'Glee' star just one of the boy bands

Matthew Morrison would rather forget about his boy band days. The "Glee" star looked slightly embarrassed when asked about his brief stint in LMNT (pronounced element) and called that time in his career "a bad story."

So why, then, did he cancel most of the dates on his solo tour last week — including a planned stop at the Rosemont Theatre on June 21 — to instead be a part of the ultimate boy band tour with New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys?

"It's kind of an opportunity I couldn't pass up," a tux-wearing Morrison said before performing at the Goodman Theatre's "One Enchanted Decade" gala Saturday. "I was going to go on a solo tour, but the difference between playing in front of 2,000-3,000 people and 15,000-20,000 was a no-brainer.

"I think (their audience) is kind of my demographic: Women between 18 and 40."

The 32-year-old actor reaches that demographic on a weekly basis as high school glee club director Will Schuester on Fox's "Glee." The role has earned Morrison an Emmy nomination and two Golden Globe nominations for best actor. Now he's on a mission to translate that success into a music career.

His self-titled debut album was released this month and opened at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 chart. It features duets with Elton John, Sting and "Glee" guest star Gwyneth Paltrow. "It's about the struggles I'm going through now personally," Morrison said. "Also, it's kind of me in my early 20s in New York City."

Morrison performed 11 songs at Saturday's gala, which benefited Goodman's Educational and Community Engagement programs, including his single "Summer Rain." Unfortunately for local "Gleeks," Morrison won't be back with the boy bands: He is opening for New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys from July 6 to Aug. 7 but not during their show at Allstate Arena on Wednesday or at the United Center on June 17 and 18.

If Morrison would have stuck with LMNT — made up mostly of former contestants on ABC's "Making the Band" — is there any chance the pop quintet would still be touring like New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys?

"No," responded Morrison, laughing. "(We) would be defunct."

source: chicagotribune.com