The producer Jeff Lane formed this group in Brooklyn in 1972/3 who went through various names such as The King Davis House Rockers, Madison Street Express and Brothers Trucking. They then changed the name to Brookyln Trucking Express, which soon became the now familiar B.T. Express.
Fred Frank, who had been in the Promotion Department of Epic Records, and the artist Sid Maurer approached them and signed them to their recently set up record label, Roadshow. This would prove to be a very successful deal for them as their first single in 1974, “Do It (‘Til You’re Satisfied)” shot up the R&B chart and the Billboard Hot 100 chart to No. 1 and No. 2 respectively. The follow up “Express” was to be another chart hit for them reaching No. 1 on the R&B chart and No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. These songs, with string arrangements provided by Randy Muller who had worked with Brass Construction, would prove to be their most successful single releases but further Billboard chart hits included “Give It What You Got” and “Peace Pipe”. ” Shout It Out” and “Give Up the Funk (Let’s Dance)” only made it to the R&B charts.
They continued into the early 1980s with their final single being released in 1981 but in those 7 years they released 9 albums which included titles such as Close To You, Energy to Burn, Funky Music, Non-Stop and their first and most successful album Do It (‘Til You’re Satisfied).
In the late 1990s they got themselves back together with a new line-up, which included two of the original members, Dennis Rowe and Jamal Rasool (previously Louis Risbrook). After having released a live album in 1998 they have continued to appear at venues in Japan and through the United States right into the new millennium.
Group members over the years
- Valarie Adams (Vocals)
- Neil Edwards (Horns)
- Wesley Pike Hall Jr. (Lead Guitar/Vocals)
- Michael Jones (later known as Kashif) (Keyboards)
- Barbara Joyce Lomas (Vocals)
- Sam Manigault (Keyboards)
- Julian Meyers (Horns)
- Leslie Ming (Drums)
- Peter “Renaissance” Mitchell (Drums)
- Bill Risbrook (Vocals/Saxophone)
- Louis Risbrook (later known as Jamal Rasool)(Bass/Organ/Vocals)
- Charmel Rogers (Guitar)
- Dennis Rowe (Percussion)
- Richard (Rick) Thompson (Lead Guitar/Vocals)
- Carlos Ward (Saxophone/Flute)
- Terrell Woods (Drums)
B.T. Express recordings
Give It What You Got
(Roadshow S62191) (US promo 45)
Sources:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B.T._Express
- http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0ifoxqw5ldae~T1
- http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/BT%20Express.html
- http://www.discogs.com/artist/B.T.+Express
- http://funkymusic.tripod.com/bte/bt.html
- http://www.disco-funk.co.uk/b/BT_EXPRE.HTM
- http://www.soul-patrol.com/newsletter/2004/news3/