2006

Talk to Me Biography

Joey McIntyre is a modern throwback to the classic song-and-dance men of show business, a veteran who has starred on Broadway (in "Wicked") and off (Jonathan Larson's "tick, tick, Boom!"), TV (Dancing with the Stars, Boston Public), film (Tony and Tina's Wedding, The Fantasticks), records (selling 35 million as the youngest New Kid on the Block and a hit solo single, "Stay the Same") and the concert stage.

"I only do things I'm excited about, think I have a flair for and what I'll learn from," says the Boston-born trouper, one of nine children in a close-knit Irish-Catholic family. "Sometimes you have to take a chance."

With his fifth solo album, Talk to Me, McIntyre tackles the standards of his youth performing musical theatre as part of the Footlight Club, the oldest community theatre in America. Inspired to do the album by seeing Frank Sinatra perform at L.A.'s Greek Theater just a few years before the legendary crooner's death, McIntyre covers these songs, all of them performed by the Chairman, to pardon the expression, "his way." The track listing includes "The Way You Look Tonight," "I Get a Kick Out of You," "My Funny Valentine," "Bewitched," "Come Dance with Me," "Makin' Whoopee," "Moon River," "Come Rain or Come Shine," "I Got the World on a String" and "All the Way."

"This is the music I grew up listening to," he says. "These songs are still so fresh. We tried to respect where they came from, but also give it a modern pop sensibility that reflects the times. It's not a throwback. This record is essentially who I am."

McIntyre called on some longtime collaborators to work with him on the album, including executive producer/singer/songwriter Emanuel Kiriakou (Nick Lachey, Kathryn McFee) and producer/arranger/keyboardist Doug Petty (Audra McDonald, Preservation Hall Jazz Band) and such top-flight L.A. session musicians as his brother Dan Petty on guitar, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta (James Taylor, Josh Groban, George Benson, Chris Botti, Le Ann Rimes) and bassist Brian Bromberg (Stan Getz, Nancy Wilson, Arturo Sandoval).

McIntyre will perform two of the songs from the album during the 38-city Dancing with the Stars—The Tour, a national arena jaunt starting in San Diego on Dec. 19 through Atlantic City, N.J., on Feb. 11 next year. The record will be available for sale exclusively at each show.

"There aren't a lot of tours like this these days," he says of the tour. "It's a good fit for my new record- mixing classic dance with these great songs."

Talk to Me is, in many ways, what McIntyre has been working towards since he joined New Kids on the Block just before his 13th birthday to become part of one of the most successful boy groups of all time, scoring chart-topping, multi-platinum albums in Hangin' Tough and Step by Step until disbanding in 1994, paving the way for the likes of Backstreet Boys and NSYNC.

McIntyre continued his songwriting, using his own money to record a solo single, "Stay the Same," which became a national hit when it was picked up by some local DJs. The Stay the Same album, eventually released by Sony's Columbia Records, went on to sell a million copies around the world. It was followed by the solo efforts Meet Joe Mac on Q/Atlantic Records in 2001, One Too Many, a live album featuring Joey and Emanuel Kiriakou on Bacouris/New Line Records in 2002 and 8:09 on Artemis Records in 2004.

In 2004, he took on the male lead of Fiyero opposite Tony winner Idina Menzel in the smash Broadway musical, Wicked. He also appeared on the very first season of the hit ABC show, Dancing with the Stars, a decision he was skeptical about at first, but later was glad he did.

"I always wanted to study dance and the show was like going to school. I really learned ballroom dancing. I knew I'd be able to perform before millions of people. I just didn't know it would be 20 million. But musical theatre was in my blood. I used to do "Music Man," "The Sound of Music," "Oliver!," all those shows. Being a song and dance man, like Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly, you always have that connection with the audience. It's a breathing thing… with a life of its own."

McIntyre takes that same crowd-pleasing sensibility onto his new album. "Success for me is being able to bring out the greatness of these songs for the listener," he explains. "If I can allow the song to speak for itself, that's an accomplishment. You don't want any artificial feeling. It has to be true. These songs are hallowed ground. They're special. I've listened to these songs my whoe life. But I had to do them my way."

And that he does, with small ensemble arrangements, utilizing touches like the pedal steel guitar in "Talk to Me" to put his stamp on these classics.

The next step is getting out there and singing these songs for an audience, something McIntyre has enjoyed doing for most of his life.

"The album means a great deal to me. I'm in this for the long run," he explains. "I've been around this business awhile. Even the biggest stars have their ups and downs. You just have to dust yourself off and do what you do. Like my father would say, 'Keep on punching.'"

On Talk to Me, he leads with a firm right hand straight to your heart, launching the next round of his career as a 21st century song and dance man.

2006

Dancing with the Stars Live Tour book Biography

Joey McIntyre is a modern throwback to the classic song-and- dance men of show business, a veteran who has starred on Broadway (in "Wicked") and off (Jonathan Larson's" tick, tick, Boom!), TV (Boston Public), film (Tony and Tina's Wedding, The Fantasticks), records (selling 35 million as the youngest New Kid on the Block and a hit solo single, "Stay the Same") and the concert stage.

"I only do things I'm excited about, think I have a flair for and what I'll learn from," says the Boston- born trouper, one of nine children in close-knit Boston-Irish family. "Sometimes you have to take a chance."

With his fifth solo album, Talk to me, McIntyre tackles the standards of his youth. "This is the music I grew up listening to", he says. "Theses Songs are still so fresh. We tried to respect where they came from, but also give it a modern pop sensibility that reflects the times. It's not a throwback. This record is essentially who I am." The new CD includes" The Way You Look Tonight," I Get a Kick Out of You," "My Funny Valentine," "Bewiched," "Come Dance with Me," "Makin Whoopee," "Moon River," " Come Rain or Come Shine," " I Got the World on a String" and "All The Way".

"Success for this album is being able to bring out the greatness of these songs for the listener," he explains. "If I can allow the song to speak for itself, that's an accomplishment. These songs are hallowed ground. They're special, so you don't want any artificial feeling. It has to be true."

The next step is getting out there and singing these songs for an audience, something McIntyre has enjoyed doing for most of his life.

"The album means a great deal to me. I'm in this for the long run," he explains. "I've been around this business awhile. Even the biggest stars have their ups and downs. You just have to dust yourself off and do what you do. Like my father would say, "Keep on punching."

On Talk to Me, he leads with a firm right hand straight to your heart, launching the next round of his career as a 21st century song and dance man.

2004

You know I really don't like bios because they never quite capture the essence of the artist. However, this one is quite remarkable...LIES, ALL LIES!

JOEY McINTYRE

Entering the homestretch of 2002 and into the New Year, Joey McIntyre is prepared to fire on all show business cylinders. He will be featured weekly as Colin Flynn, a neophyte teacher learning the ropes on Fox's Boston Public. And almost simultaneously with his regular TV stint, his live album, One Too Many, recorded last April at Joe's Pub in NYC, becomes available in brick and mortar retail locations. (Release date October 8th via Joey's own label Bacouris Records distributed by New Line Records).

Joey McIntyre's role in Boston Public follows from his star turn Off-Broadway in tick, tick, Boom from October 2001 through January 2002. In this semi-autobiographical musical comedy/drama, penned by Jonathan Larsen, the late playwright of Rent, Joey encapsulates the role of Jon, an aspiring, but unrealized theatrical composer approaching his 30th birthday in 1990 in New York City. Following the off-Broadway run at The Jane Street Theater, Joe and cast mounted the play for two sold out weeks in Seoul, Korea.

Upon returning from Asia, Joey and his musical co-conspirator, Eman (Emanual Kiriakou), took their "one man show with two people" across the USA. "One Too Many…" recorded at the 1st 2 performances serves as a musical souvenir of the tour as well as a showcase for Joe Mac's wit and sometimes uproarious, off-the-cuff, stage patter. Besides highlights from Joey's two solo albums, Stay The Same and Meet Joe Mac, he and Eman interpret some of Joey's favorite songs from U2, Cyndi Lauper, Fleetwood Mac, and even New Kids On The Block. A true camaraderie exudes on the record, not only between Joe and Eman, but also with The Bravehearts- Joey's nom de plume for his devoted fans who have vociferously supported him for over a decade.

Between recording and touring, Joey's down to earth charisma and talent has been showcased all over television. Joey could be seen and heard in last year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, performing NYC Girls on the Hallmark Float. He still holds the record for most TRL appearances (14 and counting) and additionally has been a featured artist on MTV's Cribs, The Fanatic, MTV Undercover, and the channel's 20th Anniversary Celebration. In a kitschy comedic turn, he also hosted 30 episodes of MTV's Say What Karaoke from Las Vegas in the winter and spring of 2001. Joey continues to be a regular guest on Hollywood Squares and was a frequent invitee of Bill Maher on Politically Incorrect.

Last March, Joey emceed the 2002 Billboard Radio Awards while amusing an audience of hardened radio programmers with self-penned song parodies of current hits from all radio formats.

Joey would not be happy if we didn't mention that he performed the National Anthem at last season's legendary snow-soaked AFC Championship game between his beloved New England Patriots and The Oakland Raiders- a victory for New England (nee Boston), and precursor to The Pats underdog victory in The Super Bowl.

Previously in 2001, Joey was the subject of a 1-hour E! Entertainment Celebrity Profile and a Pay Per View Cable Concert Special, taped at Boston's Hatch Shell in July, 2001 before a crowd of 25,000. He was also named one of People Magazine's Most Eligible Bachelors in 2001.

For those who have discovered Joey McIntyre's versatility and wide-ranging talent in the last few years, his days as the youngest New Kid feel like an eternity ago and a world apart. The legacy of 35 million records sold and a regimen of sold-out stadium concerts around the world spawned a veritable Boy Band Industry, if indeed less organic than the original odyssey of the five working class kids form Boston.

2003 should prove to be even more exciting and challenging for Joe Mac. He's been in the studio with Eman and some stellar musicians on both coasts recording new material as well as the definitive studio version of the heartfelt Endlessly, as featured in acoustic form on One Too Many and already a fan favorite.

Of course more TV, Movie and Stage work loom on the horizon for the talented Mr. McIntyre. With it comes new surprises- ironically what one now expects from the venerable career of this multi-faceted entertainer.

2001

"Tick, Tick... BOOM!" Biography

JOEY MCINTYRE (Jonathan) His mother Katherine “carried” him on stage in “40 Carrots” at the Footlight Club in Boston. He later began his career at the Neighborhood Children’s Theater. At age 12 he joined New Kids on the Block, which went on to sell over 35 million albums between 1988 and 1994. Joey starred in the role of Matt in the 1995 film version of The Fantasticks directed by Michael Ritchie (released in 2000 via MGM/UA). A singer song writer, his first solo recording, “Stay The Same,” the album and top ten single, was certified gold in 1999. Joey’s second album, “Meet Joe Mac” is now in stores. He has made numerous TV appearances and has been featured regularly on MTV. Mr. McIntyre is thrilled to be a part of Jonathan Larson’s legacy. “tick, tick…BOOM!” marks Joey’s off-Broadway debut. www.joeymcintyre.com

2001

Meet Joe Mac Biography

Joey McIntyre has learned a lot of lessons along the road of his career, but one of the biggest ones is patience. "That's the hardest thing to learn," the 28-year-old singer explains. "When you can have patience, that breeds integrity as far as I'm concerned. I've learned a lot making this album about the music I want to make and how I want to make it." With his new album, Meet Joe Mac, the follow up to his successful 1999 solo debut Stay The Same (which spawned a hit single of the same name), Joey set out to record a batch of songs true to himself, as a musician and as a songwriter. Upping the musical ante, Joey McIntyre has made a quantum leap as an artist, fusing the classic elements of pop and rock n' roll into a unique and fascinating treasury of hook laden, idiosyncratic tunes.

Not rushing the process, he took an honest, introspective look at his own life, and a sometimes humorous look at the rest of the world, and succeeded with an impressive array of tracks that range from heartfelt love songs to raucous rockers. Blending pop, rock (with an obvious affinity for the Power Pop and New Wave sounds of the 70's and 80s - think The Cars and vintage Elton John) and shimmering balladry, Meet Joe Mac takes the listener on a musical journey. "That's what you want as an artist," he explains about the diverse album he co-wrote and co-produced with collaborators like newcomer Emanuel "Eman" Kiriakou and Mark Plati (David Bowie), Walter Afanasieff (Mariah Carey) and Scot Sax (Wanderlust) among others. "You want to be original and you want to do your own thing."

On a sonic level, Meet Joe Mac features a host of organic instruments, not canned-sounding synthesizers. From acoustic and electric guitars to symphonic strings and the occasional harmonica, courtesy of Joey himself (on the upbeat track "I Don't Know Why I Love You"), it's rawer than Stay The Same. "It's definitely more guitar-driven. It's more classic in the sense that it's got real musicians and real drums and not the tricks of the trade, that "now" sound that's done in three months." From the instantly memorable "We Don't Wanna Come Down," a funky track with a can't-get-it-out-of-your-head chorus and a philosophical message about the world we live in, to the tender acoustic ballad "Easier," Joey's voice soars.

Taking flight with Meet Joe Mac wasn't especially tough because Joey was so singularly motivated to take his musicianship to the next level. "I wanted to talk about life as opposed to just singing sweet love songs." "A lot of the songs have been inspired by my personal experiences since the last record," Joey adds. "You're trying so hard to let go and you're trying to think clearly and detach, but no matter how hard you try, you can't. I still haven't been able to let go." The jangly guitar-fueled pop-rock song "I Don't Know Why I Love You" conjures up the universality of why the reasons for loving someone can be hard to understand. "I think the most important thing is love and who you love, and when you can't describe that, it's real frustrating," he muses. (A lighter take on love is evidenced by "National Anthem of Love," featuring a cameo appearance by the iconic Fred Schneider of the The B-52's).

But along with the deeper, and sometimes darker emotions, Joey's comedic abilities comes through on the funky "NYC Girls" and the raucous "If I Run Into You," a post-breakup song which pokes fun at the way people try to make their lives seem extra cool when they run into their ex. "A big part of who I am is my sense of humor. Letting loose is what music is all about. I don't know if I could say this is definitive Joe McIntyre," he says pausing, and then laughs, "but maybe it is."

Figuring out who the real Joey McIntyre is a theme on Meet Joe Mac, especially on songs like the revealing ballad "Rain." "I was going through a period this year where I didn't know where I belonged and what I wanted to do," he explains. One of the realizations he had along the way was that he had to face his anxieties. "It's scary when you realize that life can be very simple. And in this business and in my life, sometimes that noise is more attractive and intoxicating, but it can leave you hung over."

Living his life in the limelight since he was a 12-year-old member of the pop phenomenon New Kids on the Block, the Boston native, who was born into a musical family, has had to deal with the kind of notoriety that comes hand-in-hand with superstardom. But, when the group disbanded in 1994, Joey ventured into different forms of creative expression. Returning to acting, which Joey had been involved with since early childhood, he landed a starring role in the film version of The Fantasticks working with an all-star cast that included Oscar winner Joel Grey.

Coming down from the unprecedented worldwide success of New Kids wasn't an easy process for Joey. After years of the endless, non-stop regimen of recording, touring, entertaining and media ops during his formative teenage years, Joey found himself back home in Boston in the mid-nineties with time on his hands and his childhood buddies at work or college. He hadn't planned on being alone and for the first time in years his professional life wasn't being directed by others. But Joey doesn't regret those seemingly hard times, which cemented a sense of inner strength he had always had. "It took me a couple of years to go through all that stuff and then really deep down inside realize that I got to make it on my own."

Inspired by his love for the big band music of icons like Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole, Joey began working with a musical director and finessing a big band presentation to hopefully take on the road. But, he put that on hold (temporarily, he plans to return to it one day) when he began writing and recording songs for the first time "with more of a pop/R&B vibe" with New Kids alumni Donnie Wahlberg and Danny Wood, releasing them on his website, www.joeymcintyre.com. With an instant reaction from his fans and realizing how solid the material was, he pressed up 2000 numbered CDs and took one to Boston's KISS 108 FM, where they put the single "Stay The Same" in rotation that day.

Before long, other DJs were calling up record companies; radio requests from listeners to hear the song spread like wildfire and Joey, who all along had the intent of returning to the stage, sold out his first four solo dates ever. This was all without a record contract. In short order, this time, Joey got a solo deal and he was on his way to mainstream solo success with Stay The Same, a gold album and gold single.

Now, with Meet Joe Mac, Joey has a simple hope for what listeners glean from it. "I hope they hear the music and it makes them think of something in their life. That's what music is about, that's the connection. Whether it's a good thing, a bad thing, a happy feeling, a sad feeling, whatever, as long as it sparks something inside of them, that's what you're looking for."

1999

Stay the Same Biography

"The last year has just been so good for me. It let me calm down and figure out what I wanted and why I wanted it," says pop singer Joey McIntyre. With Stay The Same, Joey McIntyre has arrived on his own musical turf on his own musical terms.

Stay The Same is Joey McIntyre's debut album, and though his name might not be as instantly recognizable to some as, say, his former bandmate Donnie Wahlberg, he's still a venerable show-biz veteran with years of success under his belt. While other teenagers were jamming in garages or playing on the softball team, Joey was touring the world, singing and dancing with a little group out of Boston known as the New Kids On The Block. But since dropping the curtain on the New Kids, Joey has reinvented himself as a genuine musician, with a passion and talent that virtually guarantees his breakout solo success.

Since the New Kids struck their set in 1994, Joey's been honing his talents, working on his singing, his performing, and most of all, his writing. What results is an album of self-penned songs full of insight, emotion and a maturity that stretches far beyond McIntyre's twenty-six years. "Stay The Same," the gospel-tinged, urban-leaning title track and first single, is a powerful ballad about learning to love yourself, to believe in your potential and strength. "I Cried," incredibly one of the first songs Joey ever wrote, taps into the release of letting a loved one go, and seamlessly weaves the Boston Symphony Orchestra into Joey's soulful tune. "The Way That I Love You" harks back to the big love songs of the Eighties, while the stark and bluesy "Without Your Love," in six-and-a-half minutes, reaches a frank sentimentality rarely expressed by such young artists.

"You can never stop exploring and going places with your music and yourself, and there are still places in me that I hold back," explains Joey of the path that took him to where he is today. "These songs are just the beginning of my thoughts of growing up, of being a teenager and seeing my feelings through. This is all my angst up to this point.

"The angst of which he speaks not only refers to the frustration of growing up in the public eye, but to the confusion of not knowing exactly what he wanted. Back in 1994, after parting amicably with his group, Joey tried his hand at acting, taking some classes and even landing a movie role, but never quite found himself satisfied with his accomplishments. Music kept beckoning him back, and while Joey was mapping his future, he was also exploring his past. "There are a couple of generations in my family. I'm the youngest of nine children, and my father - being from that era - raised us singing Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra tunes. So it was natural that I started arranging some big band songs, and writing some in that kind of vein," says the old soul. "Then a friend suggested that I try writing some pop stuff. And that first song just got my juices flowing. I told myself, you can't do something until you try it, so I figured, what the hell - I'm gonna do this." That first song, "We Can Get Down," co-written with former New Kids leading man Donnie Wahlberg, put the wheels in motion faster than record company executives could keep up with it. Almost immediately hooking up with New Kids producer Phil Green, and soon thereafter, producer/co-writer Joe Carrier, Joey wrote and recorded the first ten songs that would become the core of Stay The Same faster than most seasoned songwriters twice his age. Using modern technology and a little bit of elbow grease, Joey put together his album and released it to his loyal fans via the Internet.

"I had already been working on my website (www.joemcintyre.com), and the fans were getting in contact and I was telling them my story," Joey says of the impetus to deliver his music to the masses. "And I thought, wait a minute. I'm sitting back and not doing anything. So I decided, 'OK, I'm going to release the album on the website myself, get some live dates and get proactive with this.' And as a bonus, I played what I thought should be the single for Boston's KISS 108 FM."

What ensued was a virtual feeding frenzy. DJ's were calling up record companies, insisting the single would be a smash hit. Fans were calling in requests by the dozens, and right off the bat, "Stay The Same" was the # 1 most requested song every night on KISS-FM. Joey's first four solo dates ever sold out instantly. For a debut artist without a recording contract -- even one who had already sold 30 million records in his former incarnation -- it was a whirlwind of excitement.

Stay The Same, an album that excavates the heart and opens the mind, was snapped up by Columbia Records as soon as they got wind of the mayhem ensuing in Boston over the youngest of the New Kids. "Some of the songs speak of an independent kind of love, and others are needy ballads. I mean, I'm inspired by all kinds of things. I like to dance, I like to get down, I like to sing more traditional ballads," McIntyre explains of the varying sentiments and styles stretching throughout his debut album. "So this album has a little bit of everything, a versatility that can appeal to older and younger people. And at times, I'm very literal, so it can be very personal, but I believe that everybody has every personality inside of them. Everyone can relate."

The title track, which illuminates the importance of believing in yourself as the first step in achieving your goals, relates what the young singer is going through these days in simple language. "The more you just concentrate and focus on what you want to do and believe in yourself, the more you know it's gonna happen for you," Joey explains of his life and his song. "It's all a real crap shoot. I mean, six months ago, I couldn't get arrested, but the human spirit is very powerful. You just gotta hang in there and let the good things start happening."

On-stage and in the studio, good things are certainly happening for Joey McIntyre.

As one-fifth of '80s heartthrob group New Kids on the Block, Joey McIntyre (along with Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Jon Knight and Danny Wood) became one of the biggest teen idols of the decade. The New Kids' self-titled debut and its follow-up, Hangin' Tough, propelled the five teenagers to international fame with hits like "You Got It (The Right Stuff)," "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)," "Cover Girl" and "Didn't I."

When the New Kids finally parted ways in 1994, McIntyre's career shifted into low gear as he tried his hand at acting and re-explored his musical roots. He eventually returned to recording, self-releasing an album on his own web site. The single, "Stay the Same," soon became a favorite on local Boston radio station KISS 108 FM and piqued the interest of Columbia Records, who picked up on the buzz and signed McIntyre.

In the spring of 1999, McIntyre released his solo debut, Stay the Same, on Columbia's C2 imprint.