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Bobby Brown has always been the one making headlines.

From leaving the groundbreaking R B group New Edition for a successful solo career ... from the celebrity marriage to Whitney Houston to his meteoric crash in a haze of drugs and arrests ... from his stint as a reality TV star to his return as a member of Heads of State ... it's been Bobby on the receiving end of the fickle focus of the media.

In the background, however, it's been Johnny Gill -- and, to an extent, fellow New Edition alumnus Ralph Tresvant -- who have been the foundation. Gill, who replaced Brown when the latter left New Edition, has been the older brother, the father figure. When Bobby was on top of the world, Gill wished his friend well. When he stumbled and fell, it was Gill who was there through it all with a hand to help him back up.

Now, the two men, along with Tresvant, are together on the same stage -- singing the New Edition hits as well as their own on a tour billed as "The Summit," which drops by the Civic Auditorium in downtown Knoxville tonight. It's more than just a business opportunity, Gill told The Daily Times this week -- it's a chance for the three men to enjoy one another's company, to celebrate one another's successes and to give and take a little love from fans who have been with them since the beginning.

"When you look at Bob, you're going to be quite pleasantly surprised to see the Bobby who will be with us (tonight)," Gill said. "That's my little brother, actually, and that real love I have for him is unconditional. I've been right there, supporting him from day one. Everybody made it out to be this big thing, that I was taking Bobby's place, that there was this rivalry or competition between us, but that was never so.

"I've stuck in there and been a supporter, and as the oldest -- the 'daddy' of this group -- I'm so proud of the change that he's making. We had a long conversation before we decided to do this, where we all sat down and asked him about his commitment and what he can do to show people he's come full circle as a man. And I think he's done that, and the credit is not due to me, because he understands the importance of what we're doing here.

"He'll tell you, because he's been saying this a million and one times, how much fun he's having," Gill added. "We're working in an environment that's peaceful, and we keep out the nonsense. I'm the no-nonsense guy anyway."

That demeanor has served Gill well, both personally and professionally. Born in 1966, he was 17 when he made his first demo, which was picked up by Atlantic Records. He recorded three albums, including a duets record with singer Stacy Lattisaw and one that produced the fan favorite "Half Crazy," before being asked to join New Edition in 1987. Brown had left and was becoming a successful solo artist; the group was looking to change its image from bubblegum R B to a more contemporary, adult-oriented sound.

"In the beginning, I would have never gotten the type of exposure as quick as I did if I hadn't joined a group that was already together and already had some great success," Gill said. "It's like watching reality TV today, like 'American Idol' -- until you're exposed to people and somebody gets to see you, it's all this talent sitting in a bottle, waiting to be opened.

"I started at the same time they started, but I didn't have that level of success they had right out, and it was a really great vehicle and avenue for me when I joined the group. Me coming in, being this young kid with a mature voice, helped, I think. The audience was growing up and moving on to other things, and Ralph and I just felt each other out and started bonding."

With Gill on board, New Edition charted several hits, including "Can You Stand the Rain" and "Boys to Men." That opened the door for solo success on his 1990 self-titled album, which included songs like "My, My, My," "Rub You the Right Way" and "Wrap My Body Tight." In 1996, New Edition reunited with Brown, making the former quintet now a six-member group, and released "Home Again." In 1997, he released the multi-platinum "Levert-Sweat-Gill" with singers Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat, and he's continued to enjoy solo success.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of New Edition, the members wanted to put together a reunion tour, Gill said, but disagreements among all of the members torpedoed such an opportunity. Instead, Gill, Brown and Tresvant decided to strike out on their own as the appropriately named Heads of State.

"It's a show that's so much fun, and it just takes you down memory lane," Gill said. "We were not going to let this 25th-year anniversary go by without celebrating it and having fun and enjoying it, so we said, 'Let's do something that's different, where we can all do something together and have fun.

"It's not a formatted show like New Edition. You'll get a taste of everything from all of our catalogues and from the New Edition catalogue. We're the three lead singers, and we've had individual and collective success, so we decided to call it Heads of State. It was funny, but it's a great concept, and it's fun all the way around.

"We're just like the Rat Pack," he added with a laugh. "It's going to be a lot of fun all night."