98
DEGREES
Group
Info
Achievements
Members
Info
Albums
Lyrics
Songs
98
DEGREES
Group
Info
Achievements
Members
Info
Albums
Lyrics
Songs
Things got started several years ago when Jeff, a native of Ohio, moved out to Los Angeles to pursue his singing career. He formed a vocal group and when one of its former members, who was also a classmate of Nick and Justin's from the Cincinnati School for Creative and Performing Arts, suggested Nick would be the perfect counterpart, Nick packed up his things and headed west. Justin was next to join the group, followed by Drew, then working as an emergency medical technician in Brooklyn. In between doing everything from landscaping to working as nightclub security guards, the guys honed their singing craft in talent shows and auditions.
Their big break came backstage at a Boyz II Men show when they met manager Paris D'Jon, a co-manager of multi-platinum R&B artist Montell Jordan. After a local radio station asked the enthusiastic group to perform on the air, Paris started talking to them and realized how serious they were about becoming professional vocalists. Before long, they were on the road with Montell and receiving raves for their dynamic live shows. Ultimately, after a record label buzz started bubbling, 98° unanimously decided to sign with Motown.
For the harmony-driven Ohio foursome 98°, it's not hard to get noticed. After all, for the past year, brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, Justin Jeffre, and Jeff Timmons have been busy wowing crowds worldwide due to the success of their self-titled debut album. Their new album, which finds the group collaborating with music's biggest producers, is sure to have them heating up the charts again. With their pop appeal and soulful harmonies, Motown's 98° are on the steady track to stardom with their sophomore release, 98° And Rising.
Though they did some writing and producing on their self-titled debut, which spawned the gold hit "Invisible Man," the guys stepped up their songwriting and producing efforts on their follow up CD. "We had more of a hands-on approach," Jeff explains. "We've had so much influence and control from the very beginning," adds Justin about their involvement during the marathon recording process, which took place during a two-and-a-half-month period in locales including New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, and Vancouver. "It's got a lot more diversity and the songs are on a whole other level. There's something for everybody."
With a host of major producers - including The Trackmasters (Mariah Carey, Will Smith, LL Cool J, and Mary J. Blige), Pras of the Fugees, Keith Thomas (Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight), Anders Bagge (Robyn and Ace of Base) - contributing to 98° And Rising, the album spans the worlds of hip-hop influenced R&B and pop to Euro-dance and beyond. Drew explains, "It was an enlightening experience making this album. Working with such an eclectic group of producers opened us up musically."
The first song recorded for 98° And Rising was "True To Your Heart," an upbeat duet with Stevie Wonder. Also appearing on Disney's Mulan soundtrack, "True To Your Heart" has a distinctively old-school Motown flavour. For these lifelong fans of Stevie, getting the chance to do a duet with the music legend was a dream come true. "When they sent the tape to us at home, I was almost in tears listening to it," recalls Nick. "It was an awesome feeling to hear your voice with Stevie Wonder exchanging riffs and singing harmony parts together. It was completely unreal."
Drew and Justin even got the chance to sing lead on 98°' collaboration with The Trackmasters, the party jam "Do You Wanna Dance" (featuring a dancefloor-ready sample from Kool & the Gang's "Get Down On It").
And for the group's fans who are familiar with their reputation as premier balladeers, 98° And Rising is full of romantic songs. "No matter what, the ballads are definitely our strong point," admits Justin. "We are always suckers for great love songs." "Because Of You" and "I Do (Cherish You)," a remake of Mark Wills' country hit of the same name, are two of the album's most tender tunes. Along the same lines is "Still," an acoustic guitar-accented homage to true love co-written and co-produced by 98° and Sean Hosein and Dane Deviller, the team who did "Invisible Man." A special highlight for the guys is their a cappella performance of the Michael Jackson classic "She's Out Of My Life." "That's how we started singing, so that's definitely a sound that we're very comfortable with," says Drew of the spare arrangement. "I get goosebumps every time I hear it - the harmonies on it are amazing."
The album is just the culmination of a whirlwind year filled with major achievements. Since the July 1997 release of 98°, they've been featured on national shows from CNN/Showbiz Today to E!-TV, NBC Weekend Today to Soul Train, and their most recent coup landing a spot on The Tonight Show to perform "True To Your Heart" with Stevie Wonder. "That's the biggest adrenaline rush I've had since I've been doing this," admits Jeff. "I couldn't help but think, 'What am I doing here?'"
Their debut album's first single, "Invisible Man," packed a punch all over the world, reaching #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart, and took the album gold in Canada and the Philippines, where they have a seriously devoted following thanks to their massive touring. They've visited Canada, Germany, Holland, England, as well as Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. And these sports fanatics were also excited to be chosen to sing the national anthem at the Chicago Bulls/Utah Jazz Game Five of the NBA Finals as well as at a Superbowl half-time event.
With 98° And Rising, 98° have entered the next stage of their flourishing career. For these young artists, establishing their niche in a crowded field is a challenge they're willing to undertake. "We're growing, we're evolving as artists and musicians," says Jeff. Nick agrees: "We're committed to making music our careers."
Full Name : Andrew John Lachey
Nickname : Sprout
Vocal Part : Baritone
Birth Date : 8 August 1976
Birth Place : Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Zodiac Sign : Leo
Family : father John Lachey, mother Cate
Fopma-Leimbach, brother Nick, step-sister Josie, half-brother Issac, adopted
brother Zac and adopted sister Kaitlin
Favorites:
Artist : Marvin Gaye, Prince, Take 6
Song : "Purple Rain" by Prince
Food : Pizza, donuts and all junk food
Drink : Orange juice
Color : Navy blue
Sports : Water skiing & snowboarding
Movie : Braveheart
Movie Stars : Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford
& Rene Russo
Drew Lachey was the final member to join 98°. After Nick and Justin hooked up with Jeff in L.A. and another member left the group, the guys asked Nick's brother, Drew, to complete the foursome. Even though he was working as an EMT almost 3000 miles away in New York City, Drew decided to go for it! Within two days, Nick was driving Drew to California, teaching him his parts from a tape recording the group had made. They arrived just in time to prepare for a performance at the House of Blues with Montell Jordan. Less than six months later, 98° signed with Motown Records.
Quotes:
1. "Never never call me Andy - it's a complete
no-no. No one's ever called me that and no
one ever will."
2. "We formed on our own, have fans from age
four to fifty-four, perform and sing live at our
shows. This boyband labeling
doesn't sit well with us at all."
3. "Our experiences together as a group have
definitely been unique and it's made us closer.
The way we live our
lives is based on us as a group - we're a group first and individuals
second."
4. "Of course everybody wants to be successful,
but beyond that we want to be respected.
That's my goal."
Full Name : Nicholas Scott Lachey
Nickname : Hollywood, Slider
Vocal part : Second tenor
Birth Date : 9 November 1973
Birth Place : Harlan, Kentucky, USA
Zodiac Sign : Scorpio
Family : father John Lachey, mother Cate
Fopma-Leimbach, brother Drew, step-sister Josie, half-brother Issac, adopted
brother Zac and adopted sister Kaitlin
Favorites:
Artist : Boyz II Men, Sade, Jodeci, Brian
McKnight, Take 6
Song : "Cherish the Day" by Sade
Food : Skyline Chili, steak, pizza &
barbeque
Drink : Yoo Hoo
Color : Red
Sports : Football & basketball
Movie : Die Hard
Movie Stars : Bruce Willis & Michelle
Pfeiffer
Flower : Rose
Nick Lachey was on summer break from studying Sports Medicine at Miami University in Ohio when he got an invitation from a high school friend to join an up-and-coming vocal group in Los Angeles. Nick had always been torn between his loves of sports and music, but it appeared that music would win out this time. Shortly after joining Jeff in California, Nick realized that his friend, Justin, and his brother, Drew, would fit perfectly in the group. A few phone calls, several plane flights, and thousands of driving miles later, the foursome was complete.
Quotes:
1. "Most brothers at this age might be living
in different cities and see each other only on the
holidays. It's great because
we're there for each other. It's an 'I got your back,' type of t
thing."
2. "I kind of like headstrong women. I like to
deal with a little adversity and have a struggle
every now and then."
3. "We want to make history. Twenty years from
now, I'd like to think that 98° will leave a
lasting impression."
Full Name : Jeffrey Brandon Timmons
Nickname : Sugar
Vocal part : First tenor
Birth Date : 30 April 1973
Birth Place : Canton, Ohio, USA
Zodiac Sign : Taurus
Family : father James Timmons, mother
Patricia, brother Mike and sister Tina
Favorites:
Artist : Boyz II Men
Song : "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To
Yesterday" by Boyz II Men
Food : Seafood and steak
Color : Orange, Blue
Sport : Football
Movie : The Shawshank Redemption
Movie Stars : Robert DeNiro & Salma
Hayek
Flower : Rose
Jeff Timmons is the founding member of 98°. While studying Psychology at Kent State, he decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment. Although he received several acting jobs (including a commercial for the U.S. Navy!), his heart belonged to music and he formed a singing group. Time passed and several members came and went, but everything started to fall into place when a mutual friend introduced him to Nick. Shortly after, Justin and Drew joined the lineup and 98° was born.
Quotes:
1. "I like a girl with a sense of humor who is
relaxed and easygoing."
2. "We're all very grounded guys, we all have
a spiritual background. We have the proper
perspective. We know as easily
as it comes, it can easily be taken away. You should enjoy
it while you have it."
3. "If you can feel what we feel when we're singing,
then that's the greatest thing."
Full name : Justin Paul Jeffre
Nickname : Droopy, Big J, Hydro
Vocal part : Bass
Birth Date : 25 February 1973
Birth Place : Mount Clemens, Michigan,
USA
Zodiac Sign : Pisces
Family : father Dan Jeffre, mother Sue,
brother Dan, step-sister Ann, step-brother Jeff and half-sister Alexandrea
Favorites:
Artist : James Brown, Stevie Wonder
Song : "Try A Little Tenderness" by Otis
Redding
Food : Pizza, donuts & Skyline Chili
Drink : Orange juice
Color : Blue
Sports : Soccer & tennis
Movie : Friday & Braveheart
Movie Stars : Robert DeNiro & Reese
Witherspoon
Flower : Rose
Justin Jeffre grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and - like Nick and Drew Lachey - attended the School for Creative and Performing Arts. In fact, Justin and Nick performed together in several groups during and after high school, including a barbershop quartet and an oldies cover band. While on break from studying History at the University of Cincinnati, Justin got a call from Nick about a vocal group in L.A. that Jeff Timmons had started. The combination of Nick and Jeff's tenors with Justin's rumbling bass was perfect - now all they needed was a baritone...
Quotes:
1. "I love the funky music of James Brown. He
is my idol. When we opened for him it was a
dream come true."
2. "I am very calm and natural. I think over
things a lot before making a decision, I think of
the positives and negatives."
3. "My goal is to be big enough where we can
really have an impact on certain things. I
always want to make a difference."
1. Intro
2. Come And Get It
3. Invisible Man
4. Take My Breath Away
5. Hand In Hand
6. Intermood
7. Dreaming
8. You Are Everything
9. Heaven's Missing An Angel
10. I Wasn't Over You
11. Completely
12. Don't Stop The Love
13. I Wanna Love You
1. Intro
2. Heat It Up
3. If She Only Knew
4. I Do (Cherish You)
5. Fly With Me
6. Still
7. Because Of You
8. Give It Up - Interlude
9. Do You Wanna Dance
10. True to Your Heart
11. To Me You're Everything
12. The Hardest Thing
13. She's Out Of My Life
The
Hardest Thing
Invisible
Man
True
To Your Heart
The
Hardest Thing
Album :
98° and Rising
We both know that I shouldn't be here
This is wrong
And baby it's killing me, it's killing you
Both of us trying to be strong
I've got somewhere else to be
Promises to keep
Someone else who loves me
And trusts me fast asleep
I've made up my mind
There is no turning back
She's been good to me
And she deserves better than that
Chorus:
It's the hardest thing I'll ever have to do
To look you in the eye
And tell you I don't love you
It's the hardest thing I'll ever have to lie
To show no emotion when you start to cry
I can't let you see what you mean to me
When my hands are tied and my heart's not free
We're not meant to be
It's the hardest thing I'll ever had to do
To turn around and walk away
Pretending I don't love you
I know that we'll meet again
Fate has a place and time
So you can get on with your life
I've got to be cruel to be kind
Like Dr. Zhivago
All my love I'll be sending
And you will never know
'Cause there can be no happy ending
Chorus
I can't let you see what you mean to me
When my hands are tied and my heart's not free
We're not meant to be
Chorus
Maybe another time, another day
As much as I want to, I can't stay
(Ooh)
I've made up my mind
There is no turning back
She's been good to me
And she deserves better than that
Chorus
I don't want to live a lie
What can I do
Oh, oh, oh, yeah
You can hardly wait to tell all your friends
How his kisses taste sweet like wine
And how he always makes your heart skip a beat
Everytime he walks by
And if you're feeling down
He'll pick you up
He'll hold you close when you're making love
He's everything you been dreaming of, oh baby
Chorus:
I wish you'd look at me that way
Your beautiful eyes looking deep into mine
Telling me more than any words could say
But you don't even know I'm alive
Baby, to you all I am is the invisible man
Oh, you don't see me baby
You probably spend hours on the phone
Talking 'bout nothing at all
It doesn't matter what the conversation
Just as long as he calls
Lost in a love so real, and so sincere
And you'll wipe away other's tears
Your face lights up whenever he appears
Chorus
I see you all the time baby
Huh, the way you look at him
I wish it was me, sweetheart
Boy, I wish it was me
But I guess...
Chorus X2
Oh, oh, oh, oh baby
The invisible man
You don't see me girl
But I love you
Yes, I love you
The invisible man
Oh, oh, oh, yeah, yeah
The invisible man
Baby, baby, baby, yeah
The invisible man
True
To Your Heart
Album :
98° and Rising
Baby I knew at once
That you were meant for me
Deep in my soul I know
That I'm your destiny
Though you're unsure
Why fight the tide
Don't think so much
Let your heart decide
Baby I see your future
And it's tied to mine
I look in your eyes
And see you searching for a sign
But you'll never fall
'Till you let go
Don't be so scared
Of what you don't know
Chorus:
True to your heart
You must be true to your heart
That's when the heavens will part
And baby shower you with my love
Open your eyes
Your heart can tell you no lies
And when you're true to your heart
I know it's gonna lead you straight to me
(Got to be true to your heart)
Someone you know is on your side
Can set you free
I can do that for you
If you believe in me
Why second-guess
What feels so right
Just trust your heart
And you'll see the light
Chorus
(You know it's true)
Your heart knows what's good for you
(Good for you)
Let your heart show you the way
(You know it's true)
It'll see you through
(Got to be true to your heart)
Girl my heart is driving me to where you are
You can take both hands off the wheel and
Still get far
Be swept away enjoy the ride
You won't get lost
With your heart to guide you
Chorus
When things are getting crazy
And you don't know where to start
Keep on believing baby
Just be true to your heart
When all the world around you
It seems to fall apart
Keep on believing baby
Just be true to your heart
(Now playing : Final Countdown)
