Quick day-before-the-party update...

This bold, contemporary cover is the first of four beautiful graphics by pookiesmom94, and it's the seventeenth entry in our "Bucky Covington CD Cover Un-Contest". Her close-cropped screencap from Idol gives this cover a somewhat Warhol-style pop-art look, and the flames from Bucky's graphic T-shirt add just the right hint of warm color behind that smoky white font. (And as always, we're diggin' that hat...) Thanks so much, pookiesmom94!

Just a quick sweep of the news before the big day tomorrow:

Right now, there are two kinds of people in the world--those who are bound for Bucky and Rocky's big rave-up at Hugo's tomorrow night, and the rest of us. (Sigh.) Over at the Fox boards, one of the fans in town for the show was fortunate enough to run into Bucky himself, and she shares her story on the planning thread there. (Edited to add a link to yet another sweet encounter. Actually, there's a lot of fun stuff going on over there at the moment, including information about autographed photos, a special T-shirt to celebrate the event, and a surprise auction--if you haven't visited today, check it out!)

Meanwhile, the Richmond County Daily Journal has us out-of-towners covered:

“You wouldn’t think this would happen after singing all over the country, but I was home for three days and I was itching to get back on stage,” Covington said Tuesday. “What better place to do it than right here in Rockingham.”

Covington said he got some of his old friends together and formed a band to play Friday night at Hugo’s in Rockingham. The band is calling itself Bucky Covington and Home Cookin’. They are expected to play around 10:45 p.m. Friday night, giving fans plenty of time to see the show after the Richmond-Scotland football game.

Covington was rehearsing Tuesday with several members of his band, including Jim Bullard, Ducky Medlock, Sammy Glidewell, Scooter Steele and his brother, Rocky Covington.

"We’ve practiced about 40 hours in the last two weeks, and it’s coming together pretty good,” said Bullard, who plays lead guitar and bass, depending on the song. “We’ve got a pretty good group of guys who are going to play, so it should be fun.”

The former “American Idol” star is working on releasing a single early in 2007.

“We are going to record about three to five songs, and the label will decide which one will become a single,” Covington said.

Home Cookin’ may play a new song Friday that goes along with the theme of the evening. “We have an original song called ‘Hometown,’ where I talk about how I hope heaven is like my hometown,” Covington said. “It was certainly inspired by Rockingham.”

Bucky and the guys were on the cover of Thursday's paper, too. It's safe to assume that the Journal will be on the scene tomorrow, so be sure to check back for more coverage throughout the weekend.

And for coverage as on-the-spot as it gets, stay tuned to the Fox boards for tomorrow night's conference call, live from Hugo's. Happydays has graciously encouraged us to post the number here, so if you're unable to access the Fox boards, we'll keep you posted.

More news soon!