Full name: Brian Thomas Littrell
Nick names: Frick, B-Rok, Mr. Joker, Seaver, Bizzle
Date of birth: February 20, 1975 in Lexington, Kentucky
Location: Atlanta
Sign: pisces
Eye colour: blue
Height: 5 feet 9 inches
Parents: Harold and Jaqueline Littrell
Siblings: Harold Littrell
Hobbies: reading, music, basketball
Instruments: guitar
Fave food: macaroni and cheese
Fave drink: Coke
Fave movie: Ace Ventura, Forrest Gump, Ghost
Fave book: Hit men
Fave band: Outhere brothers
Fave actors: Tom Hanks and Jim Carrey
Fave color: blue
Weaknesses: biting fingernails, acrophobia
Pets: dog Maymee Lou and cat names Missy
Children: son Baylee Thomas Wylee Littrell (birth date November 26, 2002)
Status: married to Leighanne Reena Littrell (Wallace), one son: Baylee Thomas Littrell (2002)
Brian was born as the second son of Harold jnr. II and Jacqueline on February 20, 1975 in Lexington, Kentucky. His brother Harold jnr. III is four years older than Brian. Both of them grew up in a middle-class environment, away from the entertainment industry. Father Harold worked for the computer company IBM, his wife for their church. Harold and Jacqueline are strictly religious Baptists and therefore it can't be dismissed that they bring their sons up in exactly this religion. So religion played an important role in Brian's life from the beginning. Brian regularly went to church with his family and attended Bible class.
At the age of 5, Brian had a bicycle accident while playing with his brother. That wasn't so bad at first. Brian had a scraped knee but except for this, he was fine. But his mother wanted to be sure and took her youngest son to hospital to have him examined.
There the doctors diagnosed a congenital heart defect (ventricle septum defect = cavity in the cardiac septum between the right and left ventricle) and heart murmurs. They also diagnosed a sepsis. So Brian had to stay in hospital for 2 months. The doctors told his parents that they shouldn't reckon that Brian would make it because this illness didn't have the best chances for Brian. They were advised to plan the funeral for their youngest son. His family as well as the whole church, in which the Littrells were, prayed for a good end. These prayers seemed to be heard because Brian could leave the hospital healthily – except for the congenital heart defect.
After his discharge, he got a brand-new bicycle (red and yellow with a banana-shaped saddle). This bicycle has been Brian's fave bicycle until now. Because of his long hospital stay, Brian was the oldest in his class which he also took advantage of.
Since Brian mustn't overstrain himself, his parents kept an eye on him. He played with his brother Harold and his cousin Kevin in the nature and they explored their neighbourhood.
One year later, there was only a shadow on the X-ray, the cavity decreased. Also his ECG was normal.
„Shoot the Rock“ is the name for playing basketball in the sportsmen jargon. Brian quickly had the nick name „B-Rok“(the B stood for his name) because he likes playing basketball. After his hospital stay, Brian had been given some rules of conduct on his way which he pursued adamantly. And one rule was: taking exercise. However Brian should take care that he didn't go over the top. The sport should brace his heart and thus reduced the cavity in his heart.
With his height of 5 feet 9 inches, Brian was unfortunately too small for the NBA and thus the dream of the then 15-year-old boy didn't come true. But despite this, he was an exceptionally gifted basketball player who adjusted the missing inches with cleverness and speed. Brian likes playing basketball but he also does athletics and plays tennis or golf. Unfortunately Brian didn't make it in the school team. So he played in the league team of his church.
Brian became a member of the children church choir at the age of 5 because his mother worked for the church. „As a small boy I ate, drank and slept in the church if I liked it or not“ Brian said in a magazine. He had rather played than being in church on Sundays but he got used to it. According to Brian, this early impression had a very great effect on how he lives his life today. Brian didn't go out he rather spent Wednesday evenings at the Bible class.
Brian concentrated on singing because his parents were worried because of his healthy if he did exercise. And so Brian sang solos in his church very early. They were totally thrilled of Brian's angelic voice. And this voice was also heard in other churches because Brian got invitations to sing in other churches.
He sang in the preliminary program of the state choir for two years in his highschool time. And this although he didn't take any singing lessons at this moment Brian was offered a scholarship for the Bible College in Cincinnati where he hoped to study theology and music. But it turned out differently.
Brian already began to work at the age of 15. He worked in his church or helped in the hospital. A job at John Long Silver's Fast Food shop brought Brian someone who slept with him in his bed after he had come from work: his cat Missy. She loved the smell of the fish which Brian took home from work every time.
At the age of 16, Brian got his driving license and bought with a small mite of his parents his first car: a Pick up Truck, year of construction 1988, He drove his car whenever he had time.
As a little boy, he always dreamed of being a great singer. His practice which he had through his performances in the church and school choir, as well as his solo performances, were for the young man, who didn't have a single singing lesson, the best preparation for his job. According to Brian's earlier thoughts, this shouldn't take place at church and he didn't need a college certificate for this.
Brian was in history class (for American history) when he was suddenly called to come to the secretary through the speakers. There was a call for him. Brian later said about this event that he was afraid that something had happened at home or with his family.
But his fear shouldn't be confirmed. At the other end of the line was his cousin Kevin. He called Brian and asked him if he wanted to join a band. Brian swept off his feet. He agreed and next morning at 6.00 am he flew to Orlando, Florida. There he should audition and he also met the other band members at the same day.
On July 15, 1997 during the video shoot of the single „As long as you love me“ by the Backstreet Boys, Brian met his girlfriend who later became his wife, the actress Leighanne Reena Wallace.
In November 1997, his doctors advised Brian to have a surgery on his heart since the cavity increased again. Brian said that this is due to the stressful work and the band's stressful agenda.
Leighanne, as well as his family and band colleagues, were extremely worried about Brian. He, however, didn't want to endanger the work of the Backstreet Boys and postponed the essential surgery twice.
On May 8, 1998, Brian had his surgery. After the surgery, he had to face a strict rehabilitation scheme with physiotherapy among other things. This, however, was the only thing he was allowed to do. Besides, his mother Jackie should care for him until he is healthy again.
After 8 weeks of tough rehabilitation, Brian returned to his colleagues who had used the „compulsory break“ either to spend their holidays at home or to work on the new album in the studio.
The group rehearsed for 4 days and then, in Charlotte, North Carolina, they went on stage again for the first time after Brian's surgery. Even if Brian could cope well with the performance – he dropped out during the faster dances – there were always ambulance men and oxygen ready for an emergency.
Before his surgery, Brian launched a foundation which collects money for cardiac children and offers financial help for their heart surgeries. Moreover, the Brian Littrell Healthy Heart Club for Kids ® takes care of the cardiac children's education, in terms of nutrition and other things.
After a refused proposal on Christmas 1998 – Leighanne refused Brian's proposal. She said they should first move together.
One year later – in 1999 - Brian tried his luck again: Brian proposed to his girlfriend Leighanne during a picnic in their garden. This time, she accepted it.
One year later, on September 2, 2000, they got married in the Peach Tree Church in Marietta, Georgia. Of course, besides his family, there were also Brian's band colleagues. Brian even wrote a song for his wife which he sang at the wedding.
Brian and Leighanne acquired 2 chihuahuas, a male dog (Little Tyk Thomas) and a female dog (Litty Leigh). Leighanne and Brian called them their children since they hadn't had children at that time yet. There was much agitation when both dogs were kidnapped. There was a reward for the lucky finder. It turned out all right, both dogs came back to their „parents“.
Baylee who was born in the meantime, should get a new playfellow named Maymee Lou after the death of Litty Leigh and also later Tyke Thomas.
After the Black and Blue worldtour in 2001 which finished in Osaka, Japan, the band decided that they need a break from the stressful life on tour. After 8 years on tour the individual members now made their own way.
On November 26, 2002 Brian and Leighanne got proud parents of little Baylee Thomas Wylee Littrell who was born in Atlanta, GA. Brian and Leighanne had Bailey examined because they had doubts that Brian's heart defect could be passed on. Fortunately this wasn't the case. Both of them could make good use of their new life as parents due to the break of the Backstreet Boys. For Brian it was something like „parental leave“.
In spite of the break of the band, the members always kept in touch with each other.
During the European tour for the Backstreet Boys album, Brian wrote the last song for his first solo album which contains Christian songs, at the hotel in Vienna. The song which he wrote (Welcome Home), was also the title of his first solo album. Brian released the album in 2006 and went with it on tour in the USA and in Japan. In Europe he only played once at a festival for Christian music in the Netherlands. In America he got several awards for his album which was very successful there.
On September 27, 2006 Brian performed at the world-famous Crystal Cathedral. The service was broadcasted around the world and seen by an estimated 20 million viewers.
On May 10, 2007 he received an award from the Crystal Cathedral for being a positive role model using his music to touch lives in the pop and Christian market, and using his foundation to help children
In 2008, besides the work with the Backstreet Boys, he is also working on his second solo album.
In December 2008 Baylee was diagnosed with A-Typical Kawasaki Disease. Kawasaki Disease causes inflammation in the coronary arteries as well as the walls of the small and medium sized arteries throughout the body.
as of 2009
© German BSB Supportteam