Town of Boston is honoring New Version by proclaiming Saturday, Aug. 30, “New Version Day.”
In keeping with NBC Boston, the legendary R&B group can even have a avenue named after them of their outdated neighborhood of Roxbury, and an enormous block get together will happen for the renaming ceremony on Dearborn Avenue on the Orchard Gardens Boys & Women Membership of Boston.
The ceremony, which started round 10 a.m., was adopted by a block get together that included a backpack giveaway, a gaming truck, a photograph sales space and meals vehicles. The mayor of the town, Michelle Wu, licensed the day “New Version Day.”
New Version was fashioned within the Boston neighborhood of Roxbury again in 1978 with Bobby Brown, Ronnie DeVoe, Rickey Bell, Michael Bivins and Ralph Tresvant as members.
The group took over the radio with iconic hits like “Mr Phone Man,” “Sweet Lady,” “Cool It Now” and “Can You Stand the Rain.” Johnny Gill joined the group after Brown left in 1985.
Followers took to social media with pleasure and enthusiasm over New Version Day, celebrating the long-awaited honor.
“They should have a terrific Mayor to acknowledge this Honor with a New Version,” famous one fan. on Fb. “Means too late,” acknowledged one other.
One other fan replied, “This could have occurred some time in the past … glad it’s,” which prompted one other fan to echo the sentiment. “About time.”
“New Version is getting a avenue named after them on the tasks that they grew up in. The outdated Boston continues to be right here,” added one other fan.
All six members of New Version: Ronnie, Michael, Ricky, Bobby, Johnny and Ralph attended the ceremony and the block get together afterward on Saturday.
Whereas there, Ricky offered a $25,000 examine on behalf of the group to the Orchard Gardens Resident Affiliation, previously Orchard Park, within the Roxbury neighborhood, the place they grew up. One other $25,000 examine was additionally donated to the Boston Arts Academy Basis.
R&B group New Version returns residence to Roxbury! The Metropolis of Boston is honoring them with a avenue dedication this afternoon, in addition to declaring August thirtieth “New Version Day” @boston25 🎶 pic.twitter.com/Kud4PHOFOK
— Alyssa Azzara (@alyssaazzaraTV) August 30, 2025
“One of many hardest issues to do as a gaggle is to remain collectively,” Bell advised the group, experiences NBC10. “We’ve been by a lot collectively within the business and internally collectively. And the factor that retains bringing us collectively is all of us keep in mind the place we got here from.”
He continued, “We weren’t put collectively by some document govt… We had been buddies and we had been brothers earlier than we began singing and making a living collectively. Once we can’t work out which technique to go or what to agree on, we simply do not forget that we’re brothers, so we are able to’t get away from one another it doesn’t matter what.”
New Version achieved worldwide success as a gaggle and as particular person artists. Regardless of their 42 years of exhausting work and entertaining generations of R&B and pop music lovers, they’ve by no means gained a Grammy award as a gaggle.
Their single, “If It Isn’t Love (Single)” was nominated for greatest R&B efficiency by a duo or group with vocals. The track was featured on their double platinum album “Coronary heart Break” in 1988.
That very same 12 months, Bobby Brown left the group to pursue solo efforts, profitable a Grammy for his breakout hit “Each Little Step.” Johnny left the group to be a solo artist as nicely and Rickey, Mike, and Ronnie went on to type their very own profitable trio, Bell Biv DeVoe. The breakup continued for a couple of years earlier than they obtained again collectively for 1996’s “Residence Once more,” certainly one of their most beloved tasks that they nonetheless carry out as we speak.
Earlier this 12 months, New Version wrapped their “New Version: Las Vegas” residency on the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas all through 2024, with performances extending into 2025.
