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Latest 98° News If you have some news on 98°, send it to us, and if you own a website, we'll post your link next to the news! (Delete the words "nojunk" before sending). You can now reach this website through either 98degrees.org or 98degrees.net. We still prefer the first address of course =) 4/24/03 Nick and Jess to star in new MTV show MTV announced on April 2 that Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey are opening up their lives and home to MTV's cameras for a new reality show Starting this month, cameras will capture the recently wed pop stars as they adjust to married life. The couple will certainly be facing enough drama, as they'll be living in a house that's under construction and working on their respective new albums (see "Nick Lachey, Jessica Simpson Expect To Deliver This Summer"). The channel describes the show as a "reality trip reminiscent of 'I Love Lucy' ... without the script." The untitled project premieres this August. Jessica's previous small-screen presence has included an appearance on "That '70s Show" as well as an upcoming episode of "The Twilight Zone." Nick and Jess also recently appeared on a segment of Ashton Kutcher's "Punked" on MTV. Nick and Jess to have new albums The honeymoon is over for Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson, who are back at work on their recording careers. Although release dates are not set, the newlyweds will both be releasing albums this summer. It will be Simpson's third album and Lachey's first outside of 98°. Simpson has titled her record In This Skin but has yet to pick a first single. Her husband has the opposite problem. "My first single is called 'Shut Up,' but it's no parody on Kelly Osbourne or anything," said Lachey, who may end up going with a self-titled release for lack of any great title ideas. Now that the singers are married (see "Jessica Simpson, Nick Lachey Walk Down The Aisle"), one might think another duet is inevitable, but that's not the case — at least not yet. "We'd love to do it again, but it has to be the right opportunity, the right song, the right time," Lachey said recently. "Maybe next album." While Simpson, who recently appeared on "That '70s Show" and filmed an episode of "The Twilight Zone," has been transitioning into acting, Lachey said he plans to concentrate on music until he has enough time to dive completely into drama. In the meantime, Lachey is spending what little time he has outside of the studio exchanging e-mails with soldiers he met when Simpson did a USO tour near Afghanistan after September 11. "We forget these are young guys, 18, 19 years old, fresh out of high school, and they're risking their lives to give us the kind of life we take for granted," Lachey said. "When something like this comes along, you have to appreciate what those people are doing. What's going on over there is unfortunate, but we have to follow the lead of our president. I support the guys that are over there fighting for our freedom and fighting for what we do for a living, which makes it possible for us to be performers and entertainers." "Our prayers
are with them, our hearts are with them," Simpson added. Some old news I had saved up By common consensus, weddings are fraught with both possibilities and pitfalls. In fact, Fox has an upcoming special called "Bridezillas" (Jan. 27) that chronicles what happens when nuptials turn nasty. Come to think of it, it's a rare episode of "America's Funniest Home Videos" that doesn't include at least one bit of footage from a major matrimonial mishap. This week, however, NBC takes a rosier look at tying the knot in "InStyle: Celebrity Weddings," a one-hour special premiering tonight at 8. A companion piece to InStyle magazine's annual issue on Hollywood marriages, the telecast features celebrities ranging from actors Kyle MacLachlan, Shannon Elizabeth, Sharon Lawrence and Marc Anthony to singer Jessica Simpson as they open their wedding ceremonies to a national audience. The special also features segments on striking wedding gowns, floral arrangements and wedding rings. Some might expect that performers who spend most of their life in the public eye might be loath to share such a personal milestone in their private lives, but Simpson takes a cheery, philosophical attitude toward the project. "Well, if the public is going to see anything, I'd much rather they see my wedding than some other things," says the vocalist, who married Nick Lachey of the music group 98 Degrees in October. I wanted my fans to see how happy we were and how real our love is. It was just a day I wanted to share - in fact, I'm doing my own wedding book ['Jessica's Fairy Tale Wedding,' due in stores next month]." Simpson says the InStyle crews were so unintrusive that she virtually forgot they were even there. "You know what? You are so oblivious [to them], because there are so many other things you need to concentrate on," she says. "Maybe it would be different for other brides, but at this point, I'm pretty used to being photographed. All my friends were loving it - 'Oh, my gosh, InStyle is here!' - so it was fun for my bridesmaids, although it really barely registered with me. They were our videographers, so once they use the footage for our piece [in the NBC special], they don't keep any of it. We get it all. They were there from our rehearsal dinner on." Simpson, a self-professed heart-on-the-sleeve romantic, still turns a little swoony when she thinks back to that late-afternoon Oct. 26 ceremony in Austin, Texas, where she and Lachey exchanged vows. In fact, she can relate it with such total recall that the videotape begins to seem a little redundant. Ask her what she remembers most vividly, and Simpson immediately replies, "Walking down the aisle. The church was my favorite part of the entire day. I walked in and I felt like I was Juliet in 'Romeo and Juliet.' The colors and the flowers were amazing, and everyone you love, everyone you would die for, was sitting there watching you walk down the aisle. And standing there in front of you is the man that you are going to be with for the rest of your life." Unlike many young show-business couples, Simpson and Lachey did not live together before their wedding, and she cheerfully acknowledges the two are making adjustments as they learn more about each other. "I'm pretty messy, and he's cleaner," she says. "We just go on learning and adapting as we need to." It helps that Lachey is, to hear his bride tell it, possibly the most romantic man now walking on planet Earth. "He does a lot of very romantic stuff all the time," Simpson says, reaching for an example. "Like yesterday, I had to work all day, and he did all my laundry - which is a huge thing for a guy to do, you know? Every time I cook, he automatically washes the dishes. It's just the way he was raised, and I watch him at the sink and think, 'Yay, I got a good one!'" Another old news story Nick Lachey wasn't embarrassed about getting emotional during his wedding to pop singer Jessica Simpson. Lachey, of the boy band 98 Degrees, teared up as a soloist performed a ballad Simpson had written for him, titled "My Love." "I'm an overly emotional person," the 29-year-old says in the spring issue of InStyle Weddings. "I even cry at weddings of people I barely know." Simpson, 22, held his hands and smiled as he fought back tears before more than 250 guests in Austin, Texas. The Oct. 26 wedding is featured on the cover of the magazine, on newsstands Tuesday. Lachey said when he and Simpson started planning the wedding, he wouldn't have minded a small, private affair in a tropical location. Simpson's reaction: "No, absolutely not. We are going to have a huge wedding." "Jess is very into romance and the whole fairy-tale aspect of it," he says. "I just wanted her to have the day be everything she wanted it to be." 11/24/02 Nick marries Jessica Who says musicians make strange bedfellows? Jessica Simpson and 98 Degrees singer Nick Lachey are flourishing both creatively and romantically. The couple, whose engagement was announced earlier this year (see "Jessica Simpson, Nick Lachey To Go All The Way"), got married last weekend at the Riverbend Chapel in Austin, Texas, Lachey's publicist said. A reception followed at the nearby Barton Creek Resort. "I'm very excited," Lachey said recently of the impending ceremony. "When you know the situation's right, you don't have anything to worry about. I've got the normal kind of nerves [about marriage], It's certainly a new thing for me and for her, and we're really happy." When the happy couple come down from their nuptial euphoria, they'll return to their musical endeavors. Lachey is still working on his first solo album, which he hopes to have ready for release early next year (see "98 Degrees' Nick Lachey Following In Footsteps Of Justin T., Nick C."), and he and Simpson are writing songs for her third record. "She's doing something that's really neat," Lachey said. "She's finally writing her own music, which I've told her she could do forever but she's been shy about stepping out there and doing it. But she's an incredible writer, and she's doing stuff that's really from the heart. "It's a much
more organic record and it's more true to herself," he continued.
"There's all live instrumentation and it's very musical as opposed
to the pop thing that was happening before for her. I think she finally
feels like this is her record and her chance to do exactly what she wants." Jessica and Nick take the plunge Britney and Justin? So over. Long live Jessica and Nick. The happy ending that never was for Ms. Spears and Mr. Timberlake came true for popster counterparts Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, wed Sunday in her native Texas, reports E!Online. Simpson's record label, Sony, confirmed the nuptials. The merger between Simpson, the Irresistible bubble-gum babe, and Lachey, the 98 Degrees boy-bander, occurred at a chapel near Austin, with a reported 350 guests. Simpson wore white, a logical fashion choice for the pop world's most famous self-proclaimed virgin since the pre-python Spears. ''[Saving myself for
marriage] just was always something that was just a part of me and my
life, and I was shocked that it was like on the cover of newspapers and
magazines and that it was such a great deal,'' Simpson told Craig Kilborn
on CBS' The Late Late Show in September. Jessica Simpson & 98 Degrees' Nick Lachey Get Married After an on again/off again relationship for the past few years, pop star Jessica Simpson and 98 Degrees' Nick Lachey tied the knot on Saturday (Oct. 26) in Austin, Texas. The two got engaged this February and were wed at the Riverbend Church, a reception followed at the Barton Creek Resort. Country singer Neal McCoy was called in to sing Van Morrison's "Crazy Love" for the couple's first dance. Accompanying McCoy on piano was producer-composer Walter Afansieff, according to a spokesperson for McCoy. Simpson and McCoy met last year during the USO holiday tour, where she was impressed with his performance of "The Luckiest Man in the World," which is McCoy's current single. Here's a tip for celebrities planning to keep the press away from their weddings. Don't hold your reception at a resort that's hosting a convention of radio programmers. That's what teen-pop princess Jessica Simpson and 98 Degrees singer Nick Lachey did on Sunday, according to Launch.com. They married at the Riverbend Chapel in Austin, Texas, and celebrated afterward at the city's Barton Creek Resort, where programmers and executives from radio chain Entercom were meeting. If that wasn't unsettling enough, the 350-guest reception was also drenched by a thunderstorm, E! reports. The Texas-born Simpson, 22, met the 28-year-old boy-band member three years ago when she toured with 98 Degrees. Despite a professional collaboration that included the duet ''Where You Are,'' Simpson broke it off with Lachey in early 2001 to focus on her career. Last February, however, she wrote on her website that the Sept. 11 attacks had brought them back together, saying, ''After 9-11, I knew that I never ever wanted to be away from Nick ever for the rest of my life.'' He popped the question aboard a yacht in Hawaii just before Valentine's Day. Simpson, who had frequently proclaimed she was saving herself for marriage (most recently, on Craig Kilborn's ''Late Late Show'' in September), wore white. It was the first marriage for Lachey, as well. 10/19/02 10/19/02 Nick to marry Jessica by end of October Launch.com spoke to Nick in Nashville earlier this month. Nick, however, wasn't about to reveal the details of the wedding. The couple has an exclusive deal with InStyle magazine, which will cover the wedding for a future edition of the magazine. Here is the extent of the conversation: Launch: "I understand
you are getting married this month." Launch then asked Nick if he could revela anything about his upcoming marriage to Simpson. "Well, we're getting married, and we're getting married in October. It's just something that, you know, was definitely the right time and the right thing to do. You know, we've grown a lot together and separately, and I don't think there's a doubt in either of our minds that it's the right thing to do--the right timing and everything." Lachey added that he hopes that the media will respect his and Simpson's privacy at their ceremony and reception. He said, "You know, my wedding's such a private event to me. If there's any way to keep it private, I would love to. Obviously, there's going to be some interest involved and it's probably highly likely that someone will find out, but it is really a private and special thing for my life and our lives together." Nick's solo album/single Nick's as-yet-untitled debut solo album is expected in March, with the first single expected to hit radio airwaves as early as January. Nick attends 2nd annual Gibson/Baldwin All-Star Music Bash On October 1, Nick attended the 2nd annual music bash in Nashville to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. It was held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. Among the celebrities participating in the event were the event's co-chair Richard Marx, Emerson Drive, Clint Black and Keith Urban. Nick performed some of his group's biggest hits, along with some new material he recently wrote with Marx. While the pop star admits his appearance was a bit of a favor to Marx, he had a somewhat personal motivation, as Nick said, "The first thing about this event that spoke to me was that Richard had asked me to do it, and if nothing else I would do it as a favor to him, but cystic fibrosis is something I became familiar with as a kid growing up in Cincinnati watching Boomer Esiason play quarterback and his son was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and it became a very publicized thing in Cincinnati, so just seeing him on TV and his little boy struggling to breathe and stuff--it really kind of spoke to me, and so it's something that really I would love to be a part of helping." The $150-per-ticket event included dinner, both silent and live auctions, and a concert. Marx co-chairs the event with his wife, actress Cynthia Rhodes (Dirty Dancing). The mission of Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is to assure the development of the means to cure and control cystic fibrosis and to improve the quality of life for those that have the disease.Nick with Gary Baker Nick was with songwriter Gary Baker last month (September) in Florence, Alabama. They were onstage during a "Gary Baker and Friends" concert at Florence Conference Center, a performance for Songfest 2002. Nick hopes to have
album ready by early 2003 Look out Justin Timberlake and Nick Carter, Nick Lachey is breathing hot down your necks. The 98 Degrees singer has demoed over 30 songs for his debut solo album and he's hoping to have the disc ready for release by early 2003. This time, "It's going to be a little different from what people are used to hearing 98 Degrees do," he said during a break at the studio. "It's going to have a rock/soul feel, kind of like George Michael. I've always been a huge fan of his and there's just a huge void for someone to do that kind of guitar-driven, soulful music." Lachey was motivated to go solo when 98 Degrees decided to take an extended hiatus after getting off the road last September. "People needed to focus their attention on other things personally in their own lives and on their families," he explained. "So it was either sit at home and do nothing or try to do something else. The opportunity was there to do a solo record and it was always in the back of my mind as something I'd like to attempt to do one day. The time was right, so I just went for it." In addition to giving him something to do, working on a solo album enabled Lachey to expand his horizons and explore sonic and lyrical elements that wouldn't have been approved of by his pop democracy. "I think 98 degrees played it safe with the kinds of songs we recorded, and most of them were romantic love songs," Lachey said. "While there's still a part of me that wants to do some of that, there's also a big part of me that wants to do things that are a little less conventional. I wrote a song the other day called 'Fantasy,' and it's about the world of entertainment and how everyone sees entertainers. The way people interpret their lives is not necessarily the way it is. The hook is, 'I'm fantasy's freak/ Look at me, picture plastered in a magazine.' It's kind of a 'Don't believe everything you read, hear, see' type of thing." Other song titles so far include "Lost in You," "Can't Stop Loving You" and "Edge of Eternity," which was written about Lachey's upcoming marriage to pop singer Jessica Simpson (see "Jessica Simpson, Nick Lachey To Go All The Way"). "I'm very excited about it," said Lachey, who will tie the knot this October. "The song's kind of about staring the rest of your life in the face, but when you know the situation's right, you don't have anything to worry about. I've got normal kind of nerves [about the wedding], but we're planning a lot of stuff and we're excited." A host of producers will assist Lachey on the disc, including Keith Thomas, Guy Chambers, David Ericson, the Matrix and Walter Afanase. Initially 4 Non Blondes guitarist and vocalist Linda Perry, who has worked with Pink and Christina Aguilera, was signed on as a songwriter and producer, but things didn't work out. "We didn't like the direction the songs were going, so we decided to step back and take a break from it," Lachey said. "She's at a point in her career where she's making a huge name for herself and she didn't want to put anything out that she didn't 100 percent believe in. It was nothing personal. We got along great and had a great time together, but it wasn't something she felt comfortable moving forward with." If all goes well, Lenny Kravitz may pitch in a strumming hand. Lachey is currently trying to coax the rock star to play guitar on a track called "Out of Time," which was co-written with Richard Marx. "I think that would be a really incredible collaboration," Lachey said. "The song's basically about a relationship between a guy and a girl, and he's kind of reached his breaking point. He's saying, 'I'm fed up and I'm out of trust and you're out of time.' " Lachey insists that his decision to do a solo record in no way indicates the implosion of 98 Degrees. Although the group plans to remain out of commission for another two years or so, Lachey is still close with his bandmates. "We talk almost every day," Lachey said. "We'll definitely do something at some point, but we needed a break. There's been a lot of speculation that the group's broken up and that we hate each other. That couldn't be further from the truth." Simpson/Lachey
Breakup a PR Stunt? Jessica Simpson has been accused of splitting up with boyfriend Nick Lachey just to get the pair publicity. Simpson, 21, and 98 Degrees singer Lachey, 28, made headlines last year after ending their long- term relationship. But the couple reunited just months later and this February revealed they are now engaged to be married. Sources close to the
couple now claim they only split so they could use the publicity to breathe
life into their flagging careers. One un-named insider told a New York
gossip site, "(Jessica and Nick) wanted some attention on their careers
and so they broke up." 5/24/02 Some really old news that I had saved on the hard drive without posting: As you all should know by now, "Why" was released to radio stations on March 12. The cd "The Collection" was released to retail stores on May 7. The CD has not been on the Billboard top 100 albums (In fact, it made it's debut at #153). The Single has not been on the Top 50 singles. BTW, the New York Post gave a lukewarm pronouncement on "The Collection" a few weeks ago. And they also postulated which "boy band" would be the first to leave the scene: BSB, N Sync or 98°. Drew's message on the .com official site Lachey wrote: "Hey Everybody, I just want to apologize to you all. I didn't know that we had broken up until I heard it on the radio. If you can't tell, I'm joking. WE HAVE NOT BROKEN UP. I hope that will clear things up. We are however taking a break like I said before. Many doors have been opened up to us over the past couple of years and we want to take advantage of some of those. Don't forget that Universal is releasing The Collection CD in May. And the single "Why" officially goes to radio on March 12. We hope we can count on you guys to support this project with as much enthusiasm as you have in the past. Thanks for everything. I hope you like the new stuff. I do." 98° song on "The Best of TRL Pop" Tracks from that CD compilation include: 1. *NSYNC, "Bye,
Bye, Bye" 2/17/02 Nick and Jessica
engaged! Looks like three-plus years of frustration are finally going to pay off for 98 Degrees crooner Nick Lachey: He and longtime steady Jessica Simpson--the pop world's most celebrated virgin this side of Britney Spears--are officially engaged. The aw-shucks news was confirmed Friday by a publicist for Simpson's Columbia Records. No word on how the popster popped the question, and no wedding date has been set. The photogenic duo--perhaps the coziest Tiger Beat twosome after Justin and Britney--have been harmonizing since hooking up during a 1999 tour. It didn't take long for them to get disgustingly cozy, as evidenced by the following exchange during a joint interview on CBS' Early Show two years ago: "The first time I ever heard her sing, I got chills," Lachey said. "And I told the guys..., 'I'm going to marry that girl one day.' " "We definitely knew--no ifs, ands or buts--we're totally in love," added Simpson. "You know," said Lachey, "it sounds kind of hokey and cheesy, but at the same time, it's cool." So cool, that Lachey, now 28, has remained faithful to his 21-year-old fiancée despite her public proclamation that she's holding onto her virginity until she gets married. The two became a fixture on MTV with their hit duet, "Where You Are," off Simpson's multiplatinum 1999 album, Sweet Kisses. "Nick and I are going to be the next Sonny and Cher," Simpson once announced to Billboard. "Only, I expect we're going to last a lot longer." Lachey also penned a couple of songs, including "Forever in Your Eyes," for Simpson's follow-up, Irresistible Last February, the engagement rumors went into overdrive when Simpson was spotted sporting a gold-and-diamond ring that she said was "more than a friendship ring." But things weren't as hunky-dory as the duo made it seem. The treacle momentarily stopped oozing last spring when Simpson broke the news that she and Lachey--frequently separated by touring and other pop-star commitments--were splitting. "Right now, my main focus is my career," Simpson told Twist magazine. "I pray that each of you support this decision and trust us in God's hands." God was apparently looking out for them, because they recoupled soon after and reportedly bought condos (separate, of course) in a swanky Los Angeles highrise. Simpson and Lachey have plenty in common. Both come from very select gene pools and both toil in the shadows of better-known peers--Simpson ranks behind Spears and Christina Aguilera in the teenybopper pantheon and Lachey's 98 Degrees has never generated as much heat as 'N Sync or the Backstreet Boys. Unlike Britney and Christina, Jessica failed to make the Mickey Mouse Club. Instead, she spent her pubescent years on the Christian music circuit, before being signed by Columbia and crossing over with Sweet Kisses. Lachey formed 98 Degrees with his brother, Drew, Jeff Timmons and Justin Jeffre. "Invisible Man," the first single from their self-titled debut album, was a top 20 hit in 1997. The group's sophomore disc, 98 Degrees and Rising, was issued in 1998, followed a year later by the Yule-themed This Christmas. Their latest album, Revelation, was released in 2000. 2/10/02 Nick to be at world premiere of the film "CROSSROADS" WHEN: Monday 2/11/02 at 7:30pm. Arrivals to begin at 6:30pm WHERE: Grauman's
Chinese Theatre Celebrities attending:
ast members attending include: Britney Spears, Taryn Justin Timberlake, Jessica Simpson, Nick Lachey (98 Degrees), Jon Voight, Rita Wilson, Melissa Joan Hart, Frankie Muniz, Danny Masterson, Alan Cumming, Paul Stanley (KISS), Brittany Murphy, David Hasselhoff, Jennifer Blanc, Clare Kramer, Josie Bissett and more celebrity guests to follow. Forging independence You don't have to
tell boy-band stars that one day they could end up in the same dustbin
as New Kids on the Block. That's why many of them are working on private
projects. Backstreet Boys Brian Littrell and Nick Carter, and 98 Degrees
singer Nick Lachey are doing solos. So is Justin Timberlake of 'N Sync.
His bandmate Joey Fatone wants to produce a Superman film. Those big-screen
aspirations stem from his life-threatening childhood obsession with the
Man of Steel. "I used to get dressed in a Superman outfit with a
cape and a big S on my chest and just jump off tables and chairs and everything,"
he tells the New York Daily News. 1/27/02, 2/04/02 98° on extended break According to the official site, 98° is on an extended break, which is why we haven't heard anything from them since early fall of last year. As they are also disbanding their fan club things aren't looking good at all that they are going to be a group in the future. Also, their are reports on the web that Universal Records will be releasing a greatest hits album this May. Nick works with
song writer Gary Baker. "I know I have the luxury of saying that I've already won one," Baker said. "But, of course, I'd like to win another one, especially for a song that's so close to my heart. I can't even think about what that would mean." "I'm Already There" dominated the No. 1 spot on the country charts for seven consecutive weeks. The song expresses a father's assurance of love during a time when he has to be separated from his family. "This one was written from the heart for my children and my wife -- it means more to me than anything I've ever written," Baker said. "The best thing about winning would be having the opportunity to get up there and thank my wife and children. That would be pretty darn special." "I'm Already There" was co-written by Baker, longtime songwriting partner Frank J. Myers and Lone Star's lead singer, Richie McDonald. The three musicians are also fathers who have spent exhaustive periods on the road, separated from their loved ones. "Those lyrics really struck a chord with an awful lot of people," Baker said. "But frankly, I really didn't expect a Grammy nomination. Richie called me and said, 'Get your tux ready.' I don't think anybody wants to win as bad as he does, but it's so personal to him, too." In addition to collaborating with country groups like Lone Star, Baker continues to work with such pop superstars as the Backstreet Boys. He spent most of last week writing with one of his pop-music partners, 98 Degrees singer Nick Lachey. "When you write songs that are special, you write them from a special place," Lachey said. "That's what happened with Gary and 'I'm Already There.' That song means a lot to Gary, and it obviously touches people in a meaningful way. To have that song acknowledged with a Grammy nomination and possibly his second Grammy has got to give Gary a special feeling." Baker earned his first Grammy seven years ago for one of the biggest crossover hits of the '90s - the multimillion-selling love song "I Swear." "I can't describe that feeling of shock and surprise when we won that night - it was just unbelievable, man," Baker said. "I'll never forget that night as long as I live." Topping the charts for 13 weeks, "I Swear" provided back-to-back hits for country troubadour John Michael Montgomery and pop crooners All-4-One. The song was nominated for 1994's pop song of the year as well as country song of the year. "I'm going to have the stamp of 'I Swear' the rest of my life, but that's an awful nice stamp to have," Baker confessed. "That record will always mean so much to me. It wasn't my first No. 1, but it's really the record that ignited my entire career. It opened some wonderful doors." At the 1995 Grammys, Baker and "I Swear" co-writer Myers triumphed in the country category, but the pop prize went to Bruce Springsteen's "Streets of Philadelphia," from the Oscar-winning Tom Hanks movie "Philadelphia." "When I'm sitting out there this year, I'm just going to enjoy it and not expect a thing," Baker said. "If they call 'I'm Already There,' I'm going to jump up and down. If they don't call 'I'm Already There,' I'm going to be fine." Baker's Grammy nomination arrives as "I'm Already There" begins an all-new ascent up the national charts. "The remarkable thing is, it's still a hit," Baker noted. "It's No. 4 on the adult-contemporary charts - and it's gaining momentum. The album is already platinum, and it's still in the Top 10. They didn't even release a single on it because they didn't want to stifle the album." The pop version of "I'm Already There" introduces a completely different arrangement of the song. The revamped cut is designed to make the traditional country song more readily accessible to pop audiences. "They did try to make this one different," Baker said. "It's not the same version that you heard on country radio. They actually went in and recorded a completely separate track. At first, we didn't think it would go pop, but when you think about it, it makes sense. The message is something that might apply to almost anybody." Issued last summer, "I'm Already There" has also taken on deeper resonance since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the subsequent deployment of U.S. troops overseas. "It's unreal," Baker said. "They told us the song that's been played when the returning troops come back is 'I'm Already There' - just over and over and over again. It's taken on a whole new meaning." Baker witnessed the song's extended emotional effects when he accompanied Lone Star to recent concerts at U.S. military installations. At a Marine base in North Carolina, Baker was backstage when he noticed a particular father and daughter in the crowd. "Richie was singing 'I'm Already There,' " Baker recalled. "He looked over at me, but I had already seen it. These Marines were about to be shipped to Afghanistan, and there was this one guy out there, holding his little blonde daughter, maybe 2 or 3 at the most." Instead of watching the band onstage, the Marine was gazing into the eyes of his tiny child, singing along with the song. "He sang every word to her, holding her up, with tears streaming down from his eyes," Baker said. "It tore me to pieces - it tore Richie up, too." The Grammys will be presented in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Feb. 27. Lone Star is also nominated for country vocal performance of the year for "I'm Already There" and is scheduled to perform the song on the television broadcast. "Richie cries every time he sings it," Baker said. "It just means so much to him." Between now and then, Baker will be busy preparing projects with pop and country recording artists Lachey, the Backstreet Boys, Lone Star, Michael Peterson, Stephen Craig (son of Marie Osmond, who once employed Baker in her road band) and emerging pop acts like Latitude, Sabrina and Shannon Camper. "As far as I'm concerned, Gary's got it made," Lachey said during an interview at Baker's home, which rests on the bluffs overlooking the Tennessee River. "He sits here at home with his family, in a place that he loves, and he looks out at this incredible view," Lachey said. "He writes his songs, makes his money and does what he loves to do - and he can continue to do this forever. It doesn't get any better than that."
98° News Archive (August - September 2001) 98° News Archive (June - August 2001) Past 98° News Archive (till June 2001)
Other stuff We've found an interview with Jessica Simpson where she talks about her relationship with Nick...click here to read the interview Plus, we've added more clips of "Where You Are" to the videos page. And to round out the entire theme for today's update: photos of Nick and Jessica: photo 1 photo 2 Watch a clip of 98° from the Nickeloden Kid's Choice Awards! "Jeff, Drew and Justin from 98 Degrees describe their plans to make fun of bandmate Nick Lachey during his KCA duet with Jessica Simpson." note: you need Real Player (click here for clip)
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