hop, rock, and soul. Natalia, Donnie, Maliana, Mika, and EtiVise Wolfgramm along with cousins Leipua, Tony, and Ashton formed their own group JETT17, after performing as The Jets for several years. They released one album titled appropriately 'All Together Now' on WPRecords in 2003, an Independent label founded by Lami, LeRoy, and Rudy Wolfgramm.

AGAINST THE SEASON, an alternative rock quartet consists of the youngest  Wolfgramms, Tiare on Lead Vocals and Lead Guitar, Kelela on Bass, Donnie on Drums, and Mika on Rhythm Guitar.

MY SISTERS, includes original Jet members Moana, Elizabeth, and Kathi, along with sisters Jennifer, and Lei. They recorded an album of inspirational hymns, originally intended for family and friends. However, the album became quite popular and it was distributed through LDS Bookstores. Subsequently the sisters have made several public performances in Hawaii and Utah.  They are in the studio currently in hopes of releasing a second volume of hymns as well as a Christmas album. Check out the latest interview with MySisters on the home page.
Q: The Jets had a 7 album deal, were there seven?

Well lets count, The Jets, Magic, Christmas With The Jets, Believe, and Best of The Jets. Looks like five. The fifth however was a Best Of album that included a few new tracks, "Special Kinda Love", "Sendin Out A Message", "Another You", and "Forever In My Life". Special Kinda Love was released on 12" with various remix versions along with the release of a pumpin' hot music video to propel the group back into the club scene, which peaked at #8.

I don't claim vast knowledge of dealings in the music biz, but I wouldn't hesitate to say that even though these deals are signed initially with good intensions, things happen. It was quietly purported that there was management riff over the groups new direction after the lackluster reception of Believe, which did not achieve platinum status like its predecessors. With that said, between the management disagreement and the groups loss of commercial vitality, more then likely led MCA to forgive any further releases. But again pure speculation.
Q: Will the original 8 record again?
We all know this would be great, and I am sure they would love to record together as a group again! However, from what I gather from conversations with a few.... the logistics of a project like this would be very difficult considering everyone has families and lives not in the music business.
Q: Has anyone done a solo album?

Liz was poised to release a Adult Contemporary/R&B album on the TrebleV label in 2001 but nothing has come to light to date. I suspect she was very busy being a mom and wife, but who knows what else may have come into play..... Though the label still lists this information, the site hasn't been updated in years.

You may yet see some solo projects from the youngest of the JETT17 lineup, Natalia Wolfgramm, as well as Leipua Silito, their cousin. Stay tuned!
Q: Is there a DVD of the Jets in concert?

This is where I have to say the groups management really dropped the ball! Of the hundreds of concerts, there are no professional recordings of the Jets performing a full length concert to the public except "The Jets In Hawaii", filmed by the Disney Company and aired exclusively on the Disney Channel in the summer of 1987. With the digital age progressing, lets hope this concert will be available via download which will cost the Disney Company nothing to produce for sale!  

The only official release of video available for public sale was "Airplay", a 45 minute feature of the groups hit music videos intertwined with individual member interviews of the making of those videos. It was made available on VHS and Laserdisc formats in most countries by Pioneer Artists.

Thank goodness for fans with video cameras right!                                  

Q: Where can I get a copy of Love People?

The Jets independent venture in 1995 titled "Love People", on Liberty Park  (the groups own label) was in limited press at about 10,000 copies. You can keep an eye out on auction sites such as eBay for a used copy. Though rare it comes up once in a while. It is rumored that the masters for this album were lost to fire.

 

 
Q: What happen to Eugene?
After the JETS debut album, Eugene left the group on what was rumored to be a solo project while the rest of his siblings began work on their long anticipated sophomore album, MAGIC. Eugene wasn't too far away though, like his siblings, Don Powell was his manager, and his label, MCA.

What materialized in 1988 however was a duo with Eugene, and a relatively unknown Joe Pasquale. Boys Club, "Minneapolis' version of WHAM" was their call tag. Their debut album earned them two top ten billboard hits including "I Remember Holding You", and "The Loneliest Heart", the latter also appeared on the movie soundtrack "She's Out of Control" in 1989. Several other tracks also ended up on movie soundtracks, "Time Starts Now" appeared on "License To Drive" with the Corey's, Haim and Feldman, and "This Could Take All Night" penned by Diane Warren accompanied Eugene's sister Elizabeth and Glen Medeiros', "Under Any Moon" on the Karate Kid III soundtrack.

Boys Club performed in malls across the country in MCA's Magic of Hollywood Tour in 1989. Eugene returned to the JETS in 1990 to record again with his siblings on new tracks for their Best Of album as well as appearing in the video "Special Kinda Love". Joe Pasquale went on to release a solo album "Prey" in 1991 on MCA, which despite having a lot of muscle thrown into it, the album did not chart. Last heard, Eugene became a public school basketball coach and as for Joe, he hasn't been heard from since.
Q: What nationality are the Wolfgramms?
The family is actually of Tongan and German ancestry from Dad, and Fijian ancestry from Mom. Mike and Vake are from Nuku'alofa Tonga.

A quick history note....Europeans began settling in Tonga back in the mid 1800's. In the 1870's eight of trade pioneer August Sanft's nephews, four of whom were Wolfgramms joined him to work the family business exporting copra (dried coconut), bananas, vanilla, and cotton grown on the islands to Hamburg Germany. More then three quarters of the commerce of the islands was in the hands of German merchants and the island of Vava'u alone was home to over 1,000 Germans. The name carries a long history in the Tongan culture, as well as in New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji.
Q: What happen to Jett17?

The group formed by the next generation of Wolfgramms, including twins Maliana and Mika, Natalia, Eti Vise, Donnie, along with cousins Tony, Leipua, and Ashton was groomed and poised for stardom.

They recorded their first album titled  "All Together Now" in 2003, and toured various venues and visited radio stations through out the country. It was rumored that Natalia and Leipua were approached by major labels for solo contracts, but that's not confirmed officially. Shortly thereafter however, the group choose to disband to focus on personal lives and music projects. The album shows the awesome talent in this family. Check out the JETT17 section of CrushOnTheJets to learn more!

 
Q: Is it true about the management of the Jets?

CrushOnTheJets:

The following statement below (author unknown), was received via email to the fansite asking about its validity. First off, I will reiterate as the webmaster of this site, I have no connection or vast knowledge of the groups business affairs. While folks have provided various "facts" to this fansite before, this is the most specific detail I have seen in the twenty year history of the group. This information is  not officially confirmed, and this website does not validate its accuracy in its entirety.

 

February 19th, 2007

" The Wolfgramm family is originally from Tonga, not from Minneapolis. The group was discovered in a Holiday Inn in Minneapolis performing Polynesian music and wearing island costumes and grass skirts. The group met Paul Moe and Don Powell, whom the latter, a used car salesman with ties to the music industry from being a gofer for Motown artists from the 60's, duped the family into signing a contract not seen since Little Richard's infamous contract from the 50's where he received a half a cent from all records sold. The family, especially the parents, who at the time spoke very little English nor understood the nature of the music business, put extraordinary trust in Powell, who proceeded to take 50% gross of all revenues, and total control of the groups finances. After the band went platinum, and touring non-stop, the family began to ask questions about the finances, and obviously conflicts arose and the family went to court only to find out that Powell owned the name, and the Jets owed him more than $100,000 and an album. The house the Wolfgramms lived in also belonged to Powell, which they had to vacate. It is estimated that Powell's Twin Town/Don Powell management company made millions off the Jets, while the Wolfgramms had to file bankruptcy, and abandon the stage name Powell owned. Don Powell has since closed his management office in Minneapolis, while the Wolfgramms moved to a house in Riverside, California, reformed the next generation into Jett17."

 

CrushOnTheJets:

What I will comment on, is the fact that Maikeli (Mike) & Vake Wolfgramm are from Tonga, as well as their eldest son and band leader LeRoy, whom immigrated to the U.S. in 1965. The rest of the family was born in the United States. The families primary residence during their career was in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

While the band did confirm publicly many years ago in a magazine interview that they were forced to file bankruptcy and start anew, it is obvious that the group was not required to "abandon" the stage name as it is still used today.

The following comment was posted on this sites guestbook in response to the comments of February 19.

February 23rd, 2007

 "Your website is appreciated. To correct the statement you have on your home page regarding the group and their management. 1) All members of the Wolfgramm Family, including the members who comprised The Jets, with the exception of the parents and LeRoy were born in Minnesota, California and Utah. Their descent is Tongan, but they were not born there. Though the group did file for bankruptcy, after a dispute over their earnings, Don Powell filed for bankruptcy for his company as well. There were disputes on both sides regarding the handling of money, yet it was not entirely Don Powell who duped them, the parents also failed in their handling of their personal finances. After filing for bankruptcy the group was allowed to keep performing under the name The Jets, as they do today at times. They continued to live in Minnesota for 5 years after they filed for bankruptcy, they were not forced to vacate any home, they moved to a much larger home to accommodate their growing family. They did move out to California in 1994, and not to Riverside as stated, but to Azusa, then Glendora, then Alta Loma, before finally settling down in Hesperia, California, were their parents currently reside. Thanks for allowing the facts to be corrected!"
Anonymous <anonymous@anonymous.com>
Utah, UT USA - Friday, February 23, 2007 at 02:00:13 (CST)

 

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We are always searching for material on the groups to share with other JETS fans! If you have photos, stories, video etc., let us know! A list of most wanted material will be up soon, however our primary focus is to obtain THE JETS in action! Live performance shots or other rare public photos! Should you have any of these things or additional information for the fansite, your contributions are greatly appreciated!