Boyz II Men Uncovers Hidden “Amazed” History

It’s hard to believe that Lonestar’s “Amazed” has a 20th anniversary this summer.

Co-written by Marv Green, Chris Lindsey and Aimee Mayo, the song claimed the pinnacle of Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for eight consecutive weeks in summer of 1999 and has become a standard at nearly every school dance since.

But long before Lonestar’s Michael Britt, Keech Rainwater and Dean Sams recorded the crossover hit, Boyz II Men almost had it first.

“That song interesting enough was brought to us years before it was recorded by Lonestar,” Nathan Morris revealed backstage at Boyz II Men’s CMT Crossroads with Brett Young. “We were kind of in the middle of our contract figuring out who we were going to be as Boyz II Men moving forward. So, we turned the song away. Next thing you know, we hear that Lonestar song on the radio and watch it just sky-rocket.”

Embedded from media.mtvnservices.com.

The group eventually recorded the song for 2009’s Love and revisited the hit for the latest CMT Crossroads with Young. The Crossroads edition premiered on an all-new CMT Hot 20 Countdown, which airs Saturdays and Sundays at 9 a.m. ET.

Embedded from media.mtvnservices.com.

CMT Crossroads debuted January 13, 2002 with Elvis Costello and Lucinda Williams and has since showcased iconic musical pairings including Alison Krauss and Robert Plant; the Avett Brothers and Randy Travis; Ray Charles and Travis Tritt; Dave Matthews and Emmylou Harris; Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire; Def Leppard and Taylor Swift; Sting and Vince Gill; John Mayer and Keith Urban; Steven Tyler and Carrie Underwood; Stevie Nicks and Lady Antebellum; Katy Perry and Kacey Musgraves; Alicia Keys and Maren Morris; Smokey Robinson and Cam; and Meghan Trainor and Brett Eldredge.

Lauren Tingle is a Tennessean and storyteller who eats music for breakfast, lunch and dinner. When she’s not writing or rocking out, she enjoys yoga and getting lost in the great outdoors.