(Screencap by KathyG85--click to visit her gallery.)Sigh. This is the first week I haven't geared up to make a "vote!" post on a Tuesday morning, and it feels a little strange, to say the least. But this bit from today's Richmond County Daily Journal cheered me right up:
Bucky’s family is meeting the “Idol” star tonight at the Charlotte airport. Father Gene Covington said the singer will spend Tuesday night and Wednesday back home in Rockingham before “driving to Nashville Thursday” to discuss his future with interested record companies.(And of course, if you'd still like the thrill of voting for Bucky anyway, here's a fun way to do it...)
Bucky’s immediate plans — including the final Bucky Bash at Raider Stadium to welcome him home — depend on how things play out in Nashville.
“I really don’t know what he’s got lined up,” Gene said. “This Nashville thing, we don’t know how long it’s going to take.”
Twin brother Rocky added, “He can’t tell you what’s going on from day to day. It’s always changing. He’s in demand.
“But he’s ready to get back home. He’s got a lot of decisions he has to make. That’s what most important.”
Covington fans on the “American Idol” message boards will be staging a cyber sit-in of sorts tonight. Interested fans can log onto the message boards at www.americanidol.com and register their votes for Bucky.
To vote, click on the “Vote for Contestant 8” thread in the Bucky Covington message boards. The first post will be “Thank you for voting for Contestant 8.” With his elimination last week, Bucky finished eighth on “Idol,” hence he is “Contestant 8.”
Fans should copy “Thank you for voting for Contestant 8,” paste it in the reply area and submit their post. They can copy and paste (vote) as many times in the two hours after the show airs as they can.
The goal is to receive at least 1,000 cybervotes for Bucky in the two-hour period.
Now that Bucky's graduated from the show, the next big milestone is the opportunity to vote with our wallets at our local record stores. (This might be comparing apples to oranges, but it's worth noting that Josh Gracin's debut CD was released about a year and two weeks after American Idol 2's season finale.) When you factor in an eighth (as opposed to fourth) place finish and the accompanying probable difference in contract restrictions, as well as that Rockingham-to-Nashville trip happening only a week after Bucky left the show, you're left with a bit of mystery...and drama.
Often, the legal drama surrounding Idol is far more intense than those few nerve-wracking moments in front of the show's judges. USA Today recently ran a fairly alarming article about the contracts all Idol contestants must sign; and some contestants from previous seasons were concerned enough to hire very high-powered help to get themselves out of what they'd gotten into.
But if this 2004 Washington Post story is any indication, Bucky's legal road ahead might be a bit smoother; "niche contestants" tend to be able to slip the bonds of the contract sooner than pop singers do, often landing at more enthusiastic and supportive labels after the Idol organization passes on their option. Josh Gracin says it best:
"I told [label executives] I was singing country music," says Gracin, whose new single, "I Want to Live," is a top-20 country hit and still rising. "I don't know if that had anything to do with it, but they wound up passing. I think it helps [being a country singer]. There's so much competition in pop and R&B, it's hard to break into."
And hey--any young country/Southern-rock singer/songwriter with Hazel Smith as a supporter might find the road to Nashville a little more scenic, too. Kind words from a legend are a lovely bonus for someone starting the second chapter of an exciting adventure.We wouldn't miss the next few weeks for the world. Happy motoring, Bucky!
Yes I have been worrying about the contract thing. THis has made me feel much better!
ReplyDeleteYou and me both--and thanks! I have a feeling that, like Josh and Clay before him, he'll attract some industry people who see him as more of a developing, long-term artist rather than a flash-in-the-pan Idol novelty.
ReplyDeleteHe's certainly got an eager audience, that's for sure... =)
Hmm, somebody wants her a CD *bad*. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great information !
ReplyDeleteI also wondered about the contract deal. Best of luck to him on his road ahead...Tonite's AI sure will be boring I believe!!
Hi Vickie! You're right--it's kind of strange to think that Bucky won't be there tonight. Some of the remaining finalists are pretty cool, but I'm not as invested, I guess. On the other hand--Bucky is on his way to an actual real-life career in music now, so it's all good.
ReplyDeleteAnd hello anon 9:52...yes, I must confess that I've been (retro word alert!) jonesing for a Bucky Covington CD since the moment I first heard his voice--but I want it to be a good debut CD, rather than the usual Idol cheesefest quickie. So I'm hoping that Nashville's finest will do for him what they did for Josh and Kimberley Locke, and treat him like a potential hitmaker. Because that's exactly what he is.