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98 Degrees music biography continued...

(the future Mr. Jessica Simpson) at the Cincinnati School for Creative and Performing Artists. They decided to relocate to Los Angeles. Nick Lachey's friend Justin Jeffre joined the group and then came Drew Lachey (Nick Lachey's brother) who actually replaced another member who didn't work out. 98 Degrees began promoting themselves by going to talent shows and auditions. It wasn't until they met Montell Jordan's manager backstage at a Boys II Men concert that their luck would change. They signed to Motown Records and six months later in 1997 they released their first self-titled album. After building popularity with their appearance in the movie Mulan, and singing "True to Your Heart" (a duet with labelmate Stevie Wonder), their album 98 Degrees and Rising went 4x platinum in 1998. The group scored a Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit in the U.S. with the single "Thank God I Found You", a collaboration with Mariah Carey and Joe, off a successful follow-up Christmas album. The single earned the group a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. In the summer of 2000, 98 Degrees released the first single of their new album "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)," the single went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Gold. In September 2000, the band's album Revelation was released, peaking at #2 on the Billboard 200 and going double platinum.



By the time 98 Degrees split in 2002 to pursue outside interests, the R&B group had sold over ten million albums and had released 12 singles. Amidst talk of a reunion, the band came together in 2004 to sing on Nick & Jessica's Family Christmas TV special. In September 2005, 98 Degrees performed at Club Purgatory in Over-the-Rhine to support bandmate Justin Jeffre in his candidacy for mayor of Cincinnati. Although there continue to be persistent rumors about the band coming together again, there are no firm plans in the offing, as members of this uber-successful boy band continue to go their own way.