Sweet Sunday musings (updated)

(Edited to add a link to a big and beautiful 4-page Photobucket gallery from Friday's Rocky Covington and Swamp Cat show, courtesy of the very kind Happydays. Thanks for sharing these shots; looks like that was one wild costume party!)

Here's a fun way to spend a few moments on a quiet, late-autumn Sunday--this terrific post at the Fox boards is a sweet compilation of fan compliments Bucky received after his head-turning performance on the Idol finale. (That performance might have been the first hint to a lot of folks that there was much more to Bucky than the Idol format let him show.) And if you're curious about what the press and the critics had to say, check out our post from the following day. It's very safe to bet a similar flurry of good feelings will arise from the casual (but friendly) fans out there when Bucky's first single and video hit the airwaves. (Looking for a few more photographic memories? This handy post-finale red carpet gallery from The Idol Zone is a nice stop...)

Switching back into present tense, the Covingtons' imminent departure for Nashville has many of us feeling both sentimental and very, very happy--it's fun to consider that these next few weeks of hard work and serious studio time will eventually lead to Bucky on the radio (yes!) nationwide. The "best wishes" thread at the official boards is still going strong, and a kind fan there wanted to let us know that one of Mr. and Mrs. Covington's new Nashville "neighbors" is especially happy to greet them:

Kellie is also really close to Bucky Covington. The two got very close on the tour, and he and his wife are moving to Nashville very soon, too. As an aside, she says that Bucky is one of the funniest guys she has ever met in her life. She can't wait until he he moves closer to her.

You can read more of Kellie Pickler's terrific interview at Reality Shack; the article also mentions that Mandisa is in Nashville at the moment, so there could be a nice mini-reunion in the works. Here's wishing the brightest and best to all of the Idol alumni, families and friends as they enjoy the lights of Music City!

(Photo of Rocky Covington by jpander. Thanks!)

And to wrap things up, the Carolina Grill thread is still busy (and funny!) too--Rocky's fans had a blast on Friday, and new photo links and recaps will no doubt be posted all day today. Check back often! Be sure to hit the photo pages at Rocky's official site as well--there are some new additions to the Fan Photos gallery, and of course, the photo contest entries should be popping up soon. This nice shot from Friday night came in just as this post was being edited; love Rocky's smile! Thanks to jpander for sharing this fun snap.

And if you're a fan of Rocky's, there's an interesting side conversation going on in this thread about the Country Weekly poll. In the long run, could we end up with not one, but two spots in our CD rack for Covington debut albums after all? We're not sure, but it'll be enjoyable to see how Bucky and Rocky's musical journeys unfold. What we do know for sure is that there's a lot of audience affection and support out there--and that Bucky, Rocky and Sammy are headed for a true adventure...

Have a fantastic Sunday--see you later!