Howie article from the August '98 issue of Teen People
Howard Dorough, Howie D. for short, is knowen to the others as Sweet D. "Once, when we couldn't sign autographs because there were too many fans, he was too nice and stopped, and got trampled by them," says A.J. McLean, Howie's pal of 10 years and his BSB cofounder. "He fell down like a turtle on it's back, his feet kicking up."
Good-natured Howie,24, loves to give back to his fans. While the other Boys vacationed during Brian's recovery this past spring, Howie made appearances is South America, where his Puerto Rican heritage(on his mom's side) and his Spanish speaking skills(he's even appeared on Spanish soap operas) have made him incredibly popular.
Howie has been acting and singing since he was a kid, but his first real love was dancing. "I was in an all-boy ballet group one time," says the Orlando native(and arguably the Boys' best dancer). "It was cool as heck."
But then came a talent competition in Howie's senior year. "When I sang 'Unchained Melody,' I hit the high note and got a standing ovation," he says. "When I was done, they didn't even want to (see) any more people. They were ready to give me the award."
Now the falsetto in a wildly successful singing group, Howie couldn't be happier. Well, actually, he could-if BSB's detractors would stop criticizing them for not playing instruments. "You don't see Boyz II Men playing instruments," he says. "We're not like Hanson-we're not a rock 'n' roll band. We're an R&B harmony vocalist group."
As one of the eldest Boys, Howie is focusing on the future: He's started a conpany, Sweet D. Inc., which is currently developing condominuims on Florida's east coast. And he hired some of his family(which consists of mom Paula;dad Hoke;older brother John;and older sisters Pollyanna, Caroline, and Angie) to run the operation.
Sweet D-eal.
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