Brian Littrell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brian Littrell
Littrell at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2025
Born	Brian Thomas Littrell (1975-02-20) February 20, 1975 (age 50) Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Alma mater	Tates Creek High School
Occupation	Singer songwriter
Years active	1993–present
Spouse(s)	Leighanne Wallace ​ (m. 2000)​
Children	Baylee Littrell (b. 2002)
Relatives	Kevin Richardson (cousin)
Musical career
Genres	Pop R&B CCM
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Reunion Jive
Signature

Brian Thomas Littrell, born on February 20, 1975, is an American singer. He is best known as a member of the famous music group Backstreet Boys. Brian also sings contemporary Christian music and released his own album called Welcome Home in 2006. He is the father of country singer Baylee Littrell.

In 2015, Brian Littrell was honored and added to the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame. His cousin and fellow bandmate, Kevin Richardson, was also inducted at the same time.

Early Life and Hobbies

Brian Littrell was born in Lexington, Kentucky. His mother, Jacqueline, was a dentist's secretary, and his father, Harold Jr., worked for IBM. Brian has an older brother, Harold III, who is also an actor and singer. Brian is cousins with Backstreet Boys member Kevin Richardson. Their fathers are brothers.

Brian was good at sports when he was young. He played baseball in both Little League and the Babe Ruth League. His family was very religious, and he grew up in a Baptist church. He sang his first solo at church when he was just 7 years old. When he was 14, he started singing at weddings. His choir teacher at Tates Creek High School suggested he could earn money this way. Brian also acted in school plays, like Grease. He even worked at a fast-food restaurant called Long John Silver's.

Before becoming a singer, Brian wanted to be a basketball player. However, he was not often chosen for high school tournaments because he was 5 feet 7 inches tall. He also thought about becoming a music minister.

Music Career Highlights

Joining the Backstreet Boys

Littrell (left) with the Backstreet Boys in 2008

In April 1993, Brian's cousin, Kevin Richardson, called him. Kevin told Brian about an audition for a new member of the Backstreet Boys. The group needed a fifth member after someone left. Brian flew to Orlando the very next day to try out. He finished high school by taking classes through the mail, and he graduated in 1994.

In 1997, Brian helped start a lawsuit against the group's creator, Lou Pearlman. They believed Pearlman was hiding information about how much money the group was earning. Other bandmates, AJ McLean, Kevin Richardson, and Howie Dorough, joined the lawsuit. The case was settled, but the details were not shared publicly. In 2000, Teen People magazine named Brian one of the "25 Hottest People Under 25." He shared this honor with Justin Timberlake from the group *NSYNC.

Brian's Christian Music

Littrell performing in 2005

Brian always wanted to record Christian music. He called it "pop positive" music. In 2004, Brian signed a solo record deal with Reunion Records. He released his solo album, Welcome Home, in 2005. Brian helped write six of the songs on this album. The album sold over 100,000 copies in the United States. It reached number 74 on the Billboard 200 charts. On the Christian album charts, Welcome Home started at number 3.

Four songs from the album were released as singles: "In Christ Alone," "Wish," "Over My Head," and "Welcome Home (You)". "Welcome Home (You)" reached number 2 on the US Christian AC Charts. For three weeks, it was also number 1 on Reach FM's Top 40 chart. In the summer of 2005, his song "In Christ Alone" became number 1 on the Christian charts. Even with his solo career, Brian has always remained a member of the Backstreet Boys.

Brian won a Dove Award in 2006 for "Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year" for "In Christ Alone." He won another Dove Award in 2008 for "By His Wounds." He also won "Special Event Album of the Year" in 2008 for Glory Revealed. This was an album with many other Christian artists. In 2010, he won the same award for Glory Revealed II.

Brian also released two Christmas music collections. His wife, Leighanne, and son, Baylee, were featured on them. These were Brian Littrell's Family Christmas (released December 6, 2010) and Christmas with the Littrells (released December 6, 2011).

TV and Movie Appearances

Brian has appeared on TV shows with the Backstreet Boys. These include Arthur, Sesame Street, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Brian and bandmate AJ McLean also had small roles in the movie Olive Juice. Brian's wife, Leighanne, starred in that film. The Backstreet Boys performed on Saturday Night Live in 1998 and 1999. In 2013, Brian and his bandmates appeared in the movie This Is the End.

Other Activities

When the Backstreet Boys took a break, Brian got involved in other activities. Many of these were for charity. He joined other celebrities in yearly NBA tours. He played basketball in different NBA cities before games. He also played in charity baseball, softball, and golf games.

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

In June 1997, Brian met Leighanne Reena Wallace. She was an actress and model. They met on the set of the "As Long as You Love Me" music video. Brian said that meeting Leighanne started a new chapter for him. He proposed to her on Christmas in 1999. Their engagement was announced on MTV in February 2000. Brian and Leighanne got married on September 2, 2000, in Atlanta.

On September 11, 2001, Leighanne was supposed to be on a flight that was later hijacked. Luckily, she had canceled her flight the night before. On November 26, 2002, Brian and Leighanne had their son, Baylee Thomas Wylee Littrell. Baylee is now following in his father's footsteps in the entertainment world.

As of 2024, the family lives in Alpharetta, Georgia, near Atlanta. They have lived there since 2000.

Health Challenges

Brian was born with a heart condition. This made him more likely to get infections. Doctors found he had a heart murmur when he was six weeks old. At age five, he was in the hospital for two months because of a serious infection. Because of this, Brian had to repeat the first grade in school.

In November 1997, doctors found that Brian's heart had grown larger due to his condition. Brian decided to wait to have surgery so he could finish his touring commitments. He had open-heart surgery on May 8, 1998. Brian's surgery was shown in the band's music video for "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely." After his surgery, he started the Brian Littrell Healthy Heart Club. This group helps children with heart conditions.

In October 2009, Brian got the swine flu. This caused the Backstreet Boys to cancel their tour to promote their album This Is Us.

In a 2015 documentary film called Backstreet Boys: Show 'Em What You're Made Of, Brian shared that he was diagnosed in 2011 with a voice condition. It is called vocal tension dysphonia and dystonia. He has worked with a therapist to help improve his voice.

Religious Beliefs

Brian is a very religious Christian. He believes that Christians should be open about their faith. He has said that his faith has always been the most important thing in his life. He believes his success comes from God.

Filmography

Discography

Albums

Singles

See also

In Spanish: Brian Littrell para niños

• Backstreet Boys
• List of Christian worship music artists