We've all heard Michael McCary's voice. He may not have taken center stage the way someone like Wanya Morris did, or provided soaring backing vocals the way Shawn Stockman did, but he was just as integral to the success of Boyz II Men during the 1990s.
McCary was the bass, and he often provided the spoken word outros on Boyz II Men hits. It's hard to imagine a classic single like "End of the Road" without McCary's deep voice carrying listeners to, well, the end of the song. But the singer left the band in 2003, forcing Morris, Stockman and Nathan Morris to carry on as a trio.
Michael McCary left Boyz II Men in 2003
McCary, who joined Boyz II Men in 1988, was forced to step away from the group for health reasons. At least partially for health reasons. The singer was diagnosed with scoliosis, which was his official reason for quitting Boyz II Men. The other members subsequently claimed that there were multiple other reasons for their mutual parting of ways.
Nathan Morris told the Huffington Post that McCary often failed to show up for Boyz II Men concerts, which put the rest of the group in a precarious situation. "Because he left us hanging so many times, we had to cover what we had been doing the last nine years he wasn't there," he revealed. "You can't just run out one day and don't show up. We had to have some sort of contractual agreement to make sure he was going to be there for everything."
The group doesn't plan to replace McCary
Morris also noted that McCary briefly considered returning to Boyz II Men in the last decade, but his inability to commit to being a full time member has word down the patience of the other three. Shawn Stockman told the outlet that Boyz II Men have no plans of replacing McCary anytime soon, and will continue to tour and record as a trio.
"There's always a chance. Mike is ... we experienced that with Mike, so his slot will always be open for him," the singer noted. "But he has to go about things correctly for it to happen." Boyz II Men have put out eight studio albums since McCary left, which surpasses the six that were recorded with him. Still, the bass singer will undoubtedly be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame if and when Boyz II Men are selected for the honor. He remains, eternally, the fourth member.