Backstreet Boys at 30: Friends, Family & Former Flames Reveal Untold Stories About the World’s Biggest Boy Band
“I hope I can do the same one day,” Joey Fatone thought, while watching the Backstreet Boys play one of their first major gigs during the early 90s. The Florida-formed boy band were finding their feet in the music industry, while Fatone was yet to discover his own boy band path with *NSYNC.
“I remember seeing them perform at SeaWorld Orlando, way back before Brian joined the group, and I thought, ‘Wow, they’re going to fulfill their dream. I hope I can do the same,’” recalls Fatone, who would develop lifelong friendships with the band and has just kicked off a tour with BSB’s AJ McLean, despite the groups being touted as rivals throughout the years. McLean was also in the audience at *NSYNC’s recent L.A. reunion show. “I love that we have this friendship now and wish we had it when we first met because we could’ve done a lot more together. They’re great guys and great entertainers.”
Being great entertainers not only helped McLean, Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough and Nick Carter reach dizzying heights of success by the late 90s — the quintet cruised over the hump many acts face following peak pandemonium and have since enjoyed a quarter century of ongoing success, from Grammy nominations, sellout tours and chart-topping hits, to a record-breaking Las Vegas residency and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Now, as they prepare to wrap up their 30th anniversary celebrations with April’s ‘Backstreet’s Back at the Beach’ fan vacation at Moon Palace Resort in Cancun, Mexico, we chatted to 30 friends, family members, musicians, colleagues and even former flames to uncover fun, revealing and untold stories from the group’s 30-year run.
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Angel Conrad, Carter’s sister
“My brother joined BSB when I was four and I remember going to the studio one time and Kevin took me to lunch. I was around eight and remember driving in his car, listening to music. The bass was so loud and I thought it was the coolest thing ever! We went to lunch with his mom and it was such a memorable day. He took care of me like a brother would.”
“As a little girl, my first concert was BSB and a few years ago, my husband Corey and I took our daughter to her first concert at six-months-old and it was also BSB! It’s full-circle for us to share that and makes me realize how long BSB has been a part of the family.”
Rob Thomas, Matchbox Twenty frontman and solo artist
“It was my first and only time at the Kentucky Derby and it was such a mix of people. I was with the Backstreet Boys and everybody seemed to get the same memo because we all dressed like we’re at a polo match — except Kid Rock, who was wearing Kid Rock attire. There were country stars, reality stars and me and the guys in BSB and we were surprised we didn’t know each other since we’re all from Orlando. They were so big that when you mentioned Orlando, the first thing people would say was ‘Backstreet Boys,’ but we had been running in different circles.”
“When we finally met, there was a sense of already knowing each other. And it seemed fitting because they were one down and I didn’t fit in with Kid Rock, John Mellencamp or Travis Tritt, but I seemed like a good fit with those guys! They’re just nice, normal guys. And now, I get Christmas card from Howie and his beautiful family every year!”
Debbie Gibson, musician
“I met the guys when we shared a trailer in NYC for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1997 and we instantly hit it off. They were just breaking with their first single and I was starring in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway. Over the years, I became great friends with Howie, attending his wedding and writing a great song called ‘The Last Word’ on his tour bus. The guys are proof that talent and hard work can sustain a career. There’s no smoke and mirrors … just willingness to work hard and re-invent to stay current in pop music.”
“Fun fact: Howie and I had a brief dating foiré! So, I’ll always have a soft spot for him and he’s forever my favorite Backstreet Boy.”
Johnny Wright, AJ McLean’s manager and former Backstreet Boys manager, Wright Entertainment Group
“The first time I met the Backstreet Boys was at an Italian restaurant in Orlando. The room had a table set for 12 people, but there was only one person at the table — Lou Pearlman. It looked like a scene from The Godfather. He told me to sit down, we chatted, then I started hearing voices singing a familiar song. I turned and five young guys walked in singing Shai’s ‘If I Ever Fall In Love.’ I was so impressed. We had a great dinner and the next day I was part of their management.”
Jeff Timmons, 98 Degrees musician
“Right before we got signed, we met our future manager after sneaking backstage at a Boyz II Men concert. He said he’d give us a shot at singing the National Anthem at the Puyallup Fair in Washington, where his client Montell Jordan was performing. We made the 17-hour drive from Los Angeles, got there and sang, but noticed another group with 30 screaming girls following them everywhere. They got on stage and did their thing and I remember going, ‘Man, I hope we have those kinds of fans one day!’ We had a chance to meet those boys — the Backstreet Boys — before they did their rendition of the ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’ They killed it!”
Jamie Hartman, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ co-writer/ producer
“I was a massive fan and ‘As Long As You Love Me’ was one of my favorite songs, so getting to work with them was great fun. Stu [Crichton], Wrabel and I wrote the song and Stu instantly said, ‘It’s right for the Backstreet Boys.’ They came into Westlake Studios and everyone was super-cool. There was no bitching, airs and graces. It was good old-fashioned hard work from humble guys who threw their parts down brilliantly.
“They all brought their individual flavor, which reinforced why they work so well together. The blend was so great. We wrote that track with big group harmony parts in mind and took the time to choose who did which parts. Kevin created the vocoder on the bridge. We call it the Kevcoder!”
Delta Goodrem, musician
“I grew up absolutely loving BSB. They defined a generation when I was 13-years-old. I’ve worked with incredible artists, but was particularly excited to open for them on the DNA World Tour, sharing the stage with a band that’s been a huge part of the soundtrack to my life. The first time I met them was in catering and very casual. My impression was that they’re talented professionals who have been through numerous incarnations of their lives and the industry, and this chapter’s about enjoying the huge crowds with their beautiful families.
“One of my favourite moments was when Brian jumped on-stage during my set and started singing with me. The crowd went nuts! And Howie wearing my merch on-stage was spectacular — a full-circle, pinch-me moment. I was in the audience feeling like a teenage girl!”
Gary Baker, producer/songwriter
“I first met them at the Fox Theater in Atlanta after a song I wrote for them, ‘Anywhere For You,’ became a hit overseas. It was around the time All 4 One’s ‘I Swear,’ which I wrote, was massive so they introduced me to the stage and sang a little of ‘I Swear.’ They asked to write with me and we became family. Nick was a baby, so he was off playing video games. AJ was super-outgoing. Brian was always in the studio, where we became really close. I remember being in New York’s Battery Studios when they were huge in Germany, but had nothing in America and Brian was like, ‘Help us get a hit. We’ve got to break here!’ I didn’t have anything do with that hit, but was grateful to have a song on Millennium.
“They quickly blew up and one time Howie and I were at lunch and had to call the police to escort us out because 400 girls were outside. But no matter how big they became, they remained down-to-earth. They’d attend my son’s little league games, read to them and Kevin was at both my children’s weddings. He and Brian also inducted me into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. It’s been amazing working with them from the very beginning until now — I produced a song on their Christmas album and can’t wait for the world to hear the ‘Reimagined’ acoustic album we did. Kevin says it’s on the forefront!
Jesse McCartney, musician
“I had the great pleasure of touring with them twice over their 30-year career and never have I seen a group of people in an audience sing songs louder or more passionately than at a Backstreet Boys concert!”
Ryan Cabrera, musician
“I met Nick in the early 2000s when we were all out on the town, back when Hollywood nightclubs were at their best. Then I’d run into the other cats in Grammy rooms or radio shows. I love that they all have such different personalities. AJ has become one of my golf buddies and I remember playing with him for the first time for $1-a-hole. He’s way better than me, yet somehow, I was woopin’ dat a** and he quit halfway through because I was giving him so much sh**. I’m yet to beat him since!”
Joe Riccitelli, record executive, Goldn Retriever Ent.
“I met the guys at their Boston Garden show, early on the Millennium tour. My first impression was their live show and the fans’ reaction. Before joining Jive Records in 1999, I had worked with U2 and thought those fans were absolutely bonkers — I really wasn’t prepared for the Backstreet Boys fans and their incredible reaction! What strikes me most is the boys’ resiliency. They’ve always amazed me with their ability to stay driven, hungry and passionate to their fans and their craft.”
Andrew Fromm, Songwriter on “Millennium”
“I remember meeting the guys at Battery Studios when they were recording ‘I’ll Never Break Your Heart.’ Nick was playing pool and we talked about music that inspired him like Chicago, Richard Marx and Journey. I told him I loved the same artists and ‘I Need You Tonight’ came from that inspiration.
“Back then, the guys complained their friends didn’t believe how famous they were overseas. When they landed overseas, they were bombarded with thousands of fans at the airport, but when they came home it was crickets. That soon changed! One time, I was with Howie at the Today show and thousands of fans broke through the barriers. I got pinned against the bus, then suddenly these big arms grabbed my collar and I got hoisted over the fans and saved by his bodyguard!”
David Broer-LeRoux, Art Director, “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” video
“I was decorating a house in Culver City when I got a page from the production office working on the Backstreet Boys’ new video. The art department was falling apart due to lack of sleep and they needed help. I met the boys the next day and found each of them extremely nice, polite and appreciative.
“The funniest moment came just before the final banquet scene with the rats. I doubled as rat wrangler on that shoot. The boys were okay-ish with rats, but not the ladies. They were freaking out, so I joked the rats were SAG while the extras weren’t, which made everyone laugh and averted the revolt. The rats ran along trails of watermelon juice I’d laid down. The rat peering into the goblet was going after the piece I put inside. Rats will do anything for watermelon!”
Eddie Meehan, CEO of fan engagement company Please & Thank You
“I met Howie when he had a management company and was working with the Clique Girls, who Interscope hired me to work with, then Backstreet brought me on after Kevin left. From the moment I met them, I forgot they were famous because I didn’t have that connection from a fanatical side. You meet Rod Stewart and it’s like, ‘Holy moly, it’s Rod Stewart,’ but with these guys it was like, ‘What’s up? You’re the same age as me. How can I help you?’ They’re great dudes who are like family.”
“The sheer size of their popularity is breathtaking. There’s been three different times when fans in non-English speaking countries told me how they grew up extremely poor, learned how to speak English through Backstreet Boys albums (not from Friends!), went on to become translators or teachers and elevated their family from poverty into middle-class. Those stories make me go, ‘Wow,’ and it’s awesome to be even remotely part of it all.”
Andreas Carlsson, Songwriter, “I Want It That Way”
“My first encounter with the Backstreet Boys was opening for them on their first Sweden show at Solnahallen arena in 1996. That night, you couldn’t fit another screaming teenager in with a shoehorn. I was unaware of their popularity even though I was working at Cheiron Studios, but that night it became evident that my future should lie in songwriting rather than being an artist. I think I was eventually booed off stage!”
“We had so many fun moments together, especially at the Sheraton Hotel, Stockholm, where the band occupied a whole floor. Around midnight, that floor turned into a wild frat party. Everyone wanted an invite — even the Princess of Sweden. I also remember going to a costume party at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles with Howie and AJ, where Howie dressed as AJ and vice versa. Great times!”
Jonathan Knight, New Kids on the Block musician
“I met them after New Kids ended and Lou Pearlman asked me to come to Florida and help them. At first, I was a little jealous because I thought, ‘Who are these kids? Are they trying to take over our spot?’ But we had already broken up and they were the sweetest kids. They were so excited and curious and had so many questions for me. I connected with Howie right away. Howie’s a lover — he loves everybody! And AJ was dating my friend’s daughter, so I got to know him well.
“But the coolest thing that came out of these friendships was our NKOTBSB tour. It was one of the pinnacles of my career. I remember us all walking down the catwalk and it just felt so cool, like we were this big boy band posse! They were really good kids back then and they’re still great guys and I’m so happy for them because they worked so hard and deserve all of their success.”
Sonia Benezra, media personality
“I was hosting a popular talk show and convinced the network I should do a special on this up-and-coming band, the Backstreet Boys. I met them at Quebec airport and they were shy, excited, respectful kids. I’ll never forget walking into AJ’s room and seeing cans of nutrition supplements and weightlifting stuff and he was like, ‘I want to build muscle, so I can be strong on-stage!’ Kevin was the big brother — quiet, pensive and reflective with a calming aura the boys gravitated to for advice and protection. Brian was another brother-type. Nick was the little heartthrob, who wasn’t quite sure what he was getting into, but excited nonetheless. Howie and I had a special bond. I liked his soul and he never tried to steal the spotlight.
“I knew there was something magical about these boys. When most kids start out, they just want fame, but they wanted to make good music and do good things. Somehow Lou Pearlman, as bad as he was, picked the right boys to bring together. They shared values and leaned on each other. When AJ had trouble with drugs and alcohol, Kevin helped pull him back into reality. And I sometimes wonder how Nick would’ve turned out had he not had these boys to lean on.
“Two years ago, there was a 34-year-old Quebec woman, Caroline Gauthier, on television because she’d chosen doctor-assisted suicide since her cancer had returned. She talked about how she listened to Backstreet Boys daily. I reached out to Howie and management and next thing Caroline emailed me showing me messages they’d taped for her. She said it changed everything for her and she was leaving at peace and with great joy. That’s the Backstreet Boys in a nutshell. It was their way of saying, ‘You’ve always showed up for us. Now we’re showing up for you.’”
Eddie Volkman, Program Director/Content Manager, Star 96.7, WSSR-FM
“I met them in 1996 when my station, B96 in Chicago, was one of the first to jump on their music. They were gracious, grateful and polite. I recall going to dinner at Spago and talking college football with Kevin Richardson for hours. Then there was the time I recorded a parody of ‘Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)’ called ‘Quit Blowing Fumes From Cigars’ when cigars were trending and they started adding backing vocals, which thrilled me!
“In 1998, my then-girlfriend Amber and I did a meet-and-greet and afterwards, AJ McLean said, ‘Wait up.’ The guys formed a semi-circle around Amber, dropped to one knee and sang ‘A Toast to Our Love,’ then AJ said, ‘Amber, will you marry Eddie?’ She stood giggling until AJ went, ‘Yes or no? Because we have to go on-stage.’ She said ‘Yes’ and everyone cheered. My wife never liked surprises and after they left, she cracked me over the head with her $40 souvenir program and said, ‘I’m gonna kill you.’ But once the shock wore off, she spent half the concert on her phone telling friends what had happened.”
Devon Daniels, fan in “I Want It That Way” video
“For a 17-year-old, boy band-crazed junior, this was my 15 minutes of fame — I couldn’t possibly know they would last 25 years! The filming was something every millennial’s dreams were made of. We interacted with the guys and I was starstruck watching legendary director Wayne Isham. I never dreamed my close-up would be shown twice. While the now-iconic imagery of girls screaming in an airplane hangar has become emblematic of early 2000s pop music, we never realized we were playing a role in music history. This was our generation’s version of girls fainting over the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show.
“In 2021, I posted a video about the filming on TikTok and received thousands of comments from people delighted to learn more about ‘that screaming blonde girl’ in the video. Some said they’d wondered where I was now (I’m an author and wrote a Backstreet Boys joke into my first book). I even received comments from the Backstreet Boys. If you’d told 17-year-old me that one day Nick Carter would be thanking her for being in their video, I wouldn’t have believed you. ‘I Want It That Way’ reminds us of a more innocent, simpler, safe and hopeful time. The song was our happy place and the fact I’m forever associated with such positive memories is a gift.”
Charlotte Weinckoski, Dorough and wife Leigh’s business partner in handbag line ESLLA
“My husband met Leigh and invited her and Howie to come for dinner. I was going through chemo, had lost my hair and wasn’t feeling my best, so felt unbelievably nervous and wasn’t sure what how I’d relate to Howie, Leigh and their celebrity lifestyle. I was immediately struck by how kind, grounded and humble they were. Howie could see I was nervous and went out of his way to make me feel comfortable … in my own home! Within minutes we were talking and laughing and it felt like we’d known them for years.
“When we launched ESLLA, Howie was traveling the world with BSB but always joined our weekly calls. I took him off email copy so he wouldn’t be bombarded with hundreds of emails on tour and he said, ‘Please put me back on because I want to be on top of everything with ESLLA!’ He has a great sense of style and both Leigh and Howie are always on the leading edge of fashion trends. They’re not showy or over-the-top, but always on-point and timeless. They exemplified ‘quiet luxury’ years before this term became a trend! I think traveling the world and being around predominantly female fans has definitely contributed to Howie’s eye and love of fashion and I continue to be amazed at the dedication and interest he has in every detail of our new business.”
Cara Wodnicki, AJ McLean’s publicist, CSW Publicity
“I was working in PR in New York and my boss told me I’d be joining a business meeting, but that she’d surprise me with who it was. When I walked in, I did everything in my power to hold it together. I must’ve handled my surprise well because 13 years later, we’re still working together. I may never live those fangirl days down, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything.”
“My passion for music and the reason I work in this industry can be credited to these five guys, who pulled at every little string of my 13-year-old heart. As a born-and-bred Montrealer, I got to know the Backstreet Boys before they broke Stateside and there’s incredible memories from performances at MusiquePlus and sold-out nights at the Molson Centre during an epic ice storm, to watching them become the best-selling residency in Las Vegas. Here’s to the next 30!”
Zoux, Carter’s musical director
“I love Nick’s off-the-cuffness, like when we did a show in Canada and suddenly, he goes, ‘You guys know AC/DC?’ then we just launched into it. In this day and age, not many artists are willing to go for it because everybody films everything, but he didn’t have to rehearse it 50 times and that’s what makes you great — putting it all on the line. We also went to a bar in Raleigh with some of the best karaoke I’ve ever seen and again, Nick’s fearless. He goes, ‘I’m gonna go sing.’ We were the only white people at the bar and he pulls off ‘Brown Sugar,’ which is ballsy! He won the crowd over then did another song. He’s just a dude who’s happy to go out, have dinner and sing.
“We’ve also bonded a lot over being dads and loving sports — although he’s a Bucs fan and took two of my Patriots! — but our biggest bond has been 80s music. People don’t realize how much music he knows because they see a guy in a boy band and think that’s his box, but he’ll call out songs most people don’t know. If he wasn’t in the Backstreet Boys, he’d be in a rock band. His solo show is closer to a Bon Jovi show than a Backstreet Boys one!”
Kevin Kerr, McLean’s friend
“I met Alex through my friend Jordan and we connected right away, especially over sneakers. When I was going through a bad divorce, he invited me on their cruise. I was like, ‘I don’t want to go on a Backstreet Boy cruise,’ but it’s where I met my wife, Marzia. She and her friends were there from Italy and we all hung out, but I couldn’t communicate with her as she didn’t speak English. We only exchanged numbers so we could send photos to each other afterwards, but started talking on WhatsApp using Google Translate. She eventually hired an English teacher, but it took a year before she’d get on the phone with me!
“Alex respects her and when I asked if I could propose on stage at the Backstreet Boys residency in Vegas, it took him one second to go, ‘Amazing. Let’s do it!’ It was great to also have him at our wedding because I would’ve never met her without him. I mean, what are the odds?”
Tarzan Dan Freeman, media personality
“I’d heard about the band during a trip to London, then they started getting played on French radio in Montreal. I was hosting YTV’s Hit List and was flown to Montreal to interview them. We hit it off like a house on fire. Nick was just a kid. I thought, ‘He’s going to be a huge star,’ but I was also like, ‘Are you still teething?’ The other guys had to shave their body hair for concerts and Nick couldn’t even grow any. Howie had the brains to invest his money from the start. In Florida, everybody drove into the studio with new cars, then comes Howie with a rusty, crappy car. Now he has all these properties! Kevin and I clicked right away and would just hang out and talk. Brian had a great voice and was a big goof. AJ was like a little brother. I always told him if he needed somebody to talk to, I was there with no judgment. That’s still one of the best parts of our friendship.
“The show helped launch the band in Canada and we supported the music because every song was the type you’d hear once and could repeat the chorus by the end — and left you smiling. ‘Larger Than Life’ felt like it was reaching out of the radio screaming, ‘Listen to me, I’m going to make you feel great!’
“It’s been amazing watching their transition through the years. Kevin, Howie and AJ came to my place during their last Canadian tour and we went wake surfing. Kevin’s an old hat, but AJ couldn’t get up. There’s a funny picture of Howie looking like a supermodel on the back of the boat with me in the distance. They were too busy taking pictures to notice I’d fallen in!”
Vinny Venditto, producer
“My producing partner Vic brought me on for Nick’s solo music. I’ve been in the studio with many superstars, but grew up listening to the Backstreet Boys, so when I met Nick, I was thinking, ‘How do I take a step back? They were my favorite group growing up and I don’t want to seem like a little groupie.’ He was so cool though. He came in smiling, gave us a hug, we started working and the chemistry was great. He doesn’t walk in with chains and stuff! It’s almost like he doesn’t realize how famous he is — so humble, down-to-earth and just an amazing soul.”
Karah-Leigh Hancock, Co-Author, Backstreet Boys 30th Anniversary Celebration: Keep the Backstreet Pride Alive
“I met Nick years ago at powerboat races in Sarasota, Florida, and his dad, Bob, helped set up the meeting. We’re the same age and he was just like guys I knew from school, so I treated Nick like any other guy and he loved that. That night changed my life because he talked me into going back to college. I then met the whole group in 2010 at an acoustic concert before their cruise and while I was nervous, they made me feel at ease, especially AJ. Kevin’s so attentive and stares you in the eyes, which can be overwhelming! Them knowing who I am or sending a message when my mom was very sick — those small moments stand out.”
Emilia Filogamo, Co-Author, Backstreet Boys 30th Anniversary Celebration: Keep the Backstreet Pride Alive
“The first time I met BSB was when they were celebrating their 20th anniversary in L.A. I had just begun helping with Nick’s website, but my friend told him who I was before I could. He patted the couch for me to sit and I gave him a hug, but we didn’t talk much because I get shy around him. I’m working on that! Being in L.A. for their Walk of Fame induction was the first time I’d travelled anywhere to see them. It was an incredible moment I won’t ever forget.”
Traci Szymanski, Friend
“I met the band around 1999, back when we were going to Hollywood hot spots. Howie and AJ quickly became good friends, then Nick and I became friends after he traveled with the Hollywood Knights Celebrity Basketball team to Norway for a charity game for children with cancer. I have so many memories since from award shows, parties, baby showers, poker nights and golf tournaments. But my favorite memory is when they visited Israel and I got to take them all over the country. Brian and Howie being baptized in the Jordan River was really special, as was walking through Jerusalem, exploring Caesaria, riding segways from Tel Aviv to Jaffa and covering ourselves in mud and floating in the Dead Sea. It was an incredible week I’ll never forget.”
Rachel Smith, entertainment host
“Growing up a Backstreet Boys fan, my teenage self would never believe I would one day become friends with them. That ‘larger than life’ opportunity took place when I was assigned to cover the launch of their Vegas residency. That interview turned into many more interviews and they even asked me to host their farewell event when they ended their run.
“These guys exceeded my expectations — kind, humble, playful and down-to-earth. They were also wonderful to the local community, donating a portion of ticket sales to the Boys and Girls Club and inviting the kids to their shows. I also called upon Nick Carter to support a Toys for Tots holiday event, but rather than making an appearance, he went the extra mile, dressing like St. Nick and doing a kissing booth with fans who donated a toy. Santa never looked so good! Seeing how they give back and care about their fans and community is what makes the ‘shape of their hearts’ supersized.”
Ashley Iaconetti Haibon, media personality
“I met first them at one of their Vegas shows and remember Nick being as dreamy as my preteen self-imagined and AJ being truly interested in what people were talking to him about. At an intimate concert at the iHeartRadio Theatre, I was brought on stage with my Bachelor buddy Becca Tilley. They sang ‘Get Another Boyfriend’ to us since we were both dumped on national TV! They also pulled my husband and BSB lover Jared and I on stage in Vegas, which was one of the coolest moments of our lives. Jared wasn’t the kid making fun of boy bands … he wanted to be in one!
“I also interviewed them for LiveNation which was a dream come true. I felt like I could retire after this moment. Brian was trying to make fans laugh, Howie was sweet and approachable and Kevin was kind-hearted and respectful. I’m mind-blown I sat down and spoke coherent words with the Backstreet Boys for 30 minutes. What I remember most from it is Nick winning the superlative of ‘Most Likely to Clog the Toilet on the Bus!’”
