Shout Out to... The Sorels

Who are The Sorels? Only one of the greatest fictional groups in music history. More specifically, they’re an all-black quartet featured in Walter Hill’s 1984 cult classic Streets of Fire. In that film, Cody (Michael Pare’) rescues rock star Ellen Aim (a smokin’ Diane Lane) from her kidnappers and commandeers the Sorels’ tour bus. (They’re reluctant at first but after seeing Cody’s shotgun, they declare, “We’re very flexible. We’ll take you where you wanna go.”) At the end of the film, in appreciation, Ellen lets the Sorels open for her in concert, where they deliver this classic performance of “I Can Dream About You”.

Though the song was recorded for the soundtrack's commercial release by Dan Hartman, the Sorels were played by four young black actors who would each go on to achieve significant success on their own.

Prior to Streets of Fire, Stoney Jackson who played lead singer "Bird" (pictured above, 2nd from the right) was already a fixture on TV, having been a regular on The White Shadow and guest star on M*A*S*H and other series. He went on to parts on The Jeffersons and Trapper John M.D., then had a recurring role on 227 and did many other TV spots and film roles.

Robert Townsend (2nd from left) would become the writer, director and star of the critically acclaimed film Hollywood Shuffle, as well as The Five Heartbeats and Meteor Man, and he also directed and starred in the TV series The Parent ‘Hood.

Grand Bush (far right) was a TV veteran who had a role in Roots and guested in everything from Good Times, to The Incredible Hulk, to B.J. and the Bear. After Streets of Fire, he did Lethal Weapon and Lethal Weapon 2, Colors, had a memorable role as FBI agent Johnson in Die Hard and appeared in episodes of Renegade and JAG.

And Mykelti Williamson (far left) played "Bird" (What is it with black guys in the 80s playing characters named “Bird”?) alongside Goldie Hawn in Wildcats, was a regular on Hill Street Blues, co-starred in hits like Heat, Con Air and Waiting to Exhale -- but is probably most famous for his performance as Bubba in Forrest Gump.

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