The R&B group New Edition was formed in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood.
The group’s origins trace to the Orchard Park housing project in Roxbury, where childhood friends Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell and Michael Bivins began singing together in 1978. Ralph Tresvant and Ronnie DeVoe later joined the lineup, creating the quintet that became New Edition. Their early performances around Boston eventually brought them to the attention of producer and songwriter Maurice Starr.
New Edition’s name reflected Starr’s concept of a new version of the Jackson 5-style vocal group. Their 1983 debut album, Candy Girl, produced the title hit and helped launch them as major teen stars. The group went on to record “Cool It Now,” “Mr. Telephone Man” and the album Heart Break, while its members later formed successful solo and splinter projects.
Roxbury is a Boston neighborhood, not a separate city. That distinction matters because the group’s identity is closely tied to Boston’s Black music history and local community. The neighborhood’s Orchard Park roots are also why Boston has repeatedly honored New Edition as one of the city’s most influential musical exports.