Date: Friday, August 14, 1998
Title: It runs in the family: Stardom at the tender age of 10
Author: LISA WILTON
Source: Calgary Sun
Source: http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusicArtistsC/carter_aaron.html
Topic: 1998 Article/Interview
A way to a man's heart may be through his stomach -- but the way to a pre-pubescent pop star's heart is with a Beanie Baby.
"I love Beenie Babies," exclaims Aaron Carter, the 10-year-old singing wunderkind and younger brother of Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter.
"My brother gets a lot of gifts from girls so he gave me a Beenie Baby. I love them but I've only got one."
Carter says he doesn't get nearly the same amount of gifts as his brother, but he doesn't seem to mind.
He is just happy with the fact he is able to record and perform at such a young age.
Born in Tampa, Fla., the youngest of five children (he's a minute younger than his twin sister Angel), Carter -- who opens for The Backstreet Boys at the Saddledome Monday night -- began performing in front of audiences at the age of seven.
While in grade school, he formed a band called Dead End with three of his classmates. They played at local coffee houses and one of the city's libraries.
But after a year and a half, the band decided to go in more of an alternative direction, so Carter split to pursue his own career in pop music.
"It's very exciting for me," says Carter, who hit it big with his first single, a cover of the Jets' Crush on You.
"I've always wanted to do this all my life ... I like both being in the studio and on stage. They're both really fun."
Fun seems to be the one word that pops up over and over again when talking to Carter.
Of course, life as a 10-year-old pop sensation, who doesn't need to bother with things like writing songs or playing an instrument, can be pretty sweet.
But there are a few drawbacks.
"I don't really like airplanes that much and I don't like buses because they break down," he says.
"But I like travelling. I've been to Europe lots of times.
"I just did a tour over there with some groups like No Authority. It was very fun for me."
Carter also enjoys making videos and says his favorite part about it is the ability to sing "and do all those acting things at the same time.
"I haven't really done any acting, but I'd like to get into it.
"Nickelodeon (a TV network) has already offered me some scripts."
