78-773: Littrell is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: Brian Littrell (born 1975), American singer-songwriter, member of the Backstreet Boys Gary L. Littrell (born 1944), retired United States Army Command Sergeant Major who received the Medal of Honor Jack Littrell (1929–2009), Major League Baseball shortstop in the 1950s Littrell (full name: Lindsay Littrell) (born 1980), singer/songwriter, scholar and educator See also [ edit ] Littorella Luttrell (disambiguation) Luttrellia [REDACTED] Surname list This page lists people with
156-536: A brief speech on Lee and led the audience in a moment of silence for Lee and all the victims of the attacks. The Hits – Chapter One , their first compilation album, was released on October 23, 2001. It also included a previously unreleased song, " Drowning ". The album entered the top 5 in the U.S., UK, Germany, and Canada, and the top 10 in Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. In
234-582: A cameo in the 2013 movie This Is the End as a fictional version of themselves, performing their song " Everybody (Backstreet's Back) ," which earned them an award for "Best Musical Moment" at 2014 MTV Movie Awards . In December 2013, the Backstreet Boys performed their two original Christmas songs as marquee performers in the annual " Christmas in Washington " TV special which was also attended by
312-491: A few lesser-known songs. Their documentary movie, titled Backstreet Boys: Show 'Em What You're Made Of , was released in theaters and online on January 30, 2015, in the U.S., on February 26, 2015, in the UK and Europe, and on March 28 worldwide. The movie chronicles their entire career journey up to the making of their 2013 album In A World Like This . On April 10, 2015, band members Richardson and Littrell were inducted into
390-484: A fifth member of the Backstreet Boys . A spot in the group had opened up when Burk Parsons left the group due to his desire to become a Christian minister. Littrell flew to Orlando the next day and finished high school via correspondence, graduating in 1994. In 1997, Littrell was instrumental in bringing a lawsuit against the group's creator Lou Pearlman , claiming Pearlman had concealed information regarding
468-586: A fivesome since Richardson rejoined the group. During the show, they announced they would have their third cruise in October 2013. It was the first cruise to feature all five members. The first single featuring Richardson's vocals in six years, a Christmas song titled " It's Christmas Time Again ", was premiered on AOL Music on November 5, 2012, and officially released a day later. The song reached No. 1 on Billboard ' s Holiday Digital Songs chart. The Backstreet Boys celebrated their 20th anniversary, which
546-480: A greatest hits album, The Hits – Chapter One (2001). After a two-year hiatus, they regrouped and released a comeback album, Never Gone (2005). After the conclusion of the Never Gone Tour in 2006, Richardson left the group to pursue other interests. The group then released two albums as a quartet: Unbreakable (2007) and This Is Us (2009). Richardson permanently rejoined the group in 2012. In
624-498: A high-profile charity gala in Fort Lauderdale, Florida . With a change in management in the fall, they began to tour schools across the U.S. (including Littrell's former school, Tates Creek High School ), building a fan base while trying to get a record deal. Mercury Records nearly signed them in 1993, but the deal fell through at the last minute because longtime Mercury recording artist John Mellencamp threatened to leave
702-416: A lawsuit against Lou Pearlman and Trans Continental in 1998, claiming that Pearlman had not been truthful about the earnings made by the group. From 1993 to 1997, Pearlman and his company took about $ 10 million in revenue while the band only got $ 300,000. In the following year, McLean, Richardson, and Dorough joined the lawsuit which eventually resulted in a number of settlements. On Valentine's Day 1998,
780-547: A more R&B sound. The album debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200, selling 42,000 copies in its first week of release. It peaked at No. 2 in Japan and was certified Platinum for shipments of 250,000 copies. Two singles were released from this album: " Straight Through My Heart " and " Bigger ". A few days after promoting the new album and filming the music video for "Bigger" in Japan, Littrell contracted swine flu , causing
858-500: A more regular basis." The statement, along with his appearance at the cruise event, prompted speculations that he might rejoin the group for good, but both he and the group remained quiet on the matter. I think it was the right decision. I think for us to maximize the ability that we have as five to move forward, it wouldn't be with another group, it would just be on our own. --Brian Littrell The Backstreet Boys finally announced that Richardson had rejoined them permanently during
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#1732783789345936-521: A mutual vocal coach and later discovered Nick Carter through auditions. The three, realizing that they could harmonize together, decided to form a trio. Cousins Kevin Richardson and Brian Littrell , both from Lexington, Kentucky , sang in local church choirs and festivals when they were children. Richardson moved to Orlando in 1990, where he worked at Walt Disney World and concentrated on music at night. In 1992, Lou Pearlman placed an ad in
1014-504: A production of Grease , and worked at fast food chain Long John Silver's . Littrell aspired to become a basketball player. However, he was seldom selected for high school tournaments at 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm). He also aspired to become a music minister. In April 1993, Littrell's cousin and future bandmate Kevin Richardson called him out of an American History class and informed him of an audition for
1092-483: A reality show to find a new member and musicians who had expressed interest in replacing Richardson, such as Sam Licata and former NSYNC members Lance Bass and Joey Fatone , stating that they were not planning to replace him. Two days after Richardson's departure announcement, the Backstreet Boys entered the studio to record their sixth album. The album titled Unbreakable was released on October 30, 2007. It received positive reviews and opened at number seven on
1170-436: A scheduling conflict and discussed postponing the hearing by 90 days. On October 21, 2014, the group received a settlement of $ 99,000 in cash, 34 audio tape reels, 26 CDs, seven studio mastering audio tapes, six sealed posters, three audio cassettes, and one VHS tape. The recordings include some unreleased mixes, demos, and original materials. The seven master recordings they received included " I'll Never Break Your Heart " and
1248-594: A show in Georgia on the DNA World Tour that his wife lost her mother from a heart condition in June 2022 and was a matriarch to him and the family. Littrell was born with a congenital heart condition, making him susceptible to infections. He was diagnosed with a heart murmur when he was six weeks old. At age five, he was hospitalized for two months due to a bacterial infection. Due to his hospitalization, Littrell
1326-510: A show in London on April 29, 2012. A few days later, McLean and Littrell revealed on separate occasions that Richardson had returned since 2010, before NKOTBSB Tour started. He had been in talks to join the tour but ultimately decided not to. They supported his decision and kept his return a secret until the tour was over. The group spoke positively about Richardson's return, stating that they couldn't be happier to have him back. Richardson himself
1404-514: A solo deal with Reunion Records and released the solo album Welcome Home in 2005. Littrell co-wrote six of the songs on the album, which sold over 100,000 copies in the US and reached No. 74 on the Billboard 200 charts. On the Christian album charts, Welcome Home debuted at No. 3. Four singles were released from the album – "In Christ Alone," "Wish," "Over My Head" and Welcome Home (You) ", with
1482-606: A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 22, 2013 (2 days after their 20th anniversary). They released a documentary film, titled Backstreet Boys: Show 'Em What You're Made Of in January 2015. In March 2017, the group began a concert residency in Las Vegas that lasted two years, titled Backstreet Boys: Larger Than Life . Howie Dorough and AJ McLean were natives of Orlando, Florida, who met each other through
1560-609: A summer tour and shifted their promotion to being mostly done in Europe. The group finished recording their first album Backstreet Boys in the spring of 1996. It was released internationally on May 6, 1996, excluding U.S. and Canada; however, it was later released in Canada in October 1996. Their popularity grew in Europe. " I'll Never Break Your Heart " reached a Gold status in Germany for selling 250,000 copies and they were voted
1638-751: A trip to the Bahamas in May 2000 to write songs for their fourth album. They began recording the album on July 1, 2000, in Stockholm, Sweden, and wrapped up the recording sessions in September. A song completed during the July recording sessions, " It's True ", was released on August 28, 2000, in a compilation album sold exclusively at Burger King restaurants, titled For the Fans . The album, Black & Blue ,
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#17327837893451716-409: Is different from Wikidata All set index articles Brian Littrell Brian Thomas Littrell ( / ˈ l ɪ t r ə l / ; born February 20, 1975) is an American singer and a member of the Backstreet Boys . He is also a contemporary Christian music artist and released the solo album Welcome Home in 2006. He is the father of country singer Baylee Littrell . In 2015, Littrell
1794-482: Is widely regarded as one of the greatest pop songs of all time, " Larger than Life ", " Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely ", and " The One ". Millennium became the best-selling album of 1999 in the U.S., selling 9,445,732 copies. It also holds the record for most shipments in one year, with 11 million shipments. Millennium remained on the Billboard chart for 93 weeks, eventually selling over 12 million copies in
1872-707: The Orlando Sentinel to create a vocal group with a " New Kids on the Block " look with a " Boyz II Men Sound". McLean, who was the first to audition for Pearlman in his living room, became the group's first member. Between late 1992 and March 1993, Pearlman held open casting calls and hundreds of young performers auditioned at his blimp hangar in Kissimmee, Florida . Ultimately, Carter, Dorough, and Richardson were selected after meeting Pearlman's expectations. Littrell flew from Kentucky to Orlando to formally join
1950-629: The Billboard 200, selling 81,000 copies in its first week of release. It performed well in Japan, debuting at No. 1 on the Japanese Oricon weekly album charts and staying there for another week. They released two singles from the album, " Inconsolable " and " Helpless When She Smiles ." The group went on a world tour to promote Unbreakable , starting in Tokyo, Japan, on February 16, 2008. The tour included shows in Australia, Japan, Mexico,
2028-413: The surname Littrell . If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name (s) to the link. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Littrell&oldid=1099575150 " Category : Surnames Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description
2106-758: The Backstreet Boys performed the American national anthem at the Super Bowl XXXV in Tampa, Florida . A week earlier, the group began the " Black & Blue Tour ", which featured shows in five continents. The tour was put on hold in July when it was reported that McLean had entered rehab to battle alcoholism and depression after Richardson held an intervention for him at a Boston hotel. The tour resumed in August and concluded in November. Shortly after returning to
2184-560: The Black and Blue Tour, the group faced a severe loss with the occurrence of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks . On the night of September 10, the band had completed a sold-out show in Boston, Massachusetts . The following morning, Littrell's wife Leighanne had planned on catching a flight back to Los Angeles aboard American Airlines Flight 11 , along with set carpenter Daniel Lee, who
2262-849: The Brian Littrell Healthy Heart Club, a non-profit organization assisting children with heart conditions. In October 2009, Littrell became infected with swine flu , causing the cancellation of the Backstreet Boys This Is Us promotional tour. In the 2015 documentary film, Littrell revealed his 2011 diagnosis of vocal tension dysphonia and dystonia . He has worked with a therapist to help improve his condition. A devout Christian , Littrell has stated he believes Christians have to be open about their faith , saying, "I think as Christians we need to join hands and mount up together and lift God up and talk about our faith publicly and talk about all of
2340-677: The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame. In August 2015, band members Carter, Dorough, and McLean filmed a movie that Carter wrote entitled Dead 7 . The film centers around a ragtag band of gunslingers operating during a post-apocalyptic zombie plague. The movie premiered on April 1, 2016, on Syfy channel. A free copy of the theme song "In the End" was released on March 28, performed by band members Nick Carter , AJ McLean and Howie Dorough ; Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick from NSYNC ; Jeff Timmons from 98 Degrees ; and Erik-Michael Estrada from O-Town . The official physical DVD
2418-591: The Littrells , released on December 6, 2011. Littrell made appearances with the Backstreet Boys on Arthur , Sesame Street , and Sabrina the Teenage Witch , and he and bandmate McLean had cameos in Olive Juice , a film starring Littrell's wife Leighanne. Littrell also performed with The Backstreet Boys on Saturday Night Live , in 1998 and 1999. In 2013, Littrell appeared with his bandmates in
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2496-459: The Middle East. The tour was the 44th highest-grossing worldwide tour in 2014 with a total gross of $ 32.8 million and ticket sales of 607,407, not including its 2013 and 2015 dates. " In a World Like This ," the lead single from their eighth studio album, also titled In a World Like This , was released digitally on June 25, 2013, and to the radio on July 22, 2013. The album was released in
2574-461: The No. 1 international group there in 1996. They also earned their first platinum record in Germany in 1996 for selling 500,000 copies of their debut album. Shortly after that, they began touring Asia and Canada. They also became one of the most successful debut artists in the world, collecting awards such as Durchstarter (Best Newcomers) in Germany's Viva Comet Awards in 1996. " Anywhere for You "
2652-546: The President of the United States Barack Obama and his family. The Backstreet Boys members were due in court on March 24, 2014, over a claim they filed against their former manager Lou Pearlman . The group alleged that Pearlman still owed them $ 3,451,456.04, and they asked for $ 87,728.58 in legal fees for having to fight him in court for years. But earlier that month the group stated that they have
2730-460: The U.S. album chart and eventually sold 14 million copies. Meanwhile, the second international release, Backstreet's Back , peaked at No. 1 in Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Austria, selling well over five million copies in Europe alone. The most successful singles from Backstreet's Back and the U.S. debut album were " Everybody (Backstreet's Back) " and " As Long As You Love Me ". The two self-titled albums,
2808-404: The U.S. chart with first-week sales of 291,000 copies. However, the drastic style change drew negative criticism from Rolling Stone . Never Gone was certified platinum in the U.S. and four singles were released from the album. The second single, " Just Want You to Know ," hit the top 10 in the UK. The third singles were " Crawling Back to You " for the U.S. and " I Still... " for the rest of
2886-478: The U.S., The Hits: Chapter One was certified platinum for selling over one million copies. It was also certified platinum by IFPI for selling over one million copies in Europe. "Drowning" reached top 10 in many countries and as of 2002, the album had sold almost six million worldwide. In 2002, the group expressed a strong desire to leave their management company, The Firm. However, Carter chose to remain with The Firm to manage his solo career. Shortly afterward,
2964-651: The UK, Europe, Asia, Canada, and the United States. The show in London's The O2 Arena was filmed and is available to watch online on MSN's website. Richardson rejoined the rest of the group on stage at the Palladium in Hollywood, Los Angeles on November 23, 2008, for the last North American stop of the tour. On October 6, 2009, the group released their next album, This Is Us . On this album, their sound went back to their original dance-pop beats and contains
3042-424: The US on July 30, 2013, and in other countries sometime later. It is the group's first independent album, released under their own label, K-BAHN. It reached the top 5 in the US, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Taiwan, and Japan, and had sold 800,000 copies as of January 2015 . They released a second single from the album, " Show 'Em (What You're Made Of) " in November 2013. The group made
3120-573: The United States and being certified 13 times platinum. As of January 2013 , the album stands as the fourth best selling album in the U.S. of the SoundScan era. On June 2, 1999, the Backstreet Boys embarked on the Into the Millennium Tour , which comprised 115 sold-out shows in 84 cities, with some additional dates put due to high demand. The second leg, which was sponsored by Sears ,
3198-585: The Year ("In Christ Alone") in 2006 along with songwriters Don Koch and Shawn Craig , and another in 2008 for "By His Wounds" with Glory Revealed. He also won Special Event Album of the Year in 2008 for Glory Revealed, which was a compilation album with many other Christian artists, and in 2010, Special Event Album of the Year for Glory Revealed II . Littrell released two Christmas collections featuring his wife Leighanne and son Baylee, Brian Littrell's Family Christmas , released on December 6, 2010, and Christmas with
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3276-541: The beginning of that month while in the middle of a lawsuit. The worldwide hit single " I Want It That Way " which topped the single-charts in over 25 countries made anticipation for Millennium high. Millennium was released on May 18, 1999, on which day the Backstreet Boys made a heavily publicized appearance on MTV's Total Request Live . The album entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1 and sold 1,134,000 copies in its first week of release. Four singles were released from Millennium : " I Want It That Way ", which
3354-424: The best international sales in a week for an album in history by selling over 5 million copies in its first week. In the United States, it sold 1.6 million discs in the first week making them the first artist since The Beatles to achieve back-to-back million plus first week sales. Three singles were released from Black & Blue : " Shape of My Heart ", " The Call ", and " More than That ". On January 28, 2001,
3432-496: The film This Is the End . During the band's hiatus, Littrell became committed to a number of other show business activities, most of them for charity. He has joined other celebrities in yearly NBA tours where he played basketball in every NBA city before a game, and has also played charity baseball, softball and golf games. In June 1997, following the breakup of his relationship with girlfriend Samantha Stonebraker, Littrell met an actress and model, Leighanne Reena Wallace, on
3510-425: The first time in public. The rest of the group surprised him by appearing in person to give him support, marking the first time the Backstreet Boys had appeared together in public in almost two years. The group began to reform and reconcile their differences, planning to start recording a comeback album at the beginning of the following year. The Backstreet Boys entered the studios in January 2004 to start recording
3588-606: The following year, they celebrated their 20th anniversary and released their first independent album, In a World Like This . Their follow-up album DNA (2019) debuted at number one, more than two decades after the group formed and 19 years after they last topped in 2000. They also became the first boy band to top the U.S. album charts in three different decades. In 2022, they released their first Christmas album, A Very Backstreet Christmas . They celebrated their 30th anniversary on April 20, 2023. The Backstreet Boys have sold over 130 million records worldwide, making them one of
3666-424: The following year, they released their second international album Backstreet's Back (1997), along with their self-titled U.S. debut album, Backstreet Boys (1997), which continued the group's success worldwide. They rose to superstardom with their third studio album Millennium (1999), anchored by the worldwide hit " I Want It That Way ", and its follow-up album, Black & Blue (2000). They also released
3744-698: The group debuted in Latin America at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. Later that year, on October 7, 1998, the group received the keys to the city from the mayor of Orlando in honor of the tornado relief concert the group headlined in March that raised over $ 250,000. The day was also declared Backstreet Boys Day in Orlando. They also began recording their third studio album, Millennium , at
3822-526: The group embarked on the This Is Us Tour , which lasted over a year and consisted of 123 shows. The Backstreet Boys, including Richardson, filmed a segment for The Oprah Winfrey Show on October 22, 2010. Richardson also performed with the group in the show's studio later that day, making it the second time he had performed with the group since his departure. In May 2011, the group announced that they had left their longtime label JIVE Records. In
3900-500: The group on April 20, 1993, a day after receiving a phone call from Richardson about it. Thus, April 20 became their anniversary date. Pearlman decided to call them Backstreet Boys, after Orlando's Backstreet Market, an outdoor flea market near International Drive which was also a teen hangout. The Backstreet Boys performed their first show at SeaWorld Orlando on May 8, 1993. The group then continued to perform in various venues during summer 1993, from shopping malls, restaurants, to
3978-544: The group to cancel a signing at Hard Rock Café in New York for the NYC Pinktober event on October 5, 2009. The rest of the group were prescribed Tamiflu by a doctor, even though they weren't showing any symptom of the flu. The group subsequently canceled a scheduled CBS Early Show performance the next day on October 6, 2009, which was also the release day of their new album, This Is Us . In late October 2009,
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#17327837893454056-485: The group's earnings. Bandmates AJ McLean , Richardson, and Howie Dorough joined the lawsuit, which eventually resulted in a number of settlements, details of which were not disclosed. In 2000, he was among Teen People 's 25 Hottest People Under 25, tying with Justin Timberlake of rival band *NSYNC . Littrell longed to record Christian music , a genre he described as "pop positive." In 2004, Littrell signed
4134-584: The international debut and the U.S. debut, sold more than 28 million copies worldwide. In November 1997, doctors discovered that a congenital hole in Littrell's heart had enlarged to dangerous proportions. Littrell postponed open-heart surgery to meet touring obligations. He underwent heart surgery on May 8, 1998, in the middle of the Backstreet's Back Tour . The group postponed the tour until July 1998 to give Littrell time to recover. Littrell brought in
4212-677: The label if they got into the boy band business. However, in February 1994, Jeff Fenster (then senior VP A&R Zomba/JIVE Records ) and David Renzer (then senior VP/ GM of Zomba Music Publishing ) saw the group performing at a high school in Cleveland and signed them to their first record deal. At the end of December 1994, the group flew to Sweden to record some songs with Max Martin and Denniz PoP , including " We've Got It Goin' On ," which ended up being their first single and completed their work in January 1995. "We've Got It Goin' On"
4290-545: The latter reaching No. 2 on the US Christian AC Charts. For three weeks, it was also No. 1 on Reach FM's Top 40 chart and on the US R&;R Christian Inspirational charts. In the summer of 2005, his solo single, "In Christ Alone", went to No. 1 on the Christian charts. Despite this change in his career, he remains a member of the Backstreet Boys. Littrell won a Dove Award for Inspirational Recorded Song of
4368-432: The new album. They also started performing together to promote their return to the music scene. They started a small Asian tour in September, visiting Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Manila , performing some new material. Based on the success of this tour, they announced a Mexican tour, visiting Mexico City and Monterrey . The album's first single, " Incomplete ," was released to radio stations on March 28, 2005. Following
4446-504: The release of the single, they embarked on their Up Close & Personal Tour in March, which served as a pre-album release tour. "Incomplete" peaked at number 13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and charted within the top 10 in 13 countries. In addition, it debuted at number one in Australia, becoming their first number-one hit in the country. After recording for over a year, the Backstreet Boys finally released their comeback album Never Gone on June 14, 2005. The album debuted at No. 3 on
4524-510: The rest of the group began recording their next album without him. The relationship with JIVE Records worsened when the Backstreet Boys filed a $ 75–100 million lawsuit against Zomba Music Group (JIVE's parent company), claiming breach of contract. They claimed that the label promoted Carter's solo album Now or Never at the expense of the group. In November 2003, McLean appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show to talk about his addiction to alcohol and drugs and his struggles in rising to fame for
4602-543: The same month, they embarked on a joint tour with New Kids on the Block as NKOTBSB . Prior to the tour, they released a compilation album of their biggest hits, also titled NKOTBSB , which also includes a mash-up and two new songs. At the conclusion of 2011, the tour placed 17th on Billboard ' s annual "Top 25 Tours", earning over $ 40 million with 51 shows. The tour lasted until June 2012, comprising 80 shows in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. During
4680-480: The set of " As Long as You Love Me " video shoot where she was an extra. Littrell stated in J-14 magazine about this relationship that he had been out of the dating game for a while and meeting Leighanne opened a whole new chapter for him. "I had just gotten out of a relationship with a high school sweetheart that didn't work out. I didn't really have my eyes or mind set on anybody. It was something that just happened. If I
4758-530: The show in Staples Center, LA, in July 2011, Richardson once again joined the group on stage. As he had announced before on On Air with Ryan Seacrest in October 2011, Richardson hosted a beach party, part of the group's second annual cruise, in the Bahamas on December 3, 2011, where he performed with them. On Seacrest's radio show, he also stated that he would love to "perform with the group again on
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#17327837893454836-518: The song "If You Stay" for the Booty Call soundtrack in the same year, which was released in February 1997. Backstreet's Back was released internationally (except in the U.S.) on August 11, 1997. Their self-titled U.S. debut album, Backstreet Boys (1997), which consisted of songs from their 1996 international debut album and Backstreet's Back , was released in the U.S. a day later on August 12, 1997. The U.S. self-titled debut peaked at No. 4 on
4914-864: The things God has done for us in our life to touch other people." Littrell, who has been born again since the age of 8, has said that he attributes his success in life to God and that his faith has always been "the utmost important thing" in his life. In 2019, a DNA heritage test revealed Littrell's ancestry to be 90.1% British Isles (20.7% English and 70.1% Irish/Scottish/Welsh), plus 7.1% Finnish and 2.1% Scandinavian. Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys (often abbreviated as BSB ) are an American vocal group and boy band consisting of Nick Carter , Howie Dorough , AJ McLean , and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson . The band formed in 1993 in Orlando, Florida . The group rose to fame with their international debut album, Backstreet Boys (1996). In
4992-556: The world's best-selling music artists . They are the first group since Led Zeppelin to have their first ten albums reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200 , and the only boy band to do so. The albums Backstreet Boys and Millennium were both certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), making them one of the few bands to have multiple diamond albums. The group received
5070-588: The world. Never Gone has sold approximately 3 million copies worldwide. The Backstreet Boys began the first leg of their Never Gone Tour on July 22, 2005, in West Palm Beach, Florida . After that, the first leg ran until November 2005 in Europe, and in January 2006, the second leg started in Tokyo, Japan . Finally, the tour concluded on February 2, 2006, in Melbourne, Australia . On June 23, 2006, it
5148-420: Was announced that Richardson had left the Backstreet Boys to pursue other interests. Both Richardson and the rest of the group issued a statement on their official site, stating that he departed amicably and the door was always open for him to return. Following Richardson's departure, the group was suggested to change their name to Backstreet, but they decided against it. They also turned down an offer to star in
5226-428: Was held back in school and had to repeat the first grade. In November 1997, doctors found that Littrell's heart condition had caused his heart to enlarge considerably. Littrell postponed open-heart surgery to meet touring obligations. He underwent open heart surgery on May 8, 1998. Littrell's surgery was referred to in his scenes in the band's music video for " Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely ." He later established
5304-540: Was inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame along with his cousin and bandmate Kevin Richardson . Littrell was born in Lexington, Kentucky , to Jacqueline "Jackie" R. ( née Fox), a dentist's secretary, and Harold Baker Littrell Jr, an IBM employee. He has an older brother, Harold III, who is an actor and singer. Littrell is the cousin of fellow Backstreet Boys member Kevin Richardson ; his father, Harold, and Richardson's mother, Ann, are siblings. Littrell
5382-516: Was looking, I wouldn't have been able to find her." Littrell and Wallace dated for two years, and he proposed to her on Christmas 1999. Their engagement, along with the engagement of cousin and bandmate Kevin Richardson to Kristin Willits, was announced on MTV on February 15, 2000. The couple married on September 2, 2000, at Peachtree Christian Church in Atlanta. On September 11, 2001, Leighanne
5460-524: Was on April 20, 2013, with a fan celebration event in Hollywood that day. They received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame two days later, and had the day, April 22, 2013, declared as Backstreet Boys Day in Hollywood. In May 2013, the group embarked on their 20th-anniversary tour, officially titled as In a World Like This Tour . The tour lasted over two years, comprising over 170 shows in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and
5538-606: Was released as the last single from their international debut album on February 17, 1997. " Quit Playing Games (with My Heart) ", originally released in Europe as their fourth single in October 1996, was released in the U.S. in May 1997 for their self-titled U.S. debut album , Backstreet Boys (1997). It peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 , eventually earning them a platinum award for selling over one million copies. The group began working on their second album, Backstreet's Back , in October 1996. They also recorded
5616-452: Was released on November 21, 2000. To promote its release, they traveled around the world in 100 hours, visiting Stockholm , Tokyo , Sydney , Cape Town , Rio de Janeiro , and New York City . Fifty-five hours were spent traveling, and 45 were spent making public appearances. A DVD of the short tour, as well as a board game, was released in 2001, titled Around the World . The album recorded
5694-599: Was returning home to Los Angeles to see his wife, who was due to give birth to their second child. That night, however, Leighanne canceled her flight after deciding to spend more time with her husband. Tragically, Lee was among 92 people killed when the hijacked plane crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The next day, during a concert on the next leg of their tour in Toronto, Littrell gave
5772-666: Was scheduled to board American Airlines Flight 11 , which later was hijacked and flown into the World Trade Center as part of the 9/11 attacks. Leighanne Littrell had canceled her flight the previous night. On November 26, 2002, they had their son Baylee Thomas Wylee Littrell , who is now pursuing a similar path as his father's in the entertainment industry. As of 2024, the family lives in Alpharetta, Georgia, near Atlanta, having been there since 2000, soon after Littrell and his wife got engaged. Littrell stated during
5850-466: Was sent to radio in August 1995 and released as a physical single on September 5, 1995. In North America, Mix 96 in Montreal broke the group after the programmers heard it on the radio in Europe. The song was a minor success in the U.S., peaking at only No. 69 by December 1995, but it entered the top 5 in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, and the Netherlands. European success sent them there on
5928-690: Was skilled at sports and played in both Little League and the Babe Ruth League . Growing up in a religious Baptist family, he sang his first solo in Porter Memorial Baptist Church at age 7, and was voted President of the Youth Chorus by his peers one year. At 14, he began performing at weddings after Barry Turner, his choir teacher at Tates Creek High School , suggested he could make money singing at social events. Littrell also performed in school plays including
6006-432: Was sold out on August 14 on its sale date and broke sales records. The concert at Georgia Dome , Atlanta, was the 5th most attended concert in American history and the most attended concert by a pop artist. By October 1999, the Backstreet Boys faced new problems declaring their current JIVE contract null and void, soon striking one of the largest record deals ever valued at $ 60 million with JIVE. The group members made
6084-529: Was thrilled to be back with his old bandmates, saying that they have a chemistry and a bond. The Backstreet Boys moved into a house together all by themselves in July 2012 as they started working on their new album with producer Martin Terefe in London. On August 31, 2012, they closed out Good Morning America ' s Summer Concert Series in Central Park , in New York. It was their first performance as
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