Background:

A member of the internationally renowned boy band ‘N Sync, Lance Bass entered the realm of stardom when he and his band achieved critical and commercial success for their musical work. Their best-selling albums No Strings Attached (2000) and Celebrity (2001), nabbed various awards including a Grammy Award, a Billboard award and a Teen Choice Award. Going through such recognition, Bass, who was not interested in a solo career, remarked, “I don’t see myself doing a tour by myself. I love having people with me. I like sharing that with people.”

Bass also branched out to acting and appeared in such movies and TV series as Longshot (2000), “7th Heaven” (2000, TV), On the Line (2001), “The New Tom Green Show” (2003, TV) and Lovewrecked (2005). The owner of a production company named Bacon & Eggs LLC, Bass, who in 2005 wrote a horror screenplay titled “Imaginary Friends,” produced two of his wide screen movies, On the Line (2001) and Lovewrecked (2005). He will also produce the upcoming thriller Just This Side of Nowhere (2007) and Zak Penn’s untitled comedy (2007).

Off screen, in 2000, Bass founded Free Lance Entertainment Group, a management group aimed to blast off the musical career of talented wannabes such as the future country singer Meredith Edwards. He also joined up for cosmonaut training at Star City, Russia, in 2002. He was hoping to be the first celebrity in space by following the mission Soyuz TMA-1 on the Soyuz spacecraft in October 2002. However, as the sponsorship funds failed to support his needs, he left the training center on September 3, 2002. In October 2004, during World Space Week, Bass became a member of the National Space Society’s Board of Governors and served in an advisory and public outreach capacity.

“The education that I’m going to be doing is more like physics studies on video, just being able to talk live with people down in their schools on the ham radio. Just letting them know what it’s like to experience; let them see what it’s like to be in zero gravity, to know what it’s like to train to become a cosmonaut-astronaut.” Lance Bass

A humanitarian, Bass took part in a Christmas program for patients at Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. On a more personal note, Bass is now reportedly in a romantic relationship with actress Danielle Fishel (born on May 5, 1981).


Aviatophobia

Childhood and Family:

In Laurel, Mississippi, James Lance Bass was born on May 4, 1979, to Jim Bass (former lab technician) and Diane Bass (teacher). The only brother of Stacy Bass, Lance received the nickname “Lansten” and “Scoop” from his ‘N Sync mates.
Young Lansten, who was raised with country music and church hymns, began to show his special talent in singing. He joined a school chorus while in the seventh grade and became a member of Attache, a choral group competing in regional singing championships.

Blue-eyed Lansten attended Clinton High School in Clinton, Mississippi, before taking the tutorial program at the University of Nebraska. The owner of a cocker Spaniel named Goldie also has a particular fondness toward horses and Toyota 4Runners. He also apparently suffers from aviatophobia (fear of flying).


Celebrity

Career:

Joining choirs as the initial step in his musical career, 12-year-old Lance Bass acquired a position in the Mississippi Show Stoppers, a choral group supported by the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum. In 1995, his powerful voice was spotted by the vocal coach of Justin Timberlake and J.C. Chasez, who was looking for a person to be the last member of their band, ‘N Sync. Bass replaced Jason Watkins, the former bass singer of the band. Alongside Justin Timberlake, J.C. Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick and Joey Fatone, Bass soon began his international music career.

With ‘N Sync, Bass had his first taste of fame in the mid 90s. In 1998, the boy band made their way back to the U.S. from Europe and released their self-titled American debut album. Spawning the hits “I Want You Back,” “God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You” and “Tearing Up My Heart,” the album became an American and European hit. The same year, ‘N Sync followed their success with a holiday album titled Home for Christmas. In 1999, Bass and the rest of the band made guest appearances in such series as “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,” “Clueless” and “Touched by an Angel.”

After moving from BMG Entertainment to Jive Records, ‘N Sync scored an even larger success with their second album, No Strings Attached (2000). The album nabbed a Billboard for Album of the Year and its singles, “Bye, Bye, Bye,” “It’s Gonna Be Me” and “This I Promise You,” won numerous awards including Video Music awards and Teen Choice awards.

Bass then launched his acting career with his appearance as a flight engineer in the silver screen movie Longshot (2000), which was ensued by his guest starring role of Rick Palmer in an episode of the TV series “7th Heaven” (2000). The founder of a production company named Bacon & Eggs LLC (formerly A Happy Place), Bass produced and starred as Kevin, a shy advertising employee searching for his soulmate, in Eric Bross’ romantic comedy On the Line (2001). Still in 2001, Bass and his band released their third album, Celebrity, and received rave reviews from fans and critics. The album won a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album and a Teen Choice for Choice Album, while its hit single, “Pop,” netted a Teen Choice for Choice Single and three Video Music awards. Giving an all-out effort on each performance, ‘N Sync also took home two Grammys for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals and Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals, an American Music for Best Pop/Rock Band, a Teen Choice for Choice Concert, as well as a People’s Choice, a Blockbuster and a Radio Music for Favorite Music Group.

In 2002, Bass lent his voice to Sephiroth, a character in a popular video game called Kingdom Hearts, where actors Haley Joel Osment, David Gallagher, Billy Zane and David Boreanaz were among the voice talents. On the small screen, Bass continued to make guest appearances in an episode of “The New Tom Green Show” (2003), the animated series “Kim Possible” (2004, as the voice of Robby) and the “Higglytown Heroes” (2004, as the voice of Electrician Hero).

With his production company, Bass produced his second motion picture, Lovewrecked (2005). In the romantic comedy starring Amanda Bynes and Chris Carmack, Bass also played the supporting role of Dan. Bass will serve as the producer of the forthcoming thriller Just This Side of Nowhere (2007), for director Mauro Borrelli. He will also be the co-producer of an untitled Zak Penn project (2007). As for his career with ‘N Sync, Bass and the band reportedly have plans to work on their next album. However, some rumors suggest that if Justin Timberlake quits the group, ‘N Sync will end.


Awards:

• American Music: Best Pop/Rock Band, Duo or Group (shared with band NSYNC), 2002
• Grammy: Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals (Brian McKnight & Justin), My Kind Of Girl (shared with band NSYNC), 2002
• Grammy: Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, Gone (shared with band NSYNC), 2002
• Grammy: Best Pop Vocal Album, Celebrity (shared with band NSYNC), 2002
• Much Music: Best International Video - Group, Girlfriend Remix (shared with band NSYNC), 2002
• Much Music: People’s Choice, Favorite International Group (shared with band NSYNC), 2002
• People’s Choice: Favorite Music Group (shared with band NSYNC), 2002
• Teen Choice: Choice Hook Up, Girlfriend Remix (shared with band NSYNC), 2002
• Teen Choice: Choice Single, Girlfriend Remix (shared with his band NSYNC), 2002
• American Music: Internet Artist of the Year (shared with his band NSYNC), 2001
• Blockbuster: Favorite CD, No Strings Attached (shared with his band NSYNC), 2001
• Blockbuster: Favorite Pop Group (shared with his band NSYNC), 2001
• Blockbuster: Favorite Single, Bye, Bye, Bye (shared with his band NSYNC), 2001
• People’s Choice: Favorite Musical Group/Band (shared with his band NSYNC), 2001
• Radio Music: Best Pop Group (shared with his band NSYNC), 2001
• Teen Choice: Choice Album, Celebrity (shared with his band NSYNC), 2001
• Teen Choice: Choice Concert (shared with his band NSYNC), 2001
• Teen Choice: Choice Single, Pop (shared with his band NSYNC), 2001
• Video Music: Best Dance Video, Pop (shared with his band NSYNC), 2001
• Video Music: Best Group Video, Pop (shared with his band NSYNC), 2001
• Video Music: Best Pop Video, Pop (shared with his band NSYNC), 2001
• Video Music: MTV House of Style - Most Stylish Award (shared with his band NSYNC), 2001
• Video Music: Viewer’s Choice Award, Pop (shared with his band NSYNC), 2001
• Golden Apple: Male Discovery of the Year, 2001
• Billboard: Special Billboard Award for having the biggest 1st week sales (shared with his band NSYNC), 2001
• American Music: Favorite Musical Group/Band (shared with his band NSYNC), 2000
• American Music: Internet Artist Of The Year (shared with his band NSYNC), 2000
• Billboard: Album of the Year, No Strings Attached (shared with his band NSYNC), 2000
• Billboard: Artist-Duo/Group of the Year (shared with his band NSYNC), 2000
• Billboard: Special Billboard Music Award - Biggest 1st Week Sales in History (shared with his band NSYNC), 2000
• Much Music: Favorite International Group (shared with his band NSYNC), 2000
• Radio Music: Listener’s Choice for Song of the Year, Bye, Bye, Bye (shared with his band NSYNC), 2000
• Teen Choice: Choice Pop Group (shared with his band NSYNC), 2000
• Teen Choice: Choice Single, Bye, Bye, Bye (shared with his band NSYNC), 2000
• Teen Choice: Choice Summer Song, It’s Gonna Be Me (shared with his band NSYNC), 2000
• Teen Choice: Choice Video, It’s Gonna Be Me (shared with his band NSYNC), 2000
• Video Music: Best Choreography, Bye, Bye, Bye (shared with his band NSYNC), 2000
• Video Music: Best Pop Video, Bye, Bye, Bye (shared with his band NSYNC), 2000
• Video Music: Viewer’s Choice, Bye, Bye, Bye (shared with his band NSYNC), 2000
• American Music: Favorite New Artist, Pop/Rock (shared with his band NSYNC), 1999