Howie Dorough

name: Howard Dwaine Dorough

nickname: Howie D., SweetD

birth: August 22^nd 1973 in Orlando/Florida

zodiac sign: leo

parents: Paula and Hoke Dorough

siblings: John, Pollyanna, Caroline (dead) and Angie
 

References before the Backstreet Boys:

• Fairy-tale figure in the musical “The Wizzard of Oz” at the age of 7
• Member of the children-show-troup “Show Stoppers”
• Vocal and ballet-, step- and jazz dance lessons at the age of 12
• Main role at the children channel “Nickelodeon”
• At the age of 17 he gets recognized in the yearbook of his high school as the most talented entertainer
• Scholarship for studies at the “Valencia Community College” in Orlando
• Study of music and theater science for 2 years
• Termination with the “Associates of Art Degree”
• Underpart in the film “A cop and a half” with Burt Reynolds
• Pilot in the commercial “Welcome Freshman” for Disney
• Underpart in the film “Parenthood”
• Countless commercials, plays and musicals

Howie is born as the 5^th child of Paula and Hoke Dorough on August 22^nd 1973 in Orlando/Florida. He is the straggler in his family – his siblings John, Pollyanna, Caroline ans Angie are much older than Howie; he’s adored by all of them. Hoke, Howie’s father, isn’t home very much: to feed his family he has to do 3 jobs – in the daytime he works as a cop, in his “freetime” he works as a security in a bank and on weekends he trains policedogs. Howie’s mother Paula works in the cafeteria of a public school.

Howie has to learn quite early to stand on his own feet and his parents know they can trust him hundred percent. He is self-dependet and responsible. At the age of 3 he takes his little guitar and sings “Babyface” by Prince while jumping on his grandmothers bed. When his mother recognizes his talent, she nurtures it. Together with his sister Pollyanna, who’s dancing and singing in musicals in her freetime and gets him his first role in “The Wizzard of Oz”, Paula helps him as much as she can.

One year later his mother gets him a job in the famous children-dance-troup “Show Stopppers” and Howie acts in several plays. Everyone is impressed by his professionalism. To develop his talent, he gets private vocal and dancing lessons at the age of 12. Besides he is a member of a church choir.

Howie attends the “Edgewater high school” and with 17 he’s named in the yearbook as the most talented entertainer. Because of that he gets a scholarship at the “Valencia Community College” in Orlando. He studies music and theater sciences for  two years – he learns to work in many  fields in showbusiness: he knows how to handle a camera, to direct, to plan a radio show, to do a talk show... In between he looks at all newspapers for auditions for commericals, musicals, etc. Altough he works as an entertainer, he never neglects his duties for school. He is a good student with excellent marks.

In his freetime he loves to play basketball, to water-ski and to read (e.g. “The Firm” by John Grisham and books about transcendental topics).

At one of his countless auditions and job interviews he meets AJ and later Nick – you know how the story goes on....

Sources: * Backstreet Boys – Die Shootingstars aus den USA – von Susanne Baumann * Backstreet Boys – Fan Book – von Heike van Braak * Backstreet Boys – Quit playing games with my heart – von Sharon Hill