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Though he's a performer who's loved by millions, Brian Thomas Littrell still retains a lot of the modest, well-bred Kentucky kid he once was. Family and friends mean the world to him. Despite the lure of show business fame, he'd much rather spend a quiet evening at home enjoying the company of his nearest and dearest instead of dancing the night away in a room full of strangers. A deeply loyal guy with his head firmly planted on his shoulders--that's Brian through and through.

Although he shied away from the center stage in his first years with Backstreet Boys, Brian has come to really enjoy his place in the sun. This talented singer, who performs many of the lead vocals on Backstreet Boys songs, has also proved to be a formidable resource for new Backstreet Boys songs too. His cousin Kevin proudly proclaims that "The Perfect Fan," one of the tunes that Brian penned for their new album, Millennium, is one of the finest songs to ever come out of the Backstreet Boys camp.

Though he may surprise his fans with new talents he's discovering and with his ever-growing skill as a performer, Brian will never be the kind of guy who takes his good fortune for granted. "I think everyone's here for a reason," he says. "I think that's why God gave me the gift to sing, so that I can bless other people's lives."

Over the past few years, fans of the Backstreet Boys have had the opportunity to watch Brian Littrell grow from a quiet, reserved kind of guy to a dynamic, professional performer. Though he still retains the nice qualities that make him so popular with female fans--he's sweet, polite, and down-to-earth---Brian is no longer the most quiet member of Backstreet Boys. His success with the group and the experience of touring all over the world has made him much more sure of himself and confident.

This 24-year-old Lexington, Kentucky native and younger cousin of fellow BSB member Kevin has always had a passion for singing. "I grew up in a big Baptist church and ever since I could walk I was singing," he says. Brian has never had a singing lesson in his life, yet as a little kid, Brian's big voice could be heard belting out gospel and pop tunes with an unfaltering ear for music.

Born on February 20, 1975, Brian is the youngest of two brothers in a family who revered music but never truly considered music as a career. "I never dreamed of being a big star or anything," he says modestly.

A brush with a serious childhood illness helped cement Brian's ties to both his family and his church. Born with an undetected heart murmur, Brian was just five years old when he developed a staph infection of the heart and blood. His condition was diagnosed accidentally, after he fell and was rushed to the hospital with a concussion. Brian wound up in the hospital for weeks with little hope of recovery. "The doctors were telling my mother and father to go ahead and make funeral arrangements," he says. But Brian beat the odds by slowly regaining his health despite his family and doctor's worst fears.

Although he admits that his mom became a little overprotective after his return home from the hospital, this athletic kid never allowed his health history to stop him from chasing his dreams. Just last year, Brian entered the hospital to have a small hole in his heart closed--the last remaining effect from his childhood brush with death. Today, he's feeling fit and ready to rock the world on Backstreet Boys' all new 1999 concert tour.

Though Brian and the rest of the group aren't the kind to tell others what to believe in, he admits that his faith brought him through the rough spots in his life. "I'm not real religious but my family brought me up with a religious background. I try to stay somewhat focused on that and do my own thing," he says. Backstreet Boys have always thanked the diving powers for their success. Before a concert, the five will gather together to focus their energy and say a little prayer. "We always hold hands and say a prayer and do a little meditation-type focus thing...just so that the show goes well and there are no injuries," he explains.

As a high school junior, Brian had his sights firmly set on attending college when he received that fateful phone call from his cousin. Kevin, who'd been living in Orlando for more than a year, had joined a new vocal harmony group that needed one more guy. Was Brian interested? After some soul-searching, Brian realized that the answer was positively yes!

Away from the bright lights of the concert stage, Brian has always been known for being mellow and quiet. Despite his fame and the millions of girls who clamor for his attention, he's actually quite shy. But put him on stage and it's a completely different story! His gorgeous voice is often spotlighted on songs like "Quit Playin' Games (With My Heart)" and "As Long As You Love Me," which feature Brian's awesome lead vocals. Still, Brian never showboats or tries to take attention away from the other Backstreet Boys--he's definitely a team player.

"We want to be perceived as five guys who love to sing, love to perform, who love to share the gifts of music that we have with the whole world," he says. For him, being in the group is one of the most important things. "You just glance out into the audience, and the lights go out, and the lighters come on...It's such a fulfillment inside, seeing all these people. Then you look out and they're singing every word from every song--they came to see us? Then you're excited."

When Brian's not performing, he can be found playing sports. You name it, he plays it--football, basketball, golf, water skiing, and weight lifting are among his faves. Best buddy Nick Carter is his favorite teammate. The two of them--nicknamed "Frick" and "Frack" by the others--can often be found chilling out together or competing in a friendly game of hoops. They're the most likely to be found busting on each other, too, because this pair are well-known jokers. Of course, it's all in good-natured fun because Brian and Nick are more than best friends. They're brothers.

Musically, Brian loves the sounds of Take 6, Boyz II Men and especially, Luther Vandross. "I admire him as a singer because I saw him live in Orlando," he says. "I would have given anything to get a copy of that concert. It was just unbelievable. He just blew me away."

Of course, Brian's own soaring pipes have received plenty of acclaim, yet he's never allowed the compliments to go to his head. Brian remains completely grounded and plans to stay that way no matter how high Backstreet Boys' star rises. "If you dwell on all the people who know me or Nick or us, it can be kind of a shock. But I think it's what you make of it," he proclaims. "I mean, I'm no different than anyone else. My logic is that my life is no different from anybody else's except for four or five feet, and that four or five feet is how tall the stage is. Because if you put anyone else on the stage, the girls will scream. I'm just the lucky one who's having the opportunity like this. When I step off the stage, I'm like anybody else."

On the personal front, Brian, like his bandmates, is single, although he's been known to date around a lot. What's his perfect girl like? B-Rok says that he'd love to meet someone with "a great personality, [who's] very open, trustworthy, giving and just willing to have fun." Brian also says that the first thing he notices about girls are their eyes. "Pretty eyes are nice to look at," he says. He is definitely the least likely to cheat on a girlfriend. He was also voted the Backstreet Boy most likely to get married first. "Either him or Kevin," says Nick.

With the release of their third album Millennium and a Backstreet Boys world tour on the horizon, Brian couldn't be happier. "To be a singer--to do something I love--to go to work every day to do something I enjoy--that's what I was looking for," he says with a smile. "And to be able to have a talent that you can use, and actually use it. I think it's destiny why we're all here together. I never dreamed it would be worldwide," he says. "It's still kind of a little hard to believe."

"I want people to see the happy me, as that's what I am 99 percent of the time."

"The main thing for us at the moment is getting this right. It's going to be a long time before we think about calling it quits."

"I never dreamed of being a big star or anything. I grew up attending a big Baptist church and ever since I could walk, I remember singing. I never dreamed it would be worldwide. It's still a kind of a little hard to believe."

"I wouldn't change a thing in my life--I thank God for everything."

"Since we've started, we've been really lucky with the people who support us--we've got some brilliant fans. There are loads who have stuck with us since the very beginning, and most of them we know really well."

On dating fans..."It shouldn't matter if they are fans or not. Just as long as they like me for who I am, not what I do."

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