Johnny Wright (music manager)

Last updated

Johnny Wright
Music Manager Johnny Wright (cropped).jpg
Background information
Born (1960-08-17) August 17, 1960 (age 63)
Hyannis, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation(s)
  • Record executive
  • talent agent
  • television producer
  • entrepreneur
Years active1993–present

Johnny Wright (born August 17, 1960) is an American talent agent and media proprietor. He has managed groups including New Kids on the Block, [1] the Backstreet Boys, [1] *NSYNC, [2] the Jonas Brothers, [3] Menudo, [4] Triple Image, [5] and solo acts such as Janet Jackson, [6] Justin Timberlake, [7] Britney Spears, [8] Stevie Brock, [9] and Ciara. [10] In 2022, he formed the boy band NoLonelyHearts.

Contents

Early life

Wright was born in Hyannis, Massachusetts and grew up on Cape Cod. [11] While working in radio, he befriended Maurice Starr, who went on to discover New Edition. [11] In 1988, when Starr was managing group New Kids on the Block, Starr hired Wright as a driver for the band, and Wright became the group's road manager for four years. [12]

Career

In the early 1990s, Wright relocated to Orlando and began working as a manager for the Backstreet Boys, a vocal group put together by Lou Pearlman. [8] [13] To help break the group, Wright decided the Boys should first develop their act in continental Europe before making an American debut. [8] The band achieved success in pop music-friendly Europe, eventually breaking through internationally and selling 30 million copies worldwide of their second album Backstreet Boys . [14] While the Backstreet Boys were establishing themselves in Europe, Pearlman signed another vocal group gaining buzz in Orlando, NSYNC, at Wright's suggestion. [8] NSYNC, duplicating Wright's European strategy, would go on to match Backstreet Boys' success with their debut record reaching the number 2 position on the Billboard 200 chart. [15] In September 1998, the Backstreet Boys parted ways with Wright, [11] [2] but later re-signed with him in 2004. [16]

Wright managed Britney Spears from 1998 [8] [17] to 2003. [18] He became the manager for Justin Timberlake's solo career in 2002. [12]

During 2000, Wright's management roster included eleven acts. [8]

2000–2010

In 2003, he appeared as a judge on the NBC talent/reality show, Fame , [19] hosted by one of his own managed talents, Joey Fatone of *NSYNC.

In 2004, Wright teamed up with Sean "Diddy" Combs for the third season of Making the Band . After an unsuccessful first attempt, band Danity Kane was finally chosen in 2005. Wright served as the group's (which included singer Shannon Bex, whom he met on Fame) manager. In 2008, he quit managing Danity Kane via text message. [20]

In 2007, Wright was selected to be the manager of the new version of the Latino boy band Menudo. [21] The new group would be a fusion of urban, pop and rock music in English and Spanish under the label of Sony BMG and Epic Records. Several auditions were held in different cities such as Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, New York, among others. In New York, 15 youngsters were selected from 25 contestants during a one-week mini-competition: José Monti Montañez, JC Gonzalez, [22] Carlos Pena, Jr., Anthony, Carlos Olivero, Chris Moy, Dennis, Eric, Hansel, Henry, Jorge Jorge, Jorge Negron, José Bordonada, José Monti Montañez, Thomas and Trevor. Wright, along with choreographer Anibal Marrero and voice coach David Coury, met with the 15 semifinalists in South Beach, Florida to continue the band's development, a process that was documented through a reality show on MTV called Making Menudo. [23]

In 2009, Wright announced the formation of a new boy band group, which was ultimately named One Call. The group consisted of two former members of Menudo, Chris Moy and José Bordonada Collazo; former member of NLT, Justin Thorne; and newcomer Anthony Gamlieli. [24]

2011–2012

Wright was also the manager of Aubrey O'Day of Danity Kane and was featured on the Oxygen docu-reality series All About Aubrey . [25]

In 2011, Wright partnered with AT&T and Cambio to create a new web-reality show series called On the Spot: Johnny Wright's Quest to Form the Next Supergroup. [26]

Web reality series: On the Spot (2011)

Wright joined the web reality series On the Spot on the Cambio website in 2011. The show documented the talent community's search of participants all over the world to form the next supergroup. The competition was narrowed to 20 participants, who were then placed in a series of challenges that tested each contestant's artistic prowess, business savvy, and passion. The winners of the competition would be flown to LA to participate in Wright's famous “Boot Camp”, an intense workshop of rehearsals, dance choreography, vocal lessons, and media training. [27]

Web series: Take the Stage (2012)

In 2012, Wright starred in the YOBI.tv singing competition web series Take The Stage . Along with Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins and a number of other music and media industry professionals, Wright mentored and challenged contestants Katelyn, Mykell, Brooklynn, Marquisa, Tyler, Gabrielle, Lyric, Ashlynn, and Luke, to see who had what it took to be the next breakout star. The winner of Take The Stage won $20,000 and a management contract with Wright Entertainment Group and YOBI.tv. [28] [29] [30] [31]

In 2012, Wright took on a new Orlando-based group, known as 89, and helped them launch their first single, "Give Me Some More (GMSM)", and its accompanying music video. [32] During this year, he also signed British singer-songwriter Luke Potter. [33]

2013–present

In August 2014 Wright began to handle the career of Indonesian singer Agnez Mo to help her break the US music market. [34]

In early 2015, Johnny Wright managed Dumblonde, the new music duo consisting of former Danity Kane members Aubrey O' Day and Shannon Bex. [20]

Wright is currently president/CEO of the Wright Entertainment Group (WEG). In 2015, he was included in the annual Billboard Power 100 list as No. 83. [35] The Wright Entertainment Group (WEG) management roster includes Justin Timberlake, 98 Degrees, AJ McLean, Asher Angel, and Incubus. [36]

Personal life

Wright was previously married to Donna Wright. [8] From 2001 to 2016, Wright was married to Erika Schwarz, a sports agent, attorney and first runner-up for the 1996 Miss America pageant. [37] [8]

Related Research Articles

A boy band is loosely defined as a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation. Generally, boy bands perform love songs marketed towards girls and young women. Many boy bands dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. South Korean boy bands usually also have designated rappers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JC Chasez</span> American singer (born 1976)

Joshua Scott "JC" Chasez is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He started his career as a singer on The Mickey Mouse Club (1991–1994) before rising to stardom as a member of the 1990s boyband NSYNC. The band has sold over 70 million records, becoming one of the best-selling boy bands of all time. Chasez released his debut single "Blown Me Up " in 2002, following NSYNC's decision to go on a hiatus earlier that year. Schizophrenic, his debut solo album, was released in 2004. Chasez has written and produced for a wide variety of music acts such as Liam Payne, Diplo, Backstreet Boys, McFly, Sugababes, Victoria Duffield, and Matthew Morrison. He also served as a judge on the first seven seasons of America's Best Dance Crew.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Menudo (group)</span> Puerto Rican boy band

Menudo is a Puerto Rican boy band formed by producer Edgardo Díaz. Referred to as the "Most Iconic Latino Pop Music Band", Menudo has been ranked as one of the biggest boy bands of all time by several publications, including Billboard, Us Weekly, Seventeen, and Teen Vogue, being the only Latin band on their lists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lance Bass</span> American singer and actor

James Lance Bass is an American singer, dancer, actor, podcaster, film and television producer. He grew up in Mississippi and rose to fame as the bass singer for the American pop boy band NSYNC. The band has sold over 70 million records, becoming one of the best-selling boy bands of all time. NSYNC's success led Bass to work in film and television. He starred in the 2001 film On the Line, which his company, Bacon & Eggs, also produced. Bass later formed a second production company, Lance Bass Productions, as well as a now-defunct music management company, Free Lance Entertainment, a joint venture with Mercury Records.

<i>No Strings Attached</i> (NSYNC album) 2000 studio album by NSYNC

No Strings Attached is the third studio album by American boy band NSYNC. It was released by Jive Records on March 21, 2000. Looking to distinguish their music from that of their labelmates, NSYNC chose to incorporate pop and R&B styles. Prior to the release of the album, the band separated from their management Trans Continental and their label RCA Records; its title is a play on the idea of independence from corporate control. Contributions to the album's production came from a wide range of producers, including NSYNC members Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez, and collaborators including Kristian Lundin, Jake Schulze, Rami, Teddy Riley, Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, Richard Marx, Veit Renn, Babyface, and Guy Roche.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lou Pearlman</span> American talent manager (1954–2016)

Louis Jay Pearlman was an American talent manager and scam artist. He was the person behind many successful 1990s boy bands, having formed and funded the Backstreet Boys. After their massive success, he then developed NSYNC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joey Fatone</span> American pop singer (born 1977)

Joseph Anthony Fatone Jr. is an American singer, dancer, actor, and television host. He is best known as a member of the boy band NSYNC, in which he sings baritone. The band has sold over 70 million records, becoming one of the best-selling boy bands of all time. In 2007, he came in second place on the ABC reality show Dancing with the Stars. He was the host of the U.S. and Australian versions of The Singing Bee, which aired on NBC in the United States. Fatone was the announcer for the game show Family Feud from 2010 to 2015. Fatone has hosted on Food Network's Rewrapped, Game Show Network's Common Knowledge, Live Well Network's My Family Recipe Rocks, The Price Is Right Live! at Bally's Las Vegas; and appeared as "Rabbit" on the first season of The Masked Singer in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Kirkpatrick</span> American musician

Christopher Alan Kirkpatrick is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, music producer, podcaster, and actor. He founded the pop group NSYNC, in which he sang countertenor. The band has sold over 70 million records, becoming one of the best-selling boy bands of all time. Kirkpatrick was the lead singer in various songs including "Thinking of You ", "Together Again", "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", "I Thought She Knew", "Just Got Paid", and many songs from their Christmas album, Home for Christmas. He has also regularly worked as a voice actor, most notably as the character Chip Skylark on the Nickelodeon series The Fairly OddParents, and participant in numerous reality TV shows, including Celebrity Big Brother, The Masked Singer, and Gone Country.

<i>NSYNC</i> (album) 1997 studio album by NSYNC

'NSYNC is the eponymous debut studio album by American boy band NSYNC, initially released in Germany on May 26, 1997, by Trans Continental Records and internationally on March 24, 1998, by RCA Records. The album reached number one on the Offizielle Top 100 and includes the singles "I Want You Back" and "Tearin' Up My Heart".

<i>Celebrity</i> (album) 2001 studio album by NSYNC

Celebrity is the fourth and most recent studio album by American boy band NSYNC. It was released by Jive Records on July 24, 2001. Due to constant criticism that they were not a "credible group", NSYNC began experimenting with genres such as hip hop and two-step. As with their previous studio album, No Strings Attached (2000), numerous producers, including BT, Rodney Jerkins, Brian McKnight, PAJAM, and the Neptunes, worked on the album. Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez also contributed to production, while they co-wrote 10 of 13 tracks in an attempt to develop a unique sound, which includes pop, R&B, and teen pop.

Making the Band is an ABC/MTV reality television series that exists in separate iterations, each focusing on a specific music act. It spawned musical acts O-Town, Da Band, Danity Kane, Day26, and Donnie Klang. Except for the first iteration of the series featuring O-Town, all seasons of Making the Band have been overseen by Diddy, acting as the man of the house who makes the final decision on who will be in the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bye Bye Bye</span> 2000 single by NSYNC

"Bye Bye Bye" is a song by American boy band NSYNC from their third studio album, No Strings Attached. It was released on January 17, 2000, as the lead single from the album. The song was written and produced by Kristian Lundin and Jake Schulze, with additional writing by Andreas Carlsson. Its lyrics describe the end of a romantic relationship; it was reported to also reference the group's separation from their manager Lou Pearlman and their record label RCA Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Backstreet Boys</span> American boy band

The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group consisting of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson. They were formed in 1993 in Orlando, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PopOdyssey</span> 2001 concert tour by NSYNC

PopOdyssey was the fourth concert tour by American boy band NSYNC. Sponsored by Verizon Wireless and Chili's, the tour promoted the band's fourth studio album, Celebrity. The tour's name is defined as "an adventurous journey towards popularity, beginning as just a dream and ending in reality". The tour became the biggest production in pop music, beating U2's PopMart Tour. The tour, which visited stadiums, was NSYNC's first to include backup dancers, and is known for its elaborate audio and visual effects which included lasers, fireworks, animation, and suspension wires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Strings Attached Tour</span> 2000 concert tour by NSYNC

The No Strings Attached Tour was the third concert tour by American boy band, NSYNC. Primarily visiting North America, the tour supported the band's third album No Strings Attached. Beginning in May 2000, the tour sold out all dates within the first day of the ticket sale. Additional dates, also in North America, were added for the Fall of 2000. When the tour ended in December 2000, it became the second highest-grossing tour in North America, earning more than $70 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NSYNC</span> American boy band

NSYNC is an American vocal group and boy band formed by Chris Kirkpatrick in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich. The group consists of Kirkpatrick, Justin Timberlake, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, and JC Chasez. Their self-titled debut album was successfully released to European countries in 1997, and later debuted in the U.S. market with the single "I Want You Back".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Call</span>

One Call was a boy band featuring Justin "JJ" Thorne, Anthony "AG" Gamlieli, Chris Moy, and Jose Bordonada. Johnny Wright—a music executive who has managed successful groups such as Backstreet Boys, 'NSync, and the Jonas Brothers—brought the band together from all over the country. Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins became their producer. Their dances were choreographed by Laurianne Gibson.

Disney Channel in Concert is a reality series that combined footage of live concerts with a behind-the-scenes look at the artists' personal lives. The artists came from all genres of music, including hip-hop, country and pop to classical and blues. Episodes often promoted the artist's sales and popularity to a teen and pre-teen audience. The series ran from early 1997 to late 2001.

"Don't Hold the Wall" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake for his third studio album, The 20/20 Experience (2013). It was written and produced by Timberlake, Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, with additional writing from James Fauntleroy.

<i>The Boy Band Con: The Lou Pearlman Story</i> 2019 American film

The Boy Band Con: The Lou Pearlman Story is an American documentary film that premiered on March 13, 2019 at SXSW. Produced by Lance Bass, the film explores the career and legacy of record producer and convicted criminal Lou Pearlman.

References

  1. 1 2 Callahan, Maureen (July 1, 1998). ""In Bed With …the Backstreet Boys": Our 1998 Profile of the Iconic Boy Band". Spin . Archived from the original on August 11, 2017.
  2. 1 2 Wild, David (November 12, 1998). "'N Sync is the Sound of Young America". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on October 11, 2018.
  3. ↑ Dominguez, Alessa (April 23, 2019). "Why The Jonas Brothers' Comeback Is Working". BuzzFeed News .
  4. ↑ Vedral, Valerie (November 14, 2017). "MADE FOR MENUDO?". Chicago Tribune .
  5. ↑ "TRIPLE THREAT". Chicago Tribune . March 9, 2004.
  6. ↑ Allah, Sha Be (April 3, 2021). "Janet Jackson was asked to Forgive Justin Timberlake after all these Years for his Super Bowl Breast Exposure Slip Up". The Source .
  7. ↑ Sinclair, Tom (September 20, 2002). "It's Gonna Be Me". Entertainment Weekly .
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Scheiber, Dave (October 23, 2000). "The Starmaker". St. Petersburg Times . Archived from the original on April 21, 2001.
  9. ↑ "Stevie Brock". AAE Music.
  10. ↑ Odum, Shanel (October 1, 2008). "Barely There". Vibe . p. 104.
  11. 1 2 3 Gettelman, Parry (June 20, 1999). "HANDLING THE HEAT". Orlando Sentinel .
  12. 1 2 Patteson, Jean (December 8, 2002). "THE MIDAS OF MUSIC". Orlando Sentinel . Archived from the original on November 24, 2020.
  13. ↑ Manes, Billy (September 9, 1998). "Oh my GOD!". Orlando Weekly.
  14. ↑ Harrington, Richard (May 16, 1999). "The Backstreet Boys, in Earnest". Washington Post .
  15. ↑ "'N Sync | Billboard 200". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 21, 2021.
  16. ↑ Price, Deborah Evans (June 4, 2005). "Back to Backstreet". Billboard . Vol. 117, no. 23.
  17. ↑ McKay, Mary-Jane (May 1, 2002). "Doing The Wright Thing". CBS News .
  18. ↑ "Wright Sues Spears For Breach Of Contract". Billboard . November 2, 2007.
  19. ↑ "Harlemm Lee Wins 'Fame'". Billboard. July 24, 2003.
  20. 1 2 "Danity Kane Duo Sign With Group's Ex-Manager For Dumb Blonde Venture". That Grape Juice. April 13, 2015.
  21. ↑ Gurza, Agustin (April 15, 2007). "Remaking the band: MTV revives Menudo". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  22. ↑ Guerra, Joey (October 30, 2007). "Menudo recipe features Sugar Land teen JC Gonzalez". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  23. ↑ Gurza, Agustin (April 4, 2008). "The making of the new Menudo". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Jive Records Introduces One Call!". Clizbeats.com. October 26, 2010.
  25. ↑ Caramanica, Jon (March 6, 2011). "Danity Kane's Fallen Frontwoman Tries for a Return to Relevance". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331.
  26. ↑ Michelson, Noah (January 25, 2011). "Johnny Wright Wants To Make You A Star". Out .
  27. ↑ "Johnny Wright "On the Spot" and his game with a new online reality series". Hollywood Outbreak. February 3, 2011.
  28. ↑ Shaw, Lucas (June 5, 2012). "MySpace Meets 'American Idol' In New Singing Competition 'Take The Stage'". The Wrap . Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  29. ↑ Rys, Dan (January 18, 2012). "Johnny Wright Teams with YOBI.tv for Unscripted Online Singing Competition". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  30. ↑ "Take The Stage Singing Contest Webseries". YOBI.tv. Archived from the original on September 5, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  31. ↑ "Take The Stage on MySpace" . Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  32. ↑ 89 - GMSM - (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO) , retrieved September 26, 2022
  33. ↑ "Biography". Luke Potter Music. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  34. ↑ Machin, Jennifer (April 25, 2018). "Agnez Mo Signs With 300 Entertainment". Billboard.
  35. ↑ Bliss, Karen (May 11, 2015). "Johnny Wright, Timberlake Manager, Outlines His Plan for a Pop Factory". Billboard .
  36. ↑ "Artists – WEG Music" . Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  37. ↑ Abbott, Jim (June 28, 2001). "'N SYNC SHOW LED WRIGHT TO WED". Orlando Sentinel .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.