AJ McLean
Official website.
Alexander James McLean, our sexy and cute AJ, was born on Jan.9th, 1978, in Florida (West Palm Beach). He is the only son of Denise Fernandez (aka Denise Solis) and Bob McLean. AJ grew up without the presence of his father, who abandoned the family when AJ was just a lil kid (2 years), so he was raised by his mother and her parents (Ursula and Adolph).
When he was 8 AJ got his first role and played Little Mike on "Truth or Dare" (1986). Feeling like it was time to get his carreer more serioulsy, AJ and his family moved to Orlando in 1990. After numerous auditions for various Nickelodeon and Disney projects, including the Nickelodeon show GUTS, he landed a role in Nickelodeon's Welcome Freshmen, and in a comedy series called Hi Honey, I'm Home! on which he played a character named "Skunk".
While doing all those audictions and so he got the chance to meet Howie and Nick, who were also doing that and acting in some local plays and commercials. In a very short time those three guys realized they had a lot of things in common e how good they were when singing together, so they decided to become a band, that later would become the Backstreet Boys, after being discovered by Lou Pearlman during an audiction to form a boy band.
Drive by a not so nice childhood and all the kinds of crazyness the pop world can bring, AJ found some relief in drugs and alcohool addiction, which leaded him to his first rehab program during the year of 2001, after an intervention by Kevin Richardson. He went back to his second rehab program during the year of 2002 and, again, for the third time, in January of 2011. This last time was the most concious time; he decided to check into rehab 'cause he wants to be healthy and at his best so he can do what he loves to do: sing.
At the same time, trying to hide himself, AJ created a character, which he named "Johnny NoName", to use as his alter ego. He uses it as his name when not performing with other members of the Backstreet Boys. The character has similarities to McLean; for instance, both had single mothers, and lived with their grandparents from a young age. There are also differences - Johnny has been to prison whereas McLean has not. McLean has occasionally performed in rock/metal clubs around New York under his alter ego, Johnny No Name. Originally McLean's alter ego was named Johnny Suede. It shared its name with a character played by Brad Pitt and when the studio threatened to sue McLean, he changed the name to Johnny No Name.
He established a foundation called the JNN Foundation to raise funds for diabetes research and other causes like keeping music programs in schools. McLean also did a nine-city tour to support VH1 Save the Music as Johnny No Name.
Dreaming with a solo carreer, AJ did two solo concerts in 2008, but it was only in 2010 that he released his first solo album called "Have it All".
Talking about his personal life, the singer got married with Rochelle Deanna Karids last December 17th, 2011. Ceremony took place in Los Angeles and had a gothic team. Their minister was Tyler Shields, photographer and friend of AJ & Rochelle. On November 27th at 4:51am PST Rochelle gave birth to Ava Jaymes McLean, couple's first baby.
Brian Littrell
Brian Thomas Littrell, our funny B-Rok, was born on Feb.20th, 1975 in Lexington, Kentucky. The youngest son of Harold Baker Littrell II and Jackieand brother of Harold Backer Littrell III, he grew up in his hometown and used to sing at the choir of his Lexington Baptist church.
Being an artist was never his ideal of life, since Brian wanted to attend a music school and then become a music minister, but everything changed when his cousin, Kevin Richardson, invited him to be part of a band. Brian took the chance and became the last boy to be part of what we know as Backstreet Boys.
Brian Littrell was born with a heart defect that brought him several times into hospital with life-threatening conditions - for two months alone when he was 5 years of age because of a bacterial infection. An open heart surgery in 1998 closed the hole he had in his heart.
While recording the video for "As Long As You Love Me" (1997) Brian met his wife, Leighanne Reena, who was part of the cast. He proposed to her during the year of 1999 and their wedding became real on Sep.2nd, 2000. Together they have a son called Baylee Thomas Wylee Littrell.
While the Backstreet Boys were taking a lil time off, Brian decided to work on his solo carreer and released during 2006 his first solo album called "Welcme Home".
Just like his father, Baylee was also borned with a heart problem and was diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease, since them his parents created and run a foundation called HHCC who dedicates time and money to support all the researches on that.
Official website.
Howie Dwaine Dorough, our latin lover Howie D, was born in Aug.22nd, 1973, in Orlando (Florida). He is the youngest children of Paula Flores (from Puerto Rican) and Hoke Dorough (from Ireland) and has four siblings (John, Pllyana, Carolina - who passed away in 1998 - and Angie).
The oldest member of the Backstreet Boys, Howie began his artistic carreer a long time ago, when he was very young, doing small apearences in some local plays and commercials. During one of this audictions he met AJ McLean and Nick Carter, together they decided to create a group that, later, become the Backstreet Boys.
Shocked by the death of his sister Carolina in 1998, Howie decided to establish a foundation called Dorough Lupus Foundation. The foundation helps raise awareness about the disease, financial support for those who cannot afford treatment, and money for research.
While his friend all worked on some solo stuff during the band time off, Howie became a great musical producer and manager. (Nowadays Howie's working with the girls from N.M.D - No More Drama - and the boys of Neverest).
Married with Leigh Boniello (they got married in Dec.8th, 2007), the couple have a son called James Hoke Dorough that was borned in May 6th, 2009. James carry Howie's father name as a tribute, since he died in Jun. of 2008. Howie's second baby boy, Holden John Dorough, born last February 16th, 2013.
By the end of 2011 Howie released his first solo album called "Back to Me". He did some concerts and even toured to South America to open some Britney Spears' shows in a way to promote his solo album.
Howie and his wife Leigh welcomed their second baby boy, Holden John Dorough, on February 16th, 2013.
Nick Carter
Nickolas Gene Carter, our baby Nick, was born on Jan.28th, 1980 in Jamestown (New York). He's the oldest child of Jane Elizabeth and Robert Gene Carter and has four siblings (Bobbie, Leslie*, Aaron and Angel), add on that two half-siblings (Ginger and Kaden) and a stepsister (Taelyn).
His life as an artist began when Nick was at about 10, doing some audictions and local comercials. In 1990 Nick played a very small whole at Edward Scissorhands.
During these audictions he met and became friend of two guys named AJ and Howie. Together they decided to create a band that later became the Backstreet Boys.
Nick was the first member of the boy band to release a solo project back in 2002. It was called "Now or Never". At the same time, and while the band was having some time off, he was the star of a reality show called "House of Carters" and broadcasted by E! The show was about Nick and his siblings living together at the same house trying to revive their careers as well as reconnect as a family.. The show had only 8 episodes.
Looking for new things to do, Nick starred as local bully Brody in the ABC Family Halloween special, The Hollow. After that Nick did some other things on TV (8 Simple Rules and American Dreams) and ended up being part of the independent movie Fast Glass, which was released in DVD in 2010. At the same year Nick released his first solo cinematographic project called "The Pendant". Nick was the main actor, the director and the producer of the movie.
Carter, just like McLean, has acknowledged ongoing struggles with drug addiction and alcoholism. He says that he got sober after being diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and realized that he could die if he did not make major lifestyle changes. The singer credits a healthy lifestyle with helping turn his life around. To talk more about his personal life, family issues and his battles with drugs and alcohol, the singer released a book called "Facing the Music and Living to Talk About It" at the end of 2013.
Dating Lauren Kitt since 2008, Nick proposed to her on February of 2013 during a trip on his boat to Florida Keys. The new was given by an exclusive interview to People Magazine on February 22nd, 2013. Couple got married on April 12th, 2014. On September 10th, 2014 they premiered a reality show called "I ♥ Nick Carter" (VH1) to show a little more about their life as a couple and the path that led them to say I do.
Nick also released a new album, a collaboration with Jordan Knight. It's called "Nick and Knight" and hit the stores on September 2nd, 2014. At the same time, Nick is working on an independent movie called "Evil Blessings".
*Leslie Barbara Carter passed away last January 31st, 2012 in New York.
In his early age Kevin used to live in a farm and only moved downtown Lexington when he was 9. Back in his school time, he was a chess club member and acted in some school plays, besides that he was the football captain and has been a model for Versace and Vogue. At the age of 49, Kevin's dad passed away in 1991 and so he decided to move to Florida where he worked for Walt Disney World as a backstage tour guide and costume character as Aladdin. Few people know but he used to be one of the Ninja Turtles as well. Still in 90's Kevin met Kristin Willits, who used to play Belle (from "Beauty and the Beast").
In 1993 he joined the Backstreet Boys and along with him brought his cousin Brian Littrell, because the group was still looking for one more member. From 1993 to 2006 Kevin was part of the group, lefting the band on June 23rd, 2006. According to him, in an official note, it was hard for him to decide to leave the group, but that this was necessary in order to move on with his life. From that moment on he dedicated his time to his family and acting career, doing some independent movies, such as Love Takes Wings, The Casserole Club, The Bloody Indulgent and Unwound. His most important work as an actor was playing Billy Flynn in the Broadway production of Chicago.
Married to Kristin Kay Willits since June 17th, 2000, he is the proud father of Mason Frey Richardson, born on July 3rd, 2007.
Recently, after 6 years away, Kevin along with the Backstreet Boys announce his come back to the band and the original formation of the Backstreet Boys are working on their next album.
But that's not all. Last July 10th, 2013 Kevin and his wife Kristin welcomed their second baby boy, Maxwell Haze Richardson.
