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Formed
1988, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Wanya
"Squirt" Morris (b. July 29, 1974), voc.;
Michael "Bass" McCary (b. Dec. 16, 1972), voc.;
Shawn "Slim" Stockman (b. Sep. 26, 1973), voc.;
Nathan "Alex Vanderpool" Morris (b. June 18,
1972), voc.
The
teenaged hip-hop/harmony quartet Boyz II Men became an
overnight sensation in 1991 upon release of its
three-million-selling debut album. With nostalgic nods to
Fifties, Sixties, and Seventies vocal groups -- from the
Blue Notes to the O’Jays -- the Boyz’ first hit,
"Motownphilly," climbed to #3 on the pop charts
(#4 R&B). The group’s musical and visual style was
described by ROLLING STONE as "distinctive,
nonthreatening, and video friendly."
The group
met and began singing their sugary sweet harmonies
together at the High School for the Creative and
Performing Arts in Philadelphia. In 1989 they gained an
important fan in Michael Bivins (of New Edition and Bell
Biv DeVoe), who helped them land their record deal. The
quartet’s massive success in turn helped breathe new
life into Motown Records, which had fared poorly through
the Eighties.
Cooleyhighharmony
is divided into a dance side and a ballads side. Followup
singles from the album included "It’s So Hard to
Say Goodbye to Yesterday" (#2 pop, #1 R&B, 1991)
and "Uhh Ahh" (#16 pop, #1 R&B, 1991). In
1992 the group toured with Hammer. The group returned in
1994 with the seven-million-selling smash II (#1
pop, 1994) and became the third act in the rock era to
succeed itself on the singles chart at #1 (after Elvis
Presley and the Beatles), with the hits "I’ll Make
Love to You" and "On Bended Knee."
1991 -- Cooleyhighharmony
(Motown)
1994 -- II
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