Suddenly, Tammy!
| Suddenly, Tammy! | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | Indie pop |
| Years active | 1991-1997 |
| Labels | SpinART, Warner Bros. |
| Members |
Beth Sorrentino Ken Heitmueller Jay Sorrentino |
Suddenly, Tammy! (sometimes uncapitalized as suddenly, tammy!) was an indie pop band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Notable for its guitarless, piano-centric lineup, the band released a self-titled album in 1993 on spinART Records and a second album, We Get There When We Do on Warner Bros. Records in 1995. A third album, Comet, was recorded in 1996, but Warners subsequently dropped the band and the album was shelved. (It was released digitally in 2010.) Shortly thereafter, the group disbanded.
Siblings Jay and Beth Sorrentino began making music as kids in their Lancaster, Pennsylvania, home. Their father was a jazz drummer and their mother a vocalist. Beth took up piano, percussion and vocals, while Jay became a drummer. A high school friend, Ken Heitmueller, joined on bass and the trio formed Suddenly, Tammy!, recording two EPs, Spokesmodel and El Presidente, in their basement studio. Both EPs were well-received, especially by College Music Journal, who featured the trio on their cover in 1992. Beth Sorrentino's voice served as centerpiece for the band's tight arrangements. SpinART released the band's full-length debut in 1993. The self-titled album earned Suddenly, Tammy! a number of tour slots paired with major acts (e.g., Warren Zevon, Melissa Etheridge, Matthew Sweet, Jeff Buckley, Ben Folds Five, The Cranberries), and eventually got them signed to Warner Bros. in 1994.
The band recorded with producer Warne Livesey (Midnight Oil; Julian Cope; Jesus Jones) and released We Get There When We Do in 1995, and an EP, Shut Up! It's Christmas. More polished and consistent than their debut, We Get There ... ranged from propulsive hard rock to ballads. The group completed a third album, Comet, in 1996. However, in what amounted to a "Christmas massacre," Warners shed a number of bands from its artist roster in the final weeks of 1996, and Suddenly, Tammy! was dropped. Comet was shelved, and shortly thereafter, the trio disbanded. Singer/songwriter Beth Sorrentino subsequently released some solo recordings under her own name, and she continues to write and record new material.
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