Sammy Strain

Strain was born to Sammy Strain Sr. and Margaret Mosley in Brooklyn in 1939. He visited the Apollo Theater as a teenager, and dropped out of Alexander Hamilton High School, Brooklyn age 16.

Strain formed The Chips with several friends in 1956. He sang with a tenor voice.

In 1961, Strain joined The Imperials; they were later rejoined by their lead singer, Jerome "Little Anthony" Gourdine, and returned to the group's original name, Little Anthony and the Imperials.

Strain left the group in 1972 and was replaced by their choreographer Harold Jenkins. Strain then shifted to a career in food service, having a restaurant in Los Angeles and did not sing professionally for three years. At the end of that period, he was briefly a member of The Fandangos with Lonnie Cook and Alvin Walker. He also auditioned to be the lead singer for the group Arpeggio.

In 1976, Strain joined the O'Jays as the replacement for original O'Jays member William Powell, who left the group due to illness (colon cancer). Powell died shortly thereafter. In 1992, Strain left the O'Jays and rejoined the Imperials, singing with them until he retired from performing in 2004.

Strain was twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: in 2005 with the O'Jays and in 2009 with Little Anthony and the Imperials.

Strain married the singer Yvonne Fair (now deceased). He is currently married to his second wife, DeBorah, and has two sons, Vincent and Shawn.