Ingram

From Camden, NJ, the Ingram siblings formed a self-contained musical unit whose members included Norman on bass and trumpet, James (also known as Jimi) handling vocals along with keyboards, saxophone and flute, Barbara on vocals, Billy on guitar, bass and trombone, John delivering lead vocals plus drums and tuba, Timmy covering drums, percussion and trumpet, and Francis, Edith and Virginia Ingram supplying additional vocals. Their deep gospel foundation originated with their father, a minister who hosted a radio program on Philadelphia’s WIMR.

Initially performing as the Ecstasies without Norman, who was chasing a professional basketball career and releasing solo material beforehand, the family eventually consolidated under one banner. During the early 1970s Barbara contributed background vocals at Sigma Sound Studios for projects by Thom Bell and Gamble & Huff, as well as for nearly every other producer working in the city. Between 1973 and 1975 Jimi issued five singles on All Platinum and Mainstream Records under the name Prophecy. After a career-ending injury, Norman acquired bass skills and organized his siblings into the nine-member Ingram Kingdom. Without formal training he bought recording gear and completed the 1976 album The Funk Is in Our Music.

Excello Records, primarily associated with blues rather than soul or funk, signed the group, and the LP sold 25,000 copies locally in the Camden and Philadelphia region. Between the album’s pressing and a subsequent Excello single the act adopted the name Ingram Family. In 1977 they moved to H & L Records for the follow-up LP That’s All, issued simply as Ingram; the instrumental “Mi Sabrina Tequano” found its strongest audience in the United Kingdom, while Stateside listeners favored the coupling “Get Your Stuff Off” backed with “Stylin’ Profylin’.” When H & L collapsed the label’s bankruptcy left it in possession of the Ingram surname for recording purposes, forcing an extended hiatus.

Norman turned to production, working with Philly Cream, Barbara Mason, the Stylistics, Blue Magic, David Simmons, Brandi Wells and Ronnie Dyson. The family returned in 1983 with two Mirage Records albums, Would You Like to Fly and Night Stalkers, plus the singles “Just for You,” “Smoothin’ Groovin’” (U.K. Top 75) and “DJ’s Delight.” Streetwise Records later licensed the material for the British market, where it attracted greater attention than it had received domestically.

Despite their complete independence—they composed their own songs, recorded them and established Family Productions Company to administer publishing—the Ingrams never enjoyed a run of hits. Jimi later produced the Sweethearts, John released the solo single “Can I Take You Home Tonight,” Barbara remained active in Philadelphia studios, and Norman, who launched his own Society Hill Records imprint, resumed his original passion as Assistant Basketball Coach at Camden County College. His composition “Another Man,” written and produced for Barbara Mason, was sampled by the Notorious B.I.G. as “Another.”