Prattville will get to find out if it has the "right stuff" on Friday when former New Kids on the Block lead singer Jordan Knight comes to the Blue Iguana.

Knight also will perform at the War Eagle Supper Club in Auburn tonight.

As a member of one of the most successful groups of the late '80s and early '90s, with hits such as "The Right Stuff," "Step by Step," "Hangin' Tough" and "I'll be Lovin' You Forever," (hits he will perform at the shows) Knight has been one of the most recognizable voices in pop music during the past couple of decades.

He was not even 15 when he joined New Kids. At 16, Knight was teaching himself how to play the keyboards and by 17 he had begun writing songs. But New Kids on the Block producer Maurice Starr, who wrote a lot of the group's material, didn't use Knight's songs. Tommy Page did, and the song, "I'll Be Your Everything" went to No. 1 and spent 13 weeks on the Billboard charts.

Not only did New Kids on the Block's fourth album, "Step by Step" hit No. 1, but the group became a merchandising gold mine with dolls, a cartoon series, and best-selling books, video, comics and even a telephone message line that received 100,000 calls a week.

Five of the group's albums were simultaneously on the Billboard 200 chart, and estimates had the group's 1990 income at more than $850 million.

As the '90s went on, the group ran its course and eventually disbanded. Knight went solo and teamed up with top producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (who also produced Janet Jackson) for his debut album.

The album was a success overseas, cracking the top 10 in Asia, England and Germany. It also didn't do too badly in America as the single "Give It to You" went platinum and the album went gold.

Knight got some more attention last year as a member of the cast of VH1s "The Surreal Life" with Flavor Flav of Public Enemy and others.

Earlier this month, Knight released an EP called "The Fix" and the first single, "Where is Your Heart Tonight" is currently getting airplay on several adult contemporary stations.

Knight, along with Jeff Timmons (98 Degrees), Bryan Abrams (Color Me Badd), C-Note, Aaron and Nick Carter, also recorded a song and filmed a video called "Believe" on Sept. 30th at T-Con studios in Orlando. The soon-to-be-released song will raise money for Hurricane Victims.

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