Backstreet Boys get Hollywood star ahead of world tour

Backstreet Boys (from L-R) A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Kevin Richardson, Nick Carter and Brian Littrell pose by their star after it was unveiled on the Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California April 22, 2013.

Credit: Reuters/Mario Anzuoni

LOS ANGELES | Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:35pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Boy band the Backstreet Boys - now all grown men - on Monday marked their 20th anniversary and their upcoming world tour by getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

"Backstreet is Back ... and we aren't going anywhere," Nick Carter, 33, told fans as all five members of the 1990s band gathered to unveil their star - located right next to another popular boy band, Boyz II Men.

The close harmony singers were visibly emotional as they thanked their families and fans for their support over the years.

"What an honor it is," said Kevin Richardson, 40, holding back tears. "What a beautiful day. What another beautiful way to celebrate 20 years together."

Formed in 1993 in Florida, the Backstreet Boys went on to sell more than 130 million albums worldwide and score hits like "I Want It That Way," and "Shape of My Heart."

The other members of the group are Brian Littrell, A.J. McLean and Howie Dorough.

After several hiatuses in the 2000s and the departure of Richardson, the five original members officially got back together last year and will embark on a world tour in May, starting in China.

Backstreet Boys are also due to release a new album this summer, and a music documentary in 2014.

(Reporting by Lindsay Claiborn Editing by Jill Serjeant and Eric Walsh)

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VH1 Orders 'Hollywood Exes,' Starring the Ex-Wives of Prince, R. Kelly & Will Smith

by Lacey Rose, The Hollywood Reporter  |   March 22, 2012 11:25 EDT

VH1 is enlisting the ex-wives of Prince, R. Kelly, Will Smith, Eddie Murphy and baseball star Jose Canseco for "Hollywood Exes," an hourlong series set to bow this summer.

The unscripted show, which has been granted a 10-episode order by the pop culture-themed network, stars Mayte Garcia (formerly Mrs. Prince), Andrea Kelly (formerly Mrs. R. Kelly), Sheree Fletcher (formerly Mrs. Will Smith), Nicole Murphy (formerly Mrs. Eddie Murphy) and Jessica Canseco (formerly Mrs. Jose Canseco).

"These extraordinarily strong women adjusted to and endured a lot while their ex-spouses won fame and fortune defining pop culture for that moment," said Jeff Olde, executive vp original programming and production at VH1.

"Now these women must reinvent themselves again, stepping out of the long shadows cast by their famous husbands and supporting each other as they define the next stage of their lives -- this time on their own terms," he added.

The tentatively titled "Hollywood Exes" sets out to peel back the curtain on Cinderella tales gone wrong. The five women have been friends for several years and are looking to make a name for themselves outside of their bold-face exes.

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Melissa Etheridge gets Hollywood Walk of Fame star (AP)

LOS ANGELES – Grammy- and Oscar-winning singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, a breast cancer survivor, has received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star.

Tuesday's ceremony in front of the Hard Rock Cafe Hollywood also marked the launch of Hard Rock's monthlong Pinktober campaign, a series of concerts and celebrity events held to raise money and breast cancer awareness.

The 50-year-old Etheridge is best known for the songs "Come to My Window" and "I'm the Only One." She received the 2,450th sidewalk star in Hollywood.

Etheridge, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, has been an artist ambassador for Pinktober for six years.

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