Kevin Richardson (musician)

Kevin Richardson
Background information
Birth name	Kevin Scott Richardson
Born	October 3 1971 (1971-10-03) (age 36) Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Origin	American
Genre(s)	Pop
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, model, actor
Instrument(s)	Singing, piano
Years active	1993-2006
Label(s)	Jive
Associated acts	Backstreet Boys

Kevin Scott Richardson (born October 3, 1971^[1]) is an American singer and former member of the Backstreet Boys.

Biography

Career

Back in his younger years, he was a choir member and acted in school plays such as "Bye, Bye Birdie" at Estill County High School in Kentucky. He was also a football quarterback. He used to play the role of "Aladdin" and one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at Disney World (where he also met his wife Kristin Kay Willits who was playing "Belle" in "Beauty and the Beast") until he joined the Backstreet Boys in 1993. Kevin and Kristin (now Kristin Richardson) were married on June 17, 2000. In 2002, he played the role of "Billy Flynn" in the Broadway production of Chicago. He also performed this role in London's West End as well as Toronto in November 2006 – December 2006. In June 2006, Richardson left the Backstreet Boys to pursue other interests and "move on with the next chapter of [his] life." He issued the following statement on the band's website on June 23, 2006:

"After 13 years of what can only be described as a dream come true, I have decided that it is time to leave the Backstreet Boys. It was a very tough decision for me but one that was necessary in order to move on with the next chapter of my life. Howard, Brian, Alex and Nick will always be my little brothers and have my utmost love and support. I would like to thank the Backstreet fans for all the beautiful memories we have shared together and look forward to including you in the next phase of my life. I wish my brothers continued success and look forward to their new album."^[2]

Richardson is composing the soundtrack of a forthcoming animated movie, The Spirit Bear, which is due out in 2007.

On November 14, 2006, he came back to New York City with many Chicago Alumni for the 10th Anniversary for Chicago. After that from late November 2006 - December 3, 2006 he went to Toronto to play Billy Flynn. From February 4, 2007 - March 4, 2007 he went to do Chicago in Japan, for the first time.

Personal life

Kevin and wife Kristin have a child named Mason born on July 3, 2007. He and Backstreet Boys member Brian Littrell are cousins. Kevin's mother, Ann Richardson (nee Littrell), is the younger sister of Brian's father Harold Littrell, Jr. He is brother of Jerald Richardson, Jr., and his late father Jerald Wayne Richardson, Sr.'s (1942-1991) initials were the inspiration behind the title for Kevin's former charity, Just Within Reach.

References

External links

• Kevin Richardson (musician) at the Internet Movie Database
• Kristin Richardson Online Source for Kevin's wife Kristin (also known as Kristin Willits)