What is Kevin Richardson's Net Worth?
Kevin Richardson is an American singer, model, and actor who has a net worth of $40 million. Richardson is of course best known for his work with the monumentally popular vocal group Backstreet Boys. Although the Backstreet Boys reached their peak in the 90s and late 2000s, they continued to perform together well into the modern era.
Early Life
Kevin Scott Richardson was born on October 3rd of 1971 in Lexington, Kentucky. Raised by a homemaker and an outdoorsman, Kevin grew up on a 10-acre farm alongside two older brothers. At the age of nine, Richardson left his farm and lived in a log cabin in a church youth camp that his father ran. During his time at this camp, Kevin eventually became a camp counselor and met his best friend Keith. Keith also became a singer in later life.
From a very early age, Richardson became extremely comfortable with the great outdoors. He first learned to ride a horse at the tender age of four, and his passion for riding continued well into his high school years. During this period, he was also heavily involved in athletic endeavors, such as baseball and football. Eventually, he became the captain of his high school football team.
However, Kevin also exhibited a love for music at a young age. By the age of nine, he had started learning how to play the piano by ear. He also sang in his church's choir at an early age. During this period, he also became involved in community theater. When he was a high school freshman, he obtained his first keyboard and soon began performing at restaurants and at weddings alongside a band called Paradise. Although Richardson was extremely passionate about acting during his high school years, he eventually veered more towards music. Unfortunately, Kevin lost his father at the age of 19 due to cancer.
Early Career
After graduating from high school and working several odd jobs, Kevin seriously considered joining the Air Force, as he wanted to perform with the Air Force band. The other option was to attend the New York American Music and Dramatic Academy in Manhattan. Ultimately, he chose neither. Instead, he and his friend drove to Orlando and started working at Disney World. During this period, he played a number of Disney's most notable characters. After returning to Kentucky to be with his father when he died, Richardson returned to Disney World. During this time, he also found work as a model.
Backstreet Boys
Everything changed for Kevin Richardson in March of 1993. This was when he first heard about the Backstreet Boys and Lou Pearlman. Eventually, Richardson auditioned for the group and was accepted. Since the group was still short one member, Kevin called up his first cousin Brian Littrell, who also auditioned for the group and was immediately accepted. Richardson is the oldest member of the Backstreet Boys.
In 1999, the group signed a $60-million deal with Jive Records. Kevin continued to perform with the group until 2006, when he departed in order to pursue other projects. He also stated that he wanted to start a family. Over the past 13 years, he had recorded five albums with the group. During this time, the Backstreet Boys had become immensely popular, coming out with hits like "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)," "I Want it That Way," "Larger than Life," and "The One."
They sold 100 million records, and in doing so they became the best-selling boy band of all time. Two of their albums were certified diamond, which means they are part of a select group of bands to have multiple diamond records. This success contributed considerably to Kevin Richardson's net worth.
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Although Richardson left the Backstreet Boys in 2006, he reunited with the band in 2008 for a stage performance in Los Angeles. The entire band then appeared together on an episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 2010. This continued well into 2011 with multiple stage performances and TV shows. Finally, after much speculation, it was confirmed that Richardson was back with the group on a permanent basis. This means that he only really left the group for about two years.
With all that said, Kevin has explored a number of solo opportunities outside of his work with the Backstreet Boys. He composed the soundtrack for the animated film "The Spirit Bear," and 2011 he headlined a Christmas concert in Los Angeles. In 2012, he officially began working on his first solo album, which has since been delayed. He has also spoken about releasing an album of cover songs called "Cover Story." He later released a single track from his "Cover Story" album in 2015.
Other Ventures
Outside of music, Kevin Richardson has pursued various opportunities in the greater entertainment world. Along with the rest of the Backstreet Boys, Richardson has made sporadic appearances in shows like "Sesame Street" and "Sabrina the Teenage Witch." He also appeared in the movie "This is the End." In 2003, Kevin reignited his passion for acting and played the role of Billy Flynn in a Broadway production of "Chicago." He later reprised this role in another performance of "Chicago" in 2006. The play also toured in Japan and Louisville, Kentucky, with Richardson playing the role once again. Richardson has also worked as a model for brands like Versace and TAG Heuer. He has also modeled for Vogue.
