Briankevin

Brian Littrell & Kevin Richardson of The Backstreet Boys - 2015 Inductees

Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson are leading members of one of the best-selling vocal groups in the history of the music industry. Their group, The Backstreet Boys, have sold over 130 million albums to date, and are one of only two groups ever, to see their release of seven consecutive albums reach the top 10 of the Billboard’s Top 200. Multiple awards, sold out concerts and millions of albums sold have made these two young men from Kentucky, international music superstars!

Cousins Brian and Kevin grew up in Central Kentucky and sang together in local church choirs and festivals; the two formed a strong bond and a lasting friendship at a young age. Brian Thomas Littrell was born in Lexington, Kentucky on February 20, 1975. He began singing publicly at Porter Memorial Baptist Church in Lexington and attended Tates Creek High School. Kevin Scott Richardson is the youngest of three brothers and was born October 3, 1971, also in Lexington. His family moved to Irvine, Kentucky where Kevin played football and began performing in school plays. He graduated from Estill County High School.

In 1990, Kevin moved to Orlando, Florida and worked as the cast member “Aladdin” at Walt Disney World.While there, Richardson answered an ad in the Orlando Sentinel, auditioned and was selected to be a part of a new area boy-band. In need of an additional singer to fill out the group, Kevin encouraged a call to his cousin Brian in Kentucky for an audition. Brian was a junior in high school at the time and was called out of a math class when the offer to join the band was made. The next day Brian flew to Orlando and the group The Backstreet Boys was formed.

On May 8, 1993 at Sea World Orlando, Brian and Kevin performed as members of the Backstreet Boys for the first time. Over the next year and a half the band traveled across the country playing in shopping malls, restaurants and at local high schools. In 1995, the band flew to Sweden and recorded “We’ve Got It Goin’ On.” It was the group’s first single release and the pop tune soon entered the top 5 on the charts in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France and the Netherlands. With the international release of their first album, self-titled, “Backstreet Boys,” the band enjoyed success abroad and was voted the top group in Germany in 1996. Then, in May of 1997, “Quit Playin’ Games With My Heart,” was released in the states and climbed the charts to the number two position on the Billboard Hot 100.

Their first album release in the states, also titled, “Backstreet Boys,” included songs from their first international release as well as their second album release, “Backstreet’s Back.” The album rose to number 4 on the U.S. album charts and eventually sold over 14 million copies!

In 1998, The Backstreet Boys were recognized with numerous awards, including The 1998 Group Album of the Year at the Billboard Awards, People’s Choice Favorite International Group Award at the Much Music Video Awards, Best Group Video at the MTV Video Music Awards and World’s Best-Selling Dance Artist at the World Music Awards.

The single, “I Want It That Way,” was the first release of the Backstreet Boys third album, Millennium. This single rose to number 1 in over twenty-five countries worldwide. When Millennium was released on May 18, 1999, it entered the Billboard Top 200 at #1 and set a record for first-week sales in the U.S with over 1.1 million copies sold! Millennium became the best selling album of 1999 and while on the Millennium tour, the boys packed the Atlanta Georgia Dome with more than 85,000 adoring fans; a record crowd that remains the largest crowd ever to attend a concert by a pop artist group! More awards followed – 1999 Billboard Music Awards Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Album Artist of the Year and Album Artist Duo/Group of the Year, Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo or Group at the American Music awards and still, in 1999, the group received their first Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.

In November of 2000, the string of success continued when the Backstreet Boys released the group’s fourth album, “Black and Blue”- the album broke the previous record set by the Backstreet Boys by selling over 1.6 million copies in its first week of sales, making the Backstreet Boys and the Beatles the only two groups in history to have back-to-back albums sell over 1 million copies in the first week of their releases.

Through 2006, The Backstreet Boys continued to tour the world and promote albums as tens of thousands of fans filled stadiums in Stockholm, Tokyo, Sydney, Cape Town, Rio and New York City. The Band accumulated multiple distinguished music awards during this period. Their world-wide popularity led the NFL to bestow the honor on the group to perform the National Anthem at the Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida.

In late 2006, Kevin announced he was leaving the band to pursue other career interests. During his time away from the band Kevin enjoyed success as an actor, a model and composed the soundtrack for a feature animated film. During this time the Backstreet Boys continued to produce albums and tour the world - Brian also stepped out on his own to produce the solo Christian album, “Welcome Home;” it rose to number three on the Christian charts.

Kevin officially returned to the Backstreet Boys during a show in London on April 29, 2012. The band continues to work on a number of projects including their recently released documentary movie, “Backstreet Boys: Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of."

With their pure vocal harmonies, Kevin and Brian, as members of the Backstreet Boys, have established themselves as one of the most successful vocal group bands in history; they have performed in front of Kings and Queens, The President of the United States, sang the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, enjoyed record attendance at their concerts all over the world and smashed records for albums sold. They have been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and are positioned for continued success with exciting new projects on the way.

Kevin Richardson and Brian Littrell have truly made an everlasting, permanent mark on the history of the entire music industry.

Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum
  1. Dale Ann Bradley - 2018 Inductee
  2. Billy Ray Cyrus - 2018 Inductee
  3. Jason Crabb - 2018 Inductee
  4. Jackie DeShannon - 2018 Inductee
  5. David "Stringbean" Akeman - 2018 Inductee
  6. Bobby Lewis - 2018 Inductee
  7. Exile - 2011 Inductees
  8. The Kentucky Headhunters - 2013 Inductees
  9. Jerry Chestnut - 2004 Inductee
  10. John Lee Lair - 2002 Inductee
  11. Red Foley - 2002 Inductee
  12. Coon Creek Girls - 2004 Inductees
  13. Ulys R "Red" Turner - Renfro Valley Performer
  14. Old Joe Clark - 2013 Inductee
  15. Merle Travis - 2002 Inductee
  16. Loretta Lynn - 2002 Inductee
  17. JD Crowe - 2004 Inductee
  18. Bradley Kincaid - 2002 Inductee
  19. Jean Ritchie - 2002 Inductee
  20. Tom T Hall - 2002 Inductee
  21. Pete Stamper - 2015 Inductee
  22. Steve Wariner - 2011 Inductee
  23. Bradley Kincaid - 2002 Inductee
  24. Bill Monroe - 2002 Inductee
  25. Dwight Yoakam - 2008 Inductee
  26. John Conlee - 2006 Inductee
  27. Louis Marshall "Grandpa Jones" - 2002 Inductee
  28. Keith Whitley - 2011 Inductee
  29. Ricky Skaggs - 2004 Inductee
  30. Brian Littrell & Kevin Richardson of The Backstreet Boys - 2015 Inductees
  31. Patty Loveless - 2011 Inductee
  32. Montgomery Genrty - 2015 Inductees
  33. John Michael Montgomery - 2011 Inductee
  34. The Judds - 2006 Inductees
  35. The Everly Brothers - 2002 Inductees
  36. Boots Randolph - 2004 Inductee
  37. Sam Bush - 2006 Inductee
  38. The Goins Brothers
  39. Crystal Gayle - 2008 Inductee
  40. Dottie Rambo - 2006 Inductee
  41. Florence Henderson - 2008 Inductee
  42. Steven Curtis Chapman - 2013 Inductee
  43. Doc Hopkins - 2015 Inductee
  44. The Osborne Brothers - 2002 Inductees
  45. Howard and Vestal Goodman - 2004 Inductees
  46. The Coon Creek Girls - 2004 Inductees
  47. Billy Vaughn - 2004 Inductee
  48. Todd Duncan - 2006 Inductee
  49. Mary Travers - 2006 Inductee
  50. John Jacob Niles - 2006 Inductee
  51. Norro Wilson - 2008 Inductee
  52. Les McCann - 2008 Inductee
  53. Molly O'Day - 2011 Inductee
  54. Carly Pearce - 2022 Inductee
  55. Marty Brown - 2022 Inductee
  56. Marty Brown - 2022 Inductee
  57. Tee Dee Young - 2022 Inductee
  58. Paul Yandell - 2022 Inductee
  59. Norah Lee Allen - 2022 Inductee
  60. Tommy White - 2022 Inductee
  61. Pete Goble - 2022 Inductee
  62. 2022 Karl Shannon Award: Jack Pattie