Whoever said it just gets better with time, must have had Boyz II Men in mind. Of course for the quartet from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Michael "Bass" McCary, Wanya "Squirt" Morris, Shawn "Slim" Stockman, and Nathan "Alex Vanderpool" Morris - it just gets better with every song would be a more authentic statement.
Since the 1991 release of Cooleyhighharmony, the group's Motown debut, it's been one good thing after the next. And that has always meant a bigger and better hit with the release of every single. It's definetly what Michael Bivins wanted for his protege act, but not even a smooth talker like Biv could have predicted all of this.
First came "Motownphilly," which was on everybody's play list. And the hist kept rolling with "It's so Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday," "Uhh Ahh," "Please Don't Go," and the latest smash, "Sympin'."
From the beginning, Boyz II Men wanted to be known as a group that can blow. They sang a capella at every appearance, delighting crowds who by now are fed up with no-talent posers and are eager to embrace the real deal. At a listening party in New York City, just weeks after the release of Cooleyhighharmony, the group performed for some musical journalists who had to put away their pens and pads after just one song. No need to take notes, this one is too good to be caught working.
It was almost certain that given Boyz II Men's talent and success that they could recieve at least one Grammy nomination. But winning? Well, not even the Boyz themselves expected that. But the tiny gramphone found its way into their hands as they were named Best R&B Group. More wins came at the Soul Train Awards, and then Bob Hope called.
Bob Hope? Yep. The Bob Hope, who's been entertaining military personnel overseas for decades, called Boyz II Men to tape his last TV special. And as Michael McCary said, when an industry veteran like that call you up, you answer the phone. It just goes to show that everyone can appreciate real talent.
And Hammer, too. Boyz II Men, Jodeci, Doug E. Fresh, Aaron Hall, and TLC were among the young acts Hammer invited to join him on his Too Legit to Quit World Tour. And while all the acts recieved good reviews from around the country, it was unanimous that Boyz II Men stole the show.
At Madison Square Garden in New York, they delevired twenty minutes of smooth harmonies, and impressive dance steps that pleased their core young audience as well as their parents. Sharing the spotlight equally, every member had a chance to shine.
Shawn was particularly animated on "Please Don't Go," and Wanya crooned, while dropping on his knee. But that wasn't just for effect, he backed up the dramitic stance with stirring riffs, a la Vandross, that were well appreciated. When he introduced himself to the crowd, he said "To know me is to love me." They agreed.
Michael's bass recieved applause all night, but never as much when he told the audience, "Barry White is my favorite, but I'm not Barry," then teased with, "show you right."
Every Gemini in the house wanted to be Nate's twin when he made his introduction, and he smiled and teased them over and over again.
With the house lights up, Boyz II Men performed "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" a capella, with everyone joing in. And when they dived into the sexy "Uhh Ahh," one female audience member could not be contained. During the reggae breakdown on the song, she leapt onstage racing to Michael. While guards looked positively shocked, Michael just turned to the fan, embracing her. It doesn't get any better than this, especially for one lucky fan.
Boyz II Men were truly on a roll and were living the ultimate dream. But less than a month after that show, they were faced with their first tragic mishap.
It would have been easy to deal with if they put on a bad show, or someone mised a dance step. But this tragedy would force the group to leave the tour, temporarily. During a stop over in Chicago, Khalil Roundtree, the group's ubiquitous road manager was fatally wounded. And suddenly, one of their biggest hits, "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday," took on a new meaning.
In the days following the tragedy, Michael Bivins would tell the world of his personal loss and that of the group. Roundtree had been around Bivins since te days of New Edition and had been everything to Boyz II Men, even appearing in their videos.
Now as the group reflects on the tragedy and makes plans to move on, there is one thing Michael, Wanya, Shawn, and Nathan must keep in mind, whether it's honing or healing, everything gets better with time.