The waiting is the hardest part...

Ahh, yes. The feeling of strolling into your favorite music store and hearing the satisfying smack of shrink-wrapped plastic on plastic as you thumb through the "C"s...the joy of seeing a familiar pair of bright blue eyes and a killer smile on the cover of what'll soon be your most listened-to CD this year (and you'll feel silly, but you'll smile back at that cover, too--oh yes, you will.) The fun of plunking down your plastic or paper and heading out the door with your prize, and the feeling of sliding your thumbnail through the cellophane, opening that jewel case, putting on your best headphones, and closing your eyes to enjoy Bucky Covington's very first studio CD, ever...

Sigh. How long will we have to wait?

Tomorrow's when the Idols who aren't signed to 19E can begin to talk about their future recording plans in detail; and while Friday isn't exactly the best day for news releases, it's safe to assume Bucky (and Elliott, and Ace) won't keep us in suspense for too long between then and whenever the formal announcements of their signings may be. There are very few networks that can match the Idol fan grapevine. News is guaranteed to travel fast, even if it's only word of mouth or a "casual" reference in a radio interview or two. Bucky and the Idols are in Southern California this week, and there will certainly be much media coverage before, during and after Saturday's Staples Center show in L.A. There's a joyous countdown thread in progress at the official boards (link fixed); also, the Richmond County Daily Journal, Bucky Country, Team Covington and MJ's Big Blog are likely to break the news as soon as it's announced.

Industry sites like Billboard and Variety and the news sections at entertainment sites such as CMT and MTV will have the official scoop on Idol signings; the formal press release will probably turn up at Yahoo News , in both the Business and Entertainment areas. (We'd also recommend checking Hazel Smith's Hot Dish column; she had some very encouraging things to say about Bucky earlier this year, and chances are she's keeping tabs...)

And finally--but importantly!--a reminder that it's never too soon to think like a well-honed street team. Bucky's new label will surely have an official team set up when his debut CD hits the charts, but Kathy of Team Covington has a great and growing mailing list getting underway right now--sign up and enjoy. It's been a true delight supporting Bucky Covington in his quest for Nashville success--from his Greensboro audition, to those late nervous nights with our redial buttons, to cheering him on at arenas all over the country this summer--and we're only just getting started.

More later--come on back!