Brian Littrell

Littrell was born in Lexington, Kentucky, to Jacqueline "Jackie" R. (née Fox), a dentist's secretary, and Harold Baker Littrell Jr, an IBM employee.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2YP6JhEABVQC|title=Givin' It Their All: The Backstreet Boys' Rise to the Top|first=Sherri|last=Rifkin|date=December 29, 2010|publisher=Random House Publishing Group|access-date=July 20, 2016|via=Google Books|isbn=978-0-307-77568-9}}{{cite web |url=http://www.biography.com/people/brian-littrell-21203083 |title=Brian Littrell |website=biography.com |access-date=July 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160706165029/http://www.biography.com/people/brian-littrell-21203083 |archive-date=July 6, 2016 |url-status=dead}} 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.{{cite web |title=5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About the Backstreet Boys |url=https://mn2s.com/news/talent/five-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-the-backstreet-boys/#:~:text=Band%20members%20Kevin%20Richardson%20and%20Brian%20Littrell%20are,of%20the%20band%20as%20it%20is%20best%20known. |website=MN2S |date=25 November 2016}}{{cite journal |last=Helligar |first=Jeremy |url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20126297,00.html |title=Where the Boys Are |journal=People |date=September 14, 1998 |access-date=October 6, 2016}}

Littrell was skilled at sports and played in both Little League and the Babe Ruth League.{{cite journal|title=Backstreet Boys Special|journal=Tiger Beat|date=May 1998}} 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.{{cite news|title=Music Stars Sing Praise to Their Music Teachers – National Association for Music Education (NAfME)|url=http://www.nafme.org/music-stars-sing-praise-to-their-music-teachers/|work=National Association for Music Education (NAfME)|date=August 26, 2010}}{{cite journal|last1=Svokos|first1=Heather|title=Local Voices Chime In On Singer's Latest Song|journal=Lexington Herald-Leader}} Littrell also performed in school plays including a production of Grease,{{cite journal |title= Backstreet Boys Go Home |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,615462,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602133548/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,615462,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 2, 2009 |journal=People |date=April 14, 1999 |access-date=July 20, 2016}}{{cite web |title= Brian Littrell comes home |url=http://copiousnotes.bloginky.com/2007/11/30/brian-littrell-comes-home/ |website=Copious Notes |date=November 29, 2007 |access-date=July 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913115623/http://copiousnotes.bloginky.com/2007/11/30/brian-littrell-comes-home/ |archive-date= September 13, 2016 |url-status=dead}}{{cite book|last1=Golden|first1=Anna Louise|title=Backstreet Boys: They've Got It Goin' On!|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=978-0-312-96853-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DydfCgAAQBAJ&q=brian+littrell+Another+Time%2C+Another+Place&pg=PA40|language=en|date=June 15, 1998}}{{cite book|last1=Nichols|first1=Angie|title=Backstreet Boys Confidential|date=1998}} and worked at fast food chain Long John Silver's.{{cite journal|title=Star Woes|journal=Teen People|date=November 1998}}

Littrell aspired to become a basketball player. However, he was seldom selected for high school tournaments at {{convert|5|ft|7|in|cm}}.{{cite book|last1=Stonebraker|first1=Samantha|title=What You Wanna Know: Backstreet Boys' Secrets Only a Girlfriend Can Tell|publisher=St. Martin's Press|isbn=978-1-250-11292-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lqVcCwAAQBAJ&q=backstreet+boys+although+brian+went+to+high+school&pg=PT44|language=en|date=February 9, 2016}}{{cite journal|title=Backstreet Boys: Before they were Stars|journal=BB|date=May 1998}}{{cite magazine |last=Dunn |first=Jancee |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/the-backstreet-boys-year-in-hell-19990527 |title=The Backstreet Boys' Year in Hell |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=May 27, 1999 |access-date=October 6, 2016}} 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 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.{{cite web |url=https://www.challies.com/interviews/to-backstreet-and-back-an-interview-with-burk-parsons/ |title=To Backstreet (And Back) - an Interview with Burk Parsons | Tim Challies|date=August 9, 2009 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.kevinhalloran.net/the-burk-parsons-story/ |title=The Burk Parsons Story: Former Backstreet Boy Who Rejected Fame and Fortune for Christ | Anchored in Christ |date=September 8, 2015}} Littrell flew to Orlando the next day and finished high school via correspondence, graduating in 1994.

{{Main|Backstreet Boys}}

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In 1997, Littrell was instrumental in bringing a lawsuit against the group's creator Lou Pearlman, claiming Pearlman had concealed information regarding the group's earnings.{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Billboard |date=2005-11-08 |title=BackStreet Boys Sue Pearlman, Trans Continental |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/backstreet-boys-sue-pearlman-trans-continental-2-1403688/ |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}} Bandmates AJ McLean, Richardson, and Howie Dorough joined the lawsuit, which eventually resulted in a number of settlements, details of which were not disclosed.{{cite journal |url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/11/pearlman200711 |title=Mad About the Boys |date=November 2007 |journal=Vanity Fair |first=Bryan |last=Burrough |access-date=July 20, 2016}}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/60808/backstreet-boys-sue-pearlman-trans-continental|title=Backstreet Boys Sue Pearlman, Trans Continental|magazine=Billboard|access-date=February 10, 2010}} In 2000, he was among Teen People's 25 Hottest People Under 25, tying with Justin Timberlake of rival band *NSYNC.{{cite journal|title=25 Hottest Stars Under 25|journal=Teen People|date=June 2000}}

File:BrianLittrell.jpg

Littrell longed to record Christian music, a genre he described as "pop positive."{{cite web|last=Ross|first=Dena|title=Give Glory Where Glory is Due|url=http://www.beliefnet.com/Entertainment/Music/2006/06/Give-Glory-Where-Glory-Is-Due.aspx|publisher=Beliefnet, Inc.|access-date=April 23, 2013}} In 2004, Littrell signed 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.{{cite web|title=Brian Littrell Looks To Reconnect As Dove Co-Host|url=http://www.wkrn.com/nashville/news/brian-littrell-looks-to-reconnect-as-dove-cohost/91559.htm|access-date=June 27, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070429041928/http://www.wkrn.com/nashville/news/brian-littrell-looks-to-reconnect-as-dove-cohost/91559.htm|archive-date=April 29, 2007|date=April 25, 2007}} Four singles were released from the album – "In Christ Alone," "Wish," "Over My Head" and Welcome Home (You)", with 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 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.doveawards.com/past-winners/|title=Past Winners – The 47th Annual GMA Dove Awards|access-date=July 20, 2016|archive-date=July 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150710053758/http://www.doveawards.com/past-winners/|url-status=dead}}

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 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.{{Cite web |date=May 12, 2000 |title=Backstreet Boy Contributes Solo Song To Soundtrack |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1375011/backstreet-boy-contributes-solo-song-to-soundtrack/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802162944/http://www.mtv.com/news/1375011/backstreet-boy-contributes-solo-song-to-soundtrack/ |archive-date=2020-08-02 |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=MTV}} Littrell also performed with The Backstreet Boys on Saturday Night Live, in 1998 and 1999. In 2013, Littrell appeared with his bandmates in the film This Is the End.{{Cite web |title=How did they get [SPOILER ALERT] to appear at the end of 'This Is the End'? |url=https://ew.com/article/2013/06/14/how-did-they-get-spoiler-alert-to-appear-at-the-end-of-this-is-the-end/ |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=EW.com |language=en}}

During the band's hiatus, Littrell became committed to a number of other show business activities, most of them for charity.{{cite web |title=Score: 108 Boys, 104 Bucs and $30,000 for charity |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2000/03/27/score-108-boys-104-bucs-and-30000-for-charity/ |website=Tampa Bay Times |access-date=29 March 2024 |language=en}} 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.{{cite web |title=The Rock N' Jock: Celebrity Softball Game |url=https://nashvilleguru.com/41741/the-rock-n-jock-celebrity-softball-game |website=Nashville Guru |access-date=29 March 2024 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CxE2m-1t5j_/?img_index=1 |website=www.instagram.com |access-date=29 March 2024}}{{cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CtjNC2IqLVa/?ref=badgeef%3Dbadge&hl=sk |website=www.instagram.com |access-date=29 March 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://neuhoffmedialafayette.com/2023/06/05/jelly-roll-riley-green-serve-as-team-captains-for-celebrity-softball-game/ |access-date=29 March 2024 |title=Jelly Roll, Riley Green Serve as Team Captains for Celebrity Softball Game }}{{cite web |title=Celeb All-Star softball game |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/sns-celeb-all-star-pg-photogallery.html |website=Los Angeles Times |date=July 18, 2009 |access-date=29 March 2024}}

In June 1997, following the breakup of his relationship with girlfriend Samantha Stonebraker, Littrell met an actress and model, Leighanne Reena Wallace, on the set of "As Long as You Love Me" video shoot where she was an extra.{{cite web |title=Brian and Leighanne Littrell on Get Married Part 1 | website=YouTube | date=August 30, 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iegnFNPYDFA |language=en}} 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 was looking, I wouldn't have been able to find her."{{cite journal |title=How to Win the Love of a Backstreet Boy |journal=J-14 |date=September 2000 }} Littrell and Wallace dated for two years, and he proposed to her on Christmas 1999.{{Cite web |last=Novak |first=Lauren |date=2023-03-29 |title=Which '90s Boy Band Stars Are Married (And To Whom?) |url=https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/1087/90s-boy-band-stars-married/ |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=Remind |language=en-US}} Their engagement, along with the engagement of cousin and bandmate Kevin Richardson to Kristin Willits, was announced on MTV on February 15, 2000.{{cite web |title=2000-02-15 - MTV News, Kevin and Brian announce their engagement | website=YouTube | date=October 11, 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-1z37uSSIA |language=en}} The couple married on September 2, 2000, at Peachtree Christian Church in Atlanta.{{cite journal |title=Another Backstreet Wedding |journal=Peoplemag |url=https://people.com/celebrity/another-backstreet-wedding/ |language=en}}{{cite news|title=Backstreet Boy Gets Married|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=116017|work=ABC News|access-date=July 20, 2016|date=September 3, 2000}}.{{cite journal|title=Backstreet Weddings|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,617357,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080319034634/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,617357,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 19, 2008|journal=People|access-date=June 8, 2016}}

On September 11, 2001, Leighanne 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.{{cite web|last=Copley |first=Rich |url=http://www.kentucky.com/2006/09/10/10835/backstreet-boy-feels-victims-families.html |title=Backstreet Boy feels victims' families' pain | Flight 5191: Stories from Sept. 2–21, 2006 |publisher=Kentucky.com |access-date=July 3, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411062106/http://www.kentucky.com/2006/09/10/10835/backstreet-boy-feels-victims-families.html|archive-date=April 11, 2013}} 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.{{cite journal |last1=Chiu |first1=Melody |title=Inside Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell 'Magnificent' Atlanta Chateau |journal=People |date=October 19, 2020 |volume=94 |issue=16 |pages=71–75 |url=https://people.com/home/backstreet-boy-brian-littrell-wife-leighanne-atlanta-chateau/ |access-date=23 October 2022 |language=en}}

Littrell stated during 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.{{cite web |title=Backstreet Boys - DNA World Tour -Brian Talking - Atlanta - 6.28.22 |website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9N09brApxbk |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Palsa |first1=Nicole |title=Baylee Littrell Shares How His New Song "Change Your Mind" Was Influenced By Morgan Wallen |url=https://musicmayhemmagazine.com/baylee-littrell-shares-how-his-new-song-change-your-mind-was-influenced-by-morgan-wallen/ |website=Music Mayhem Magazine |date=12 July 2022}}{{cite web| title="Brian Littrell on Instagram: Yesterday our family and the world lost a wonderful Gem of a Lady. My mother-in-law Shirley. She was the kindest most loving genuine soul..." |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CfU4F-IFpb0/ |website=www.instagram.com}}

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 was held back in school and had to repeat the first grade.{{Cite web |last=Prince |first=Kate |date=2025-03-17 |title=Tragic Details About Backstreet Boys' Brian Littrell |url=https://www.thelist.com/1809802/backstreet-boys-brian-littrell-tragic-details/ |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=The List |language=en-US}}

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.{{cite magazine|last=Helligar|first=Jeremy|title=Where the Boys Are|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20126297,00.html|magazine=People|access-date=July 22, 2012|date=September 14, 1998|archive-date=May 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519134330/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20126297,00.html|url-status=dead}} 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 the Brian Littrell Healthy Heart Club, a non-profit organization assisting children with heart conditions.{{cite journal|title=Backstreet Boys Have Got News!|journal=All-Stars|date=June 2000}}{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Health/photos/celebs-heart-problems-18345288/image-18345742 |title=Celebrities with Heart Disease Picture | Celebs With Heart Problems |work=ABC News |date=August 6, 2013 |access-date=March 27, 2017}}

In October 2009, Littrell became infected with swine flu, causing the cancellation of the Backstreet Boys This Is Us promotional tour.{{cite web |last1=Kaufman |first1=Gil |title=Backstreet Boys' Brian Littrell Diagnosed With Swine Flu |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1623093/backstreet-boys-brian-littrell-diagnosed-with-swine-flu/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028103000/http://www.mtv.com/news/1623093/backstreet-boys-brian-littrell-diagnosed-with-swine-flu/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 28, 2014 |website=MTV News |language=en}}

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.{{cite web |url=http://clizbeats.com/brian-littrell-reveals-suffers-muscle-tension-dysphonia-new-backstreet-boys-documentary-5152/ |title=Brian Littrell Reveals That He Suffers From Muscle Tension Dysphonia In New Backstreet Boys Documentary |website=Clizbeats |date=January 31, 2015 |access-date=December 3, 2016}}

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 the things God has done for us in our life to touch other people."{{cite web| author=Ross, Dena.| date = October 23, 2006 | url =http://www.beliefnet.com/story/192/story_19281_2.html| title = Give Glory Where Glory Is Due| publisher =BeliefNet.com | access-date =November 22, 2007}} Littrell, who has been born again since the age of 8,{{cite web |url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/artists/brianlittrell.html|title=Christianity Today – Brian Littrell |access-date=October 26, 2007 |publisher=Christianity Today |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071010120514/http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/artists/brianlittrell.html |archive-date = October 10, 2007}} 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.{{cite web |author=Millar, Sarah |url=http://www.andpop.com/article/5985 |title=Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell Goes Solo |access-date=November 22, 2007 |publisher=andPOP.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080322012729/http://www.andpop.com/article/5985 |archive-date=March 22, 2008 }}

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.{{cite web |title=Which Backstreet Boy is Jewish? - World News – Jerusalem Post |url=https://www.jpost.com/International/Which-Backstreet-Boy-is-Jewish-600093 |website=www.jpost.com|date=August 29, 2019 }}

{{See also|Brian Littrell discography|Backstreet Boys discography}}

• Backstreet Boys
• List of Christian worship music artists

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• {{Official website|brianlittrell.com}}
• {{Official website|backstreetboys.com|Official Backstreet Boys website}}
• {{IMDb name|0514810}}

{{Backstreet Boys}}

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Category:1975 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American singers

Category:21st-century American singers

Category:Jive Records artists

Category:American Christians

Category:American male pop singers

Category:American tenors

Category:Backstreet Boys members

Category:Baptists from Kentucky

Category:American performers of Christian music

Category:Musicians from Lexington, Kentucky

Category:Musicians from Atlanta

Category:People with congenital heart defects

Category:Singers from Kentucky

Category:Songwriters from Kentucky

Category:Musicians with dystonia

Category:NKOTBSB members

Category:American musicians with disabilities