Nothing is more '90s than boy bands. Fortunately, millennials had tons of options when it came to tunes. There were countless boy bands on the scene, plus the likes of Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne, and plenty of other enticing acts on the stage and on the radio.
But one band seems to be overlooked more than the others, especially when they seemed to appear as one-hit wonders. Case in point? The group LFO, whose acronym is rumored to stand for Lyte Funky Ones (although a trademark prevented them from performing or releasing albums under the already-claimed name).
LFO didn't turn out to be one of the best-selling boy bands of all time, but they did make a name for themselves. The group formed in 1995, with three original members: Rich Cronin, Brad Fischetti, and Brian Gillis. But by 1999, Gillis left the group, and Devin Lima joined.
Rich, Brad, and Devin were the three faces most '90s kids will remember as the group that rocked the charts with "Summer Girls" in 1999. The band released two albums (and a slew of singles), featuring songs like "Can't Have You" and "West Side Story."
The group had a handful of singles top the charts, and they were arguably one of the more popular acts of their time, selling four million records worldwide. For the 1990s and early 2000s, that was a big deal!
Unfortunately, their story takes a sad turn after the early 2000s. Though they enjoyed an appearance on Amanda Bynes' 'The Amanda Show' and released their second album in 2001, they split soon after. But some of the band members still pursued music, and Brad and Devin even recorded a hip-hop album together.
In 2009, the group permanently separated, and the following year, founding member Rich Cronin passed away. Cronin was 35 at the time of his passing, with the cause of death reported as leukemia that the singer had been battling for years. As Billboard reported, Rich recorded a final song in 2009 that reflected on his illness and his hopes for a pain-free future.
If that's not eerie enough, another LFO member passed away in 2018 after a "valiant battle with cancer," explained Brad Fischetti. Devin Lima's last wish was for his bandmate to tell fans that he had "disappeared," which features in Brad's tribute. Devin was a father of six children, explained Brad, and would be sorely missed.
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Brad continues to memorialize both of his bandmates, keeping the legacy of LFO alive. He even collaborated with fellow '00s boy band O-Town for recent tours, delighting fans and helping commemorate the lives of his two friends.
They may not have been the biggest stars of the '90s, but the guys of LFO were a huge part of many kids' early music experiences. The fact that two of the three group members passed away so young is absolutely tragic.
