In 1991, Cooleyhighharmony, the debut from four sweet-voiced Philly singers, took the music world by storm. The group had hit after hit and in the 1990’s they seemed unstoppable. From upbeat songs like “Motownphilly” to their signature love songs like “I’ll Make Love to You,” “On Bended Knee” and “End of the Road”, Boyz II Men were on top of the charts for months at a time. As the years passed, the foursome continued to tour with their hit catalog of hits. But it became clear that the four became three and many people began to question what happened to the bass singer of the group, Michael McCary?
What Happened to Michael McCary –the Bass of the Group?
While rumors of McCrary suffering from multiple sclerosis circled around and became clear after McCary’s confession in 2016, it still might not be the end of the road for the original deep-voiced singer.
Twenty-one years after leaving Boyz II Men due to health issues, Michael McCary, the fourth member of the famed R&B group, was back onstage with his “brothers” on Friday night, Aug. 30th 2024. Although he didn’t perform with the group during the penultimate show of their Las Vegas residency, he hinted that a reunion could be coming.
“There will be another day that we’ll all be onstage together, trust me,” McCary, 52, told the crowd gathered inside the Cosmopolitan’s Chelsea Theater. “It’s coming, and I love these guys.”
For two decades, McCary was plagued by back issues, and he was eventually diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. His health and rumored in-fighting caused him to leave the band in 2003, and he’s largely retreated from the public spotlight.
What Did the Disease do to his body?
McCary had been seen in his later years of the group using a cane more and more. While some thought that could’ve just been a part of his persona or an added “cool factor”, the public now knows it was a side-effect of MS. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system, damaging the protective coating around nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. This damage can slow or block messages between the brain and body, causing a range of symptoms that vary from person to person.
Some common symptoms of MS include:
- Vision changes, such as blurred or double vision, red-green color distortion, or pain
- Muscle weakness, spasms, or stiffness
- Numbness, tingling, or a feeling of “pins and needles”
- Fatigue
- Difficulty walking, balance, or coordination
- Bladder and bowel problems
- Sexual problems
- Cognitive and mood changes, such as depression
While there is still no cure for MS, treatments can help improve symptoms and slow the disease’s progression. These treatments include medications, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and assistive technology.
Experts used to believe that multiple sclerosis mostly affected white people, particularly those of European descent. However, research indicates that more Black people live with MS than previously thought.
Research also shows that MS may affect Black people differently than it does white people. If you are a member of this community, you may face more aggressive progression and greater disability.
Specifically, you may have:
- More balance coordination and walking problems
- More cognitive and visual symptoms
- More frequent relapses with poorer recovery
- Earlier disability onset
Scientists don’t know the reasons for these differences yet. Disparities in healthcare — diagnosis, treatment and access — could be partly to blame.
How did Boyz II Men Get Together?
Nate Morris, the eldest of the group teamed up with some like-minded vocal majors, Shawn Stockman, Wanya Morris (no relation), McCary, and others they began singing together. The group was sometimes five or six strong and at least in the beginning called itself Unique Attraction. They bought cheap suits at a two-for-one place and made the girls scream at a Valentine’s Day concert with their pitch-perfect harmonies and synchronized dance moves.
Just like the hit, Motownphilly, says:
Then we started singing and / They said it sounded smooth / So we started a group and here we are / Kickin’ it just for you
By 1989, they’d shrunk down to a quintet and changed the name of the group to Boyz II Men, after a favorite New Edition song. That’s when things started getting real.
Like a lot of Philly kids with musical aspirations, the group met up with Charlie Mack — the longtime local music promoter immortalized in the DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince song “Charlie Mack (The First Out the Limo)” — who invited them to a concert.
Nathan Morris says it was the Civic Center and that Michael Bivins of New Edition was there. When the CAPA crew got there, they couldn’t find Mack. He was running late, maybe.
Desperate to get inside and meet their idols, the CAPA crew did a little singing, a little sweet-talking, and voilà, some kind soul donated a backstage pass to their cause. Of course, one pass doesn’t really cut it for a party of five, so the first guy in had to slip it back out a window to the next guy, and so on.
And it was backstage that they tracked down Bivins. According to Morris, they sang for him in the wings, surrounded by famous artists on the bill that night: Cherrelle, Kid ’N Play, Patti LaBelle, etc. (Some versions of the story have Paula Abdul and Keith Sweat there, too, for some reason.)
The 2017 TV miniseries The New Edition Story sets up a more dramatic scene: a dark parking lot behind the venue. The Boyz II Men kids stop Bivins just as he’s stepping up into his tour bus. They sing him a few bars of New Edition’s “Can You Stand the Rain.” Impressed, or intrigued, or maybe just flattered, Biv gives the kids his phone number. That was the moment that changed everything.
What is McCary Doing Now?
After he departed from Boyz II Men, McCary pursued various solo projects, including a brief attempt at a solo music career. Although these ventures did not reach the heights of his success with the group, they allowed him to explore his musical talents independently. Additionally, McCary has appeared in films and TV shows, which helped him maintain a presence in the public eye. His openness about his struggles with multiple sclerosis and how it impacted his career with Boyz II Men has also been a significant part of his life post-group, bringing attention to the condition and advocating for awareness.
