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Amanda Butterfield reportingA singer with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir took a rather non-traditional path to get there: from hip-hop with a boy band in Britain, to mainstream Christian rock. His name is Alex Boye.
In the late ‘90s, Alex Boye was a European heartthrob. His band "Awesome" shared the stage with big names like Smashing Pumpkins, Backstreet Boys, Missy Elliot and George Michael. Fans waited in long lines to get a glimpse of him.
But now you'll find Alex singing a different tune. He's a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
In 2000 Awesome broke up and Boye, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since he was 16 years old, came to Utah for a Mormon music festival. He eventually met then-choir director Craig Jessop.
Boye said, "He stopped me and said, ‘I want you to be in the choir.' I said, ‘What choir?' He said, ‘The Mormon Tabernacle Choir.' I said, ‘Are you kidding me? I can't even read music!'"
Since, Boye has been a featured soloist during Music and the Spoken Word. He says his life is fuller after making the transition from pop to religious music. "Before, I'll be honest, I used my music to get girls interested, make money, and to be rich and famous. But I didn't find much happiness in that," he said.
He got married last year to Julie, who is also his manager. The two still live a hectic life, keeping up with recording sessions for LDS videos, and of course choir rehearsals. There aren't any fans pounding down his door now, but Boye likes it that way and is happy. Not a bad musical past for a guy who admits he doesn't have perfect pitch. "No, I don't. Someone told you that, didn't they? I think they got me mixed up with another artist," he said.
After hearing his story of boy-band to Mo-tab, it's likely no one will mix him up with another artist again. Alex Boye has put out a CD. If you'd like learn more about it and his music, see the link on this page.
E-mail: abutterfield@ksl.com
