One day, he was asked by his choir teacher to perform the National Anthem at his high school basketball game and he agreed but when he stood up to sing, his mind went blank! Howie forgot the words! Despite the extreme embarrassment, he got right back on his horse and began performing again when he sang 'Unchained Melody' at his school talent show, and got a standing ovation when he hit the high note. Girls had tears in their eyes and boys looked on in envy. Dorough was note-perfect and, this time, he was word perfect too. His national anthem mess was forgotten as the screams filled the auditorium and everyone jumped to their feet. He also auditioned for a Latin boy band Menudo, but he did not make it. He was also involved in a peer counseling group called Friends, where he talked to other kids about living "a clean life, having fun, going to school, avoiding drugs." When he's not working in the spotlight, he works as a tour guide in Universal Orlando and worked with his sister at Zarro's Bread Basket one summer in New York when he was 14.