It's almost impossible to take your eyes off adorable Howie D. when Backstreet Boys are on stage. This cutie has all the moves, plus an astounding falsetto voice which will leave you speachless. For Howie, performing with Backstreet Boys is totally second nature!
This Orlando, Florida-native, who was born on August 22, 1973, has been performing for most of his life. The last of five close-knit siblings, Howie credits his sister Pollyanna with showing him the way to the bright spotlight. "She got me started when I was seven and she was 11 years old," he explains. "She just tagged me along with her to all the musicals and plays she was in. The very first play I did was the 'Wizard of Oz'. I was a munchkin. She was 'Glenda, the Good Witch.'"
From the humble start, Howie learned that performing was what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. He went on to appear in local productions of famous musicals like "The Sound Of Music", "Showboat", "Camelot" and more. But musical theater isn't the extent of Howie's experience. As an actor, he starred in the pilot of a Nickelodeon series called "Welcome Freshman" and had roles in the movies "Parenthood" and "Cop and a Half". As a teen, he also appeared in a commercial for Walt Disney World.
But singing has always been Howie's first love. "I've been in singing lessons since I was 12 years old," he says. In fact, a vocal coach he shared in common with fellow Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean was the first link in a chain of events that would make him and the rest of Backstreet Boys famous all over the world.
The two most important things in Howie's life right now are the group and his family. "I'm pretty close to my family," he says proudly. "We're one of those tight families." On each circle around the globe of a Backstreet Boys tour, Howie has crammed his luggage full of little gifts for his whole family. He writes postcards to them on the tour bus and videotapes everything that happens to him to share with his mom, dad and siblings when he finally returns home.
In Backstreet Boys, Howie has broadened the group's fan base by suggesting that they record two of their songs--"Anywhere For You" and "I'll Never Break Your Heart"--in Spanish. "I grew up speaking English but as I got older through high school and collage, I started [learning spanish]," explains this brown-eyed cutie who's of Puerto Rican and Iris heritage. "It's something I really want to incorporate."
Naturally, Howie has a lot of respect for other bilingual performers like Jon Secada. Jon is one of Howie's all-time favorite singers and he'd love to share a microphone with him someday. "We all have individual artists that we'd like to work with," he explains. Howie also appreciates the music of Bobby Brown and Boyz II Men.
Howie's other role in the group is to play the peacemaker. "Howie's Mr. Mediator," says A.J. of his older friend. "Like brothers [the group members] may argue but the really cool part is that as soon as we walk off that bus it's just like walking into character. We always make up. There's never any 24-hour 'I hate you' kind of thing. And Howie's like 'C'mon guys, lets be serious. Lets be focused.'"
What other secrets can the other BSB tell us about the guy they've nicknamed "Latin Lover" and "Sweet D."? Well, all the guys agree that Howie's definitely the neatest of the group--it takes him forever to pack his suitcase because everything has to be folded just right. Backstage before a show, he insists on drinking his ritual cup of hot tea with lots of lemon and honey. When it comes to food, all the guys agree that Howie and Kevin are the most adventurous--they've tried everything from sushi in Japan to sauerbraten in Germany. Howie is also very much into health--he tries to eat right and never goes to bed without doing his tough stomach crunches. Howie also sometimes snores! "It's because he sleeps with his mouth open," opines Nick. "I stuck a bit of Kit Kat in his mouth once, and he tried to take a bite out of it in his sleep!"
It's no deep, dark secret that Howie is really into girls. Liek the rest of the group, he doesn't have a lot of time for a steady someone, but that doesn't stop him from appreciating the attributes of the opposite sex! While he admits that girls with blond hair have often caught his eye, he's much more interested in a girl's personality than her appearance. "I always look for someone who is very supportive of what I do because it's something that I've been waiting so long for," he says. "Someone who knows what she wants in life and how to go about getting it."
Howie also doesn't want someone who's only going to stand on the sidelines and cheer him on! He's interested in girls who have dreams of their own. "I like girls who have dreams of their own. I like someone who is always looking at things in a positive way," he says. "Someone who knows what she wants in life and how to go about getting it."
Like the rest of the group, Howie is extremely excited about bringing Backstreet Boys' sultry style and soaring harmonies to their home in the United States this summer. "I just think it's been a long-awaited homecoming," he says. I'm really excited to see it happen this year. We've really had a chance to hone our craft and to appreciate all the fans who stood behind us in keeping the word going back home."
And it's about time that the girls in the U.S. get a chance to better taste the sweetness of the guy they call Howie D.!
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