Johnny Wright (born August 17, 1960) is an American music manager and president and CEO of the Wright Entertainment Group (WEG). He has managed groups including New Kids on the Block, the Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, the Jonas Brothers, Menudo, Triple Image, and solo acts such as Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Stevie Brock, and Ciara. Early life Wright was born in Hyannis, Massachusetts and grew up in Cape Cod. While working in radio, he befriended Maurice Starr, who went on to discover New Edition. In 1988, when Starr was managing group New Kids on the Block, Starr hired Wright as a driver for the band, and Wright became the group's road manager for four years. Career In the early 1990s, Wright relocated to Orlando and began working as a manager for the Backstreet Boys, a vocal group put together by Lou Pearlman. To help break the group, Wright decided the Boys should first develop their act in continental Europe before making an American debut. The band achieved success in pop music-friendly Europe, eventually breaking through internationally and selling 30 million copies worldwide of their second album Backstreet Boys. While the Backstreet Boys were establishing themselves in Europe, Pearlman signed another vocal group gaining buzz in Orlando, NSYNC, at Wright's suggestion. NSYNC, duplicating Wright's European strategy, would go on to match Backstreet Boys' success with their debut record reaching the number 2 position on the Billboard 200 chart. In September 1998, the Backstreet Boys parted ways with Wright, but later re-signed with him in 2004. Wright managed Britney Spears from 1998 to 2003. He became the manager for Justin Timberlake's solo career in 2002. During 2000, Wright's management roster included eleven acts, which included Blaque, Wild Orchid, P.Y.T., and Aaron Carter. 2000–2010 In 2003, he appeared as a judge on the NBC talent/reality show, Fame, hosted by one of his own managed talents, Joey Fatone of *NSYNC. In 2004, Wright teamed up with Sean "Diddy" Combs for the third season of Making the Band. After an unsuccessful first attempt, band Danity Kane was finally chosen in 2005. Wright served as the group's (which included singer Shannon Bex, whom he met on Fame) manager. In 2008, he quit managing Danity Kane via text message. In 2007, Wright was selected to be the manager of the new version of the Latino boy band Menudo. The new group would be a fusion of