UK Singletary Center for the Arts
Coming Soon
Boyz II Men
Saturday, December 19, 2009
7:30pm
Boyz II Men is a Grammy Award-winning American vocal harmony group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Initiated during 1988, Boyz II Men found fame as a quartet, with members Nathan Morris, Michael McCary, Shawn Stockman,and Wanya Morris on Motown Records during the early 1990s. The group specialized in new jack swing style music.
Based on sales, Boyz II Men is the most successful Rhythm and Blues male vocal group of all time. They recorded five #1 successes between 1992 and 1997 and have sold more than 60 million albums. Three of its #1 hits, "End of the Road", "I'll Make Love to You", and "One Sweet Day" (with Mariah Carey), set and exceeded records for the longest period of time a single remained scored at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100; "One Sweet Day" still holds the record. Although "On Bended Knee" did not exceed any records, it was still a very popular song that reached #1 and made Boyz II Men the third artist (behind The Beatles and Elvis) to replace themselves at the number one rating of the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2003, Michael McCary left the group due to chronic back problems resulting from scoliosis. As of 2009, Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman, and Nathan Morris continue to tour and record as a trio. At the 1995 Grammy Awards, the group received four Grammy Award awards for their work, including two for their 1994 second album, II in 1995. Boyz II Men was named Billboard's most successful group and 4th overall artist of the 1990s by Billboard Magazine.
For the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, Boyz II Men received two nominations for the album Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA (Best Rhythm and Blues Album and Best Rhythm and Blues Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals for "Ribbon In The Sky".
In 2009, Boyz II Men announced plans for a new cover album, that covers "artists I don't think people would expect us to cover!" according to Shawn Stockman. The album's tentative title is LOVE and is scheduled to be released on November 10, 2009. On September 6, 2009 at a concert in Virginia Beach, VA, Shawn announced a 20th Anniversary album in 2011 that would include all 4 members, sparking a tremendous applause at the news of Michael McCary's return to the group after 6 year absence.