Howie Dorough facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Howie Dorough
Dorough at a NKOTBSB show in Newcastle Arena, 2012
Born	Howard Dwaine Dorough (1973-08-22) August 22, 1973 (age 51) Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Other names	"Howie D" "Tony Donetti"
Alma mater	Valencia College
Occupation	Singer actor
Years active	1990–present
Spouse(s)	Leigh Boniello ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	2
Musical career
Genres	R&B, pop rock, dance
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Jive RCA K-BAHN
Signature

Howard Dwaine Dorough (born August 22, 1973), known as Howie D, is an American singer and actor. He is a member of the famous pop group Backstreet Boys.

Early Life and Family

Howie Dorough was born in Orlando, Florida. He met his future bandmate, AJ McLean, there in 1989. They met through a singing coach at a Latin carnival. Howie's mother, Paula Flores-Dorough, is Puerto Rican. His father, Hoke Dwaine Dorough, was Irish American. Howie is the youngest of five children. His sister, Pollyanna, is also a singer. Sadly, his sister Caroline passed away from lupus in 1998.

How Howie D Started His Career

Early Performances and Training

Howie Dorough loved entertainment from a very young age. He started singing and acting around age six or seven. His sister, Pollyanna, helped him get started. He sang in the church choir and acted in a musical version of The Wizard of Oz.

His mother enrolled him in children's theater groups. He performed in many musicals like "Sound Of Music" and "Camelot." He also took singing, acting, and dance lessons. He learned classical ballet, tap, and jazz. He even joined an all-boy ballet group.

School Days and First Roles

In junior high and high school, Howie sang in the choir. He also joined the drama club. He acted in school plays and a school TV show. When he was 14, an acting agent discovered him. The agent gave him the stage name Tony Donetti.

He got roles in movies like Parenthood and Cop and a Half. He also had a main role in a Nickelodeon TV pilot called "Welcome Freshman." He even starred in a commercial for Disney World. Howie also auditioned for the Mickey Mouse Club, like his future bandmates.

Howie once forgot the words while singing the National Anthem at a high school game. It was embarrassing, but he didn't give up. He later sang 'Unchained Melody' at a school talent show and got a standing ovation. He also tried out for the Latin boy band Menudo but didn't make it.

He graduated from Edgewater High School in 1991. He was in the top 10 of his class and was voted 'Most Talented'. After high school, he got a scholarship. He attended both University of Central Florida and Valencia College.

Joining the Backstreet Boys

Howie auditioned for the Backstreet Boys. They lost his contact information at first. But after six months, they found him again, thanks to AJ McLean. He then officially joined the group.

Howie D and the Backstreet Boys

Dorough (left) and Nick Carter with the Backstreet Boys, 2005

The Backstreet Boys group was formed in 1993 by Lou Pearlman. Howie Dorough joined AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, and Kevin Richardson. They started performing in high schools and shopping malls. In 1994, they signed a contract with Jive Records.

The group became very popular in Europe, especially in Germany. They went on tour to support their first album. This album sold over 8 million copies worldwide.

Their second album, Backstreet's Back, was released in Europe. At the same time, their first album was released in the United States. This U.S. album combined songs from their international debut and Backstreet's Back. It reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart and sold over 14 million copies. Backstreet's Back was even more successful, reaching number one in many countries.

In 1998, they started recording Millennium. It was released in May 1999. This album became one of the biggest-selling albums ever. It reached number one in many countries.

Their next album was Black & Blue. The first song from it, Shape Of My Heart, came out on October 3. Black and Blue sold 1.59 million copies in the US in its first week. This made the Backstreet Boys the first artists to have two albums sell over a million copies back-to-back.

After releasing their greatest hits album, the group took a break. They got back together in 2003. Their album Never Gone was released in 2005. It sold well, even though some critics didn't like it much. They released Unbreakable in 2007 and This Is Us in 2009. Their eighth album, In a World Like This, came out on July 30, 2013. Their ninth album, DNA, was released on January 25, 2019. A new tour followed in May 2019. The Backstreet Boys have sold over 135 million records worldwide, making them one of the biggest-selling artists of all time.

Howie D's Solo Work and Other Projects

Solo Music Career

Howie Dorough started working on his first solo album in 2006. He first thought about making it a Spanish/Latin album. But he later decided to make it more pop/R&B style. His first solo album, Back to Me, was released on November 15, 2011. Howie co-wrote many songs on the album. The first song from the album, "100," was released in summer 2011. It was played on the radio, mostly in Canada. In November 2011, Howie also joined Britney Spears on her Femme Fatale Tour in South America.

In 2015, there were talks about a second solo album. On May 9, 2019, Howie announced that his new solo album, "Which One Am I," would be released on July 12, 2019.

TV and Movie Roles

Howie Dorough has also acted over the years. He appeared in the TV series Roswell. He was also on ABC's Sabrina, the Teenage Witch as a rock star named Strum. He voiced Santa Claus on the Nick Jr show Dora the Explorer in a Christmas episode. He also did a skit on Saturday Night Live in 1999.

In September 2002, Howie and the Backstreet Boys appeared on the children's cartoon Arthur. In 2013, Howie made his movie debut in the comedy This Is the End with the rest of the Backstreet Boys. In 2017, Howie appeared on the USA Network show Big Star Little Star with his son James. In February 2024, Howie appeared on the Fox Network show Name that Tune.

Other Businesses

Howie Dorough also started a company called Sweet D, Inc. with his older brother John. This company works on real estate, building homes and hotels. He has also been a leader in other companies, like the Dorough Lupus Foundation and Howiedoit Productions, Inc.

In early 2020, Howie starred in a musical called Howie D: Back in the Day. The show was based on his life. It was performed at The Rose Theater in Omaha, Nebraska.

Howie D's Personal Life

Family and Charity Work

In September 1998, Howie's sister, Caroline Dorough-Cochran, passed away from lupus. After her death, Howie started the Dorough Lupus Foundation (DLF) in her memory. The foundation helps raise money for lupus research. Howie has organized many charity events for the foundation. These include concerts, auctions, and yearly cruises. The foundation helps people learn about lupus. It also helps those who need money for treatment and supports research.

Marriage and Children

On December 6, 2000, Howie met Leigh Anne Boniello. She was working on the official Backstreet Boys website at the time. Howie and Leigh dated for six years. In 2006, he asked her to marry him on New Year's. A year later, on December 8, 2007, they got married. The wedding was a traditional Catholic ceremony at St. James Cathedral in Orlando. Howie was baptized there and used to sing in the choir. They have two sons together. Howie also helped his wife launch her line of eco-friendly handbags called Eslla.

Howie D's Music Albums

Albums

Singles

Songs He Worked On With Others

• "Every Minute, Every Hour" (co-writer) (2gether)
• "Show Me What You Got" (Bratz featuring BoA and Howie Dorough)
• "I'll Be There" (Howie Dorough featuring Sarah Geronimo)
• "It Still Matters ~愛は眠らない(Ai wa Nemuranai)~" (The Gospellers featuring Howie Dorough)
• "I Like It" (co-writer) (So Real, Mandy Moore)
• "If I Say" (Howie Dorough featuring U)
• "Worth Fighting For" (Howie Dorough featuring U)
• "New Tomorrow" (featuring Howie D) (A Friend in London feat Howie Dorough)

Howie D's TV Shows and Movies

See also

In Spanish: Howie Dorough para niños

• Backstreet Boys
• List of Puerto Ricans