What is Brian Littrell's Net Worth?
Brian Littrell is an American singer and songwriter who has a net worth of $45 million. Littrell is best known for being a member of the all-male vocal group, the Backstreet Boys. The Backstreet Boys became incredibly popular during the 90s and early 2000s, and the success of this group has contributed greatly to Littrell's net worth today. That being said, Brian has gone on to enjoy a successful career as a solo artist outside of his work with the Backstreet Boys. In 2006, he released his solo album, entitled "Welcome Home."
Brian is also known today as an influential contemporary Christian music artist. As a born-again Christian since the age of eight, Littrell remains devout and vocal about his faith. He also stated that he attributes his success in life to God and his faith. His son Baylee has gone on to become a country singer. In 2015, he was inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame alongside other members of the Backstreet Boys, including his cousin Kevin Richardson.
Early Life
Brian Thomas Littrell was born on February 20th of 1975 in Lexington, Kentucky. His father worked for IBM, while his mother was a secretary at a dentist's office. Brian was raised in a Baptist family and he excelled at sports during his early years. He also became heavily involved in music, joining youth choruses and choirs. At the age of 16, he was convinced by a teacher to sing at social events to earn a little extra pocket money. During his high school years, Littrell also appeared in a number of school plays. In addition, he took a job working at Long John Silver's.
As a teenager, Brian envisioned himself becoming a basketball player one day. However, he rarely saw any playing time due to his height. He then switched goals, planning to become a music minister instead. Around this time, Brian's cousin Kevin showed up at his high school, pulled him out of class, and convinced him to audition for a new vocal group. Littrell flew out to Orlando the next day and earned his high school diploma via correspondence.
Career
That new vocal group that Brian auditioned for was of course the Backstreet Boys. He earned a spot in the group, and they immediately became successful with a number of early hits like "We've Got It Goin' On" and "Quit Playing Games With My Heart." As time went on, the Backstreet Boys continued to release massively successful albums and hits like "Backstreet's Back" and "I Want It That Way." They ended up with over 100 million records sold worldwide, including two diamond-certified albums. Brian eventually led the group in a lawsuit against Lou Pearlman, who had concealed the group's true earnings.
Brian went on to explore a solo career, releasing the Christian pop album "Welcome Home" in 2005. The album sold over 100,000 copies and charted well on the Christian charts. However, Littrell remains a member of the Backstreet Boys.
Relationships
Brian dated his long-term girlfriend Samantha Stonebraker until 1997. After this point, he began dating Leighanne Wallace, whom he met while the pair were working together on a music video (Wallace was an extra). After dating for two years, Brian proposed in 1999 and the pair were wed in 2000. Two years later, they welcomed their first child into the world, Baylee. This son has since gone on to star in Broadway musicals and release his own music.
Health Problems
Brian Littrell was born with a congenital heart condition, and he is very vulnerable to infections. At just 6 weeks of age, doctors discovered that he had a heart murmur. At the age of five, he was hospitalized due to a bacterial infection. These early health issues led to Littrell being held back in school, and he was forced to repeat the first grade. By 1997, doctors had become increasingly concerned about his heart, which had become quite enlarged. In 1998, he underwent open-heart surgery, which proved successful. He later established a non-profit organization to assist children suffering from heart conditions.
Brian's health conditions have impacted his career on more than one occasion. After contracting swine flu in 2009, the entire "This Is Us" tour of the Backstreet Boys had to be canceled. In 2011, he suffered immensely from dysphonia and dystonia, both vocal tension issues that affected his ability to sing. To this day, he relies on a therapist to address these concerns.
Real Estate
In 2013, it was reported that Brian had sold a bungalow in West Hollywood. The rather unremarkable home was almost certainly picked up as an investment property, since it doesn't quite fit the description of a celebrity home. He initially purchased it for $725,000 in 2002, and he managed to offload it for $1.14 million.
In 2019, it was reported that a community in North Fulton County, Georgia were very unhappy with Littrell because of his decision to rent a mansion in the area. Nearby residents say that they purchased property in the area for "peace and quiet," but these hopes were dashed when Brian showed up and started to essentially use the rental as an events venue. Loud, obnoxious parties became commonplace, and a helicopter landing pad was even constructed to shuttle in VIPs. The helicopters added to the noise and spooked farm animals. In an official statement, the Littrells explained that they had lived in the area for over two decades, and they were "committed in preserving its rich history."