Myers Park boys become Backstreet Boys for a night
The Story
Myers Park High School graduates Josh Turner and Carson McKee were goofing around in December 2013 when they created a bluegrass rendition of a Backstreet Boys song and posted it on YouTube.
By some small twist of fate, Kevin Richardson – one-fifth of the seminal ’90s boy band – stumbled across the video. And he didn’t like what he saw. He loved it.
Ye Haw!!! Bluegrass baby!!! http://t.co/8fXRQLqoem http://t.co/TaG3fgTNvX
— Kevin Richardson (@kevinrichardson) January 11, 2014
An invitation
Turner was a bit worried when The Backstreet Boys starting following him on Twitter. Turns out that Richardson and group-mate Brian Littrell surprised Turner and McKee by inviting the college students to perform with them tonight at the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame’s 2015 induction ceremony. The two Backstreet Boys are getting inducted.
About the (non-Backstreet) boys
– McKee is 21 and a senior at UNC Chapel Hill
– Turner is 22 and is a senior at Butler University in Indianapolis
– They met as 8th graders at Alexander Graham Middle School
– The pair have played music together for years. Their “blues shuffle” version of the Eagles’ “Life in the Fast Lane” went viral and has been viewed more than 360,000 times.
– A solo rendition by Turner of Paul Simon’s “Graceland” got him invited to perform it on ABC’s “Good Morning America” last June.
BTW, there’s still a Backstreet Boys?
Yes! And the group is even on tour — it hits China on April 16.
30 days to go! Finally got mine! 100% ready!!! See you soon, my gorg boys! @backstreetboys #BSBinManila #BSBinMNL pic.twitter.com/d3Y1J77VMB
— Hazelle Trinidad (@hazetrinidadmd) April 5, 2015
Bonus
Did you know that readers of Rolling Stone in 2012 voted the Backstreet Boys as the best boy band of all time?
Photo by Joel McKee
This story was originally published April 9, 2015 at 9:57 AM with the headline "Myers Park boys become Backstreet Boys for a night."