BQE

Vocal group B.Q.E. (short for Brooklyn Queens Expressway) formed in Glen Oaks, Queens, New York, USA, during 1985, and attempted to trace the a cappella and doo-wop sounds of their 60s antecedents. Angelo Termini (tenor), Jason Lemaro (tenor), Luther Rucker (baritone) and Jerry Pilgrim (tenor) all shared lead status, with Les Levine on bass. The band was signed to Starlight Records by Bob Kretchmar after he heard their live version of the Tokens’ ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ on a local radio station. Their debut release paired the Coasters’ ‘Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart’ with the Mello-Kings’ ‘Tonight Tonight’. ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ was revived to head their second release, backed with Ben E. King’s ‘Stand By Me’. Their interpretations of the hits of yesteryear continued with their third single, pairing ‘Tonight (Could Be The Night)’ with ‘I Love You’, cover versions of the Velvets and Volumes, respectively.