http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=323547&Category=20.
QUOTE
Bucky Covington is a member of that charmed circle of “American Idol†contestants, who became household names virtually overnight.
Covington, whose toothy grin and aw-shucks personality set him apart on “Idol,†was the eight-place finalist of the 2006 season.
Over the course of eight weeks, the country rocker from Rockingham, N.C., sang songs by everyone from Garth Brooks to Queen, Buddy Holly to Stevie Wonder. In a memorable moment, caustic judge Simon Cowell told Covington his hairstyle looked like Jessica Simpson’s.
Since being voted off “Idol,†Covington, 29, has performed in a sold-out American Idol tour of basketball arenas nationwide, and worked on songs for his debut solo album, with Mark Miller of Sawyer Brown producing.
After vocalist Buddy Jewell broke his wrist and had to drop out of the GAC Country Christmas Tour, Covington was tapped as his last-minute replacement — which is why we spoke on Monday.
Bucky is one very enthusiastic fella.
This Christmas tour really dropped out of the sky for you, didn’t it?
It sure did. I was at home in Rockingham and my manager called and said, “Do you know any Christmas songs?†He said to learn two and get on the plane.
I bet the “American Idol†tour gave you some really good performing experience.
The “Idol†tour was awesome, man! We went all over the country — 60 dates in 72 cities, and completely sold-out everywhere. And the people on that tour were so great. Actually, I went to Target today and picked up Chris Daughtry and Kellie Pickler’s albums.
Were the audiences just screaming and crazy at the “Idol†concerts?
They were. It was amazing. We’d come out after the shows and it seemed like half the crowd was still hanging around the tour buses.
Were you happy with the way you came across on television?
I liked watching it, but I saw a lot of ways to improve myself. I was kind of stiff. I didn’t move around a whole lot. I just needed to be a little more me. I’d like to think I’ve improved a great deal since the TV show.
The week that you got voted off, was that pretty heartbreaking?
The hardest part is not so much getting booted off. I knew I wasn’t going to win the show with Chris (Daughtry) on there. The hardest part is you don’t know what’s going to be next. If I’d just gone back to the body shop doing what I did before, that would’ve been a huge letdown. You only get one shot like that in a lifetime.
So you’ve been working on an album. Tell me about that.
It’s going to be a country record, definitely, anything from slow ballads to upbeat, humorous songs, and I’ve got some songs that are almost rock. By the end of the week, I’m hoping to be signed to a label. I’m very happy with the way things are going. I don’t want overnight success, I want longevity.
After “Idol,†you must get recognized everywhere you go.
A lot of times, yeah. The first day of the (Christmas) tour, we stopped at this Starbucks in Kansas in the middle of a snowstorm and this lady saw me and said, “Hey, Bucky!†It just blew her mind that I was standing there ... It’s nice to not be forgotten, you know?
Covington, whose toothy grin and aw-shucks personality set him apart on “Idol,†was the eight-place finalist of the 2006 season.
Over the course of eight weeks, the country rocker from Rockingham, N.C., sang songs by everyone from Garth Brooks to Queen, Buddy Holly to Stevie Wonder. In a memorable moment, caustic judge Simon Cowell told Covington his hairstyle looked like Jessica Simpson’s.
Since being voted off “Idol,†Covington, 29, has performed in a sold-out American Idol tour of basketball arenas nationwide, and worked on songs for his debut solo album, with Mark Miller of Sawyer Brown producing.
After vocalist Buddy Jewell broke his wrist and had to drop out of the GAC Country Christmas Tour, Covington was tapped as his last-minute replacement — which is why we spoke on Monday.
Bucky is one very enthusiastic fella.
This Christmas tour really dropped out of the sky for you, didn’t it?
It sure did. I was at home in Rockingham and my manager called and said, “Do you know any Christmas songs?†He said to learn two and get on the plane.
I bet the “American Idol†tour gave you some really good performing experience.
The “Idol†tour was awesome, man! We went all over the country — 60 dates in 72 cities, and completely sold-out everywhere. And the people on that tour were so great. Actually, I went to Target today and picked up Chris Daughtry and Kellie Pickler’s albums.
Were the audiences just screaming and crazy at the “Idol†concerts?
They were. It was amazing. We’d come out after the shows and it seemed like half the crowd was still hanging around the tour buses.
Were you happy with the way you came across on television?
I liked watching it, but I saw a lot of ways to improve myself. I was kind of stiff. I didn’t move around a whole lot. I just needed to be a little more me. I’d like to think I’ve improved a great deal since the TV show.
The week that you got voted off, was that pretty heartbreaking?
The hardest part is not so much getting booted off. I knew I wasn’t going to win the show with Chris (Daughtry) on there. The hardest part is you don’t know what’s going to be next. If I’d just gone back to the body shop doing what I did before, that would’ve been a huge letdown. You only get one shot like that in a lifetime.
So you’ve been working on an album. Tell me about that.
It’s going to be a country record, definitely, anything from slow ballads to upbeat, humorous songs, and I’ve got some songs that are almost rock. By the end of the week, I’m hoping to be signed to a label. I’m very happy with the way things are going. I don’t want overnight success, I want longevity.
After “Idol,†you must get recognized everywhere you go.
A lot of times, yeah. The first day of the (Christmas) tour, we stopped at this Starbucks in Kansas in the middle of a snowstorm and this lady saw me and said, “Hey, Bucky!†It just blew her mind that I was standing there ... It’s nice to not be forgotten, you know?
i love bucky
