Pop singer pops question on stage

Concert-goers at the Village Green on Aug. 21 got to see more than just a show. They got to see two people make one of life’s biggest commitments, as the lead singer of the evening’s featured band proposed to his girlfriend on stage.

As part of the village’s summer concert series on Wednesday nights, Long Island band Slingshot performed at the John Smith Bandshell. Lead singer Jason Burke, of Bellport, made the night extra special for the 150 people in attendance.

After the band performed 17 songs in the first set, Burke spoke to the crowd for a few minutes, then called his girlfriend up to the stage. He sang Billy Joel’s “She’s Got a Way” to Dottie Spiegel, of Lynbrook, before getting down on one knee and popping the question. Without any hesitation, she gave an enthusiastic “yes.”

“She was in shock at first,” Burke said, adding that he was confident she would accept the proposal.

Spiegel said she was nearly at a loss for words to describe the moment. “It was pretty amazing,” she said. “It was incredible.”

Almost half the crowd was made up of family members and friends of the couple. Burke said he was actually more nervous making the proposal in front of them than the strangers in the audience. Still, he said he was happy they were able to share in the special moment.

Slingshot has been together for about 10 years, and this was its first time performing in Valley Stream. After starting out as a classic rock band, it now performs Top 40 dance music, including songs by Bruno Mars, LMFAO and the Black Eyed Peas. Initially, Burke said he wasn’t sure if the band would be a hit with the older crowd in attendance, but said they seemed to enjoy the show and many even got up and danced.

“As a band, we’re unique,” said Burke, who has been the lead singer for the past two and a half years. “There’s not many bands that do what we do.”

The couple plans to get married next June. It will be the second time around for both of them. Burke has three children, and Spiegel has two from their first marriages.

They met through a mutual friend on Facebook and have been dating since December. Burke works as a design and sales consultant for Wales Darby, which manufactures commercial and residential heating and air conditioning systems, and also owns a DJ company. Spiegel, who graduated from Lynbrook High School, is the general manager of New York Sports Clubs in Woodmere and East Meadow.

Burke said she was not expecting the proposal last week, but knew something was up when she saw family members there from out of state. “I was really, really happy that everybody was there to witness it,” she said. “It was probably one of the best moments of my life.”