Technicalities...

(We're coping with an ailing PC, so we stole...um, borrowed this screenshot rather shamelessly, since we couldn't make our own yesterday. Many thanks and credit to the kind gentleman here.)

Just a few quick links while our computer is on the mend:

Bucky's (Fox-owned and operated, no doubt) MySpace has been updated--there's an embedded audio interview in which Bucky speaks about his musical ambitions pre and post-Idol, his major influences, the fast pace of his current days, and much more. If you have a MySpace, be sure to post a message of support--the ones there already are terrifically fun to read. (Disclaimer--we know nothing of MySpace tradition [yet?], but all that glitter is quite fascinating...)

A while back, we mentioned how Idol-savvy--and justifiably skeptical at times--the Idolforums posters are, and here's an excellent example. A spirited discussion has begun about the possibility of a not-so-shocking "shocker" next week involving Bucky. We'll refrain from inserting our usual never assume anything, just vote your fingers off on Tuesdays no matter what! semi-subliminal message...or will we?

This blog's gotten a lot more visits since Tuesday's entertaining "Real Good Man" performance. We especially enjoyed this thread at the Fox boards--welcome to the club, y'all!

Off to run the virus scanner for the 67th time. See you soon...

Pictures and whispers...

Our attempt at screenshots of last night's show didn't quite work out, but a kind poster at Television Without Pity was much, much more skillful. Scroll down to the last post on the page, click and enjoy. Can't wait to see the end results of that photoshoot!

Also at TWoP, the first little rumors about a possible song choice--a "slower" one. No title or artist listed, but it sounds as though the wished-for ballad might actually be a possibility.

If you're hanging out at IdolonFox.com, be sure to look into this very popular new on-site fan blog--complete with a fun "name the album" contest, this week only. (We think the last listed title has a certain plainspoken, rather direct sort of charm...) And while you're there, don't miss the Photos section; the Results Show and Behind the Scenes snaps for this week have just been posted.

Finally, at Idolforums, here's a funny/sweet thread in the busier-than-ever Bucky Covington sub-forum...and one of the most impressive signature graphics we've ever seen.

Take care!

But wait...there's more!

A little bit of buzz as the day unwinds:

Edited to add a couple of fresh photo links--the Top 9 portraits are turning up here and there. (Nice shot of Bucky, we think.) And the official performance photos from Tuesday are up at IdolonFox.com, as well. Enjoy!

Entertainment Weekly reviews last night's results show, complete with mild "shock". The comments section there is an ongoing verbal mosh pit, but it's a different (and more fun) story at Bucky's official fan blog, where the party is still in progress...

No clear rumors about the song for next week's Country theme show, but the fans have plenty of suggestions--everything from Keith Urban to Elvis Presley. (The guest artist listed on the official Idol site is now Kenny Rogers, rather than Travis Tritt as was announced earlier.)

And if you haven't been there lately, the Hollywood page at Bucky Covington Online has been updated with some video you're sure to enjoy.

More later!

3/29 Results: "Phones Don't Lie"

(Technical difficulties tonight. We'll try to get some screencaps from Wednesday ASAP. Meanwhile, we thought you wouldn't mind a few more photos from Tuesday's performance...)

Tonight's jam-packed results show started off with a little behind-the-scenes look at a day or so in the life of the Idols--photoshoots (looking good there), photo-ops, a sneak preview of "Ice Age 2". (The film sounded cute enough, but some of this year's Idols are in the demographic group who'd take their kids to see that one, aren't they?)

After a break and a "Sunshine Day"-inspired Ford spot, with the singers hopping out of brand new cars to cheer up pseudo-random strangers on the street with ice cream and dancing (um...okay...), the show began in earnest. Shakira and Wyclef Jean, tonight's 21st Century Popstars, lip-synched and belly-danced to "Hips Don't Lie", while the Idols pretended to lose their tension in the rhythm and spectacle. (Does it ever occur to the performers that the eventual departing contestant will probably wince at the sound of the guest-artist's song for the rest of his or her natural life? Just asking.)

But I digress. Off to the Sofas of Doom we went, and the bottom row--Chris, Mandisa, Kellie, Taylor and Paris--were declared safe. That left Elliott, Ace, Lisa, Katherine and Bucky as bottom-three possibilities. (Yes, he was last in line again--mini-rant follows shortly.) Elliott was declared safe; Lisa and Ace were called to center stage; and Katherine was paired with Bucky, then told she was also a member of the bottom three. Much booing ensued, and Bucky looked genuinely stunned as Katherine left the sofa.

In the end, Ace was able to make a fast U-turn to the sofas, Katherine followed, and Lisa departed the show tonight.

First things first--Bucky was safe, y'all. Not even in the bottom three! The man has a devoted and passionate voting base; if there was ever any doubt, tonight dispelled it handily. We rock! (As many have pointed out, the fact that he was paired with Katherine in no way indicates that he was the next-lowest vote-getter--"safe" can mean anything from first to seventh.)

Which leads me to my mini rant-du-jour...what is with the highly unsubtle positioning on results night? People have noticed a trend here. (More and more people, as a matter of fact.) Maybe next week the producers can put someone else in the final pair, yes?

Ahem. Anyway, all's lovely in the end--he's safe, and maybe even a little bit more popular than the show is letting on. We don't know for sure, but we do know the Law of Idol still applies: never assume, and always keep those dialing fingers limber.

Next week the theme is Country Music. Expectations are running high--should be a lot of fun!

News and reviews...

A quick news sweep to get the day started:

The Richmond County Daily Journal has the scoop on the local reaction to Bucky's "Real Good Man" performance. If you called in to vote for Bucky last night, you had an up-and-coming celebrity for company:

"Man, didn’t that feel good? I tell you what. That felt good," Bucky said in a phone interview from Hollywood.

At least one of the "Idol" judges agreed.

"Definitely the right choice for you, man!" judge Randy Jackson said. "I like that better."

After two theme weeks (Stevie Wonder and the 1950s) that really didn’t suit Bucky, the nation’s most famous singing body shop worker rediscovered his style in a big way during 21st century week.

"I felt comfortable with it," Bucky said. "And I was happy with it. I just hope it was enough."

If last year’s "Idol" winner, Carrie Underwood, has any pull, it might just have been.

"One of the producers came up to me after the show and said Carrie Underwood texted him a message and said to tell Bucky he’s got all of my votes," he said.

Rocky Covington graciously took the time to post at the Fox boards last night--a fun way to catch up on the Rockingham celebrations. (As you might have guessed, the mood was pretty upbeat...)

Bucky Country has been updated today with lots of new goodies--get over there!

Finally, the major media...well. Some took the lazy journalist/Simon-parrot route for the early editions, but a few grudgingly admitted they enjoyed Bucky's performance last night. The divide between the entertainment press' take on things and the eloquent public's perception seems to be at its widest since...well, since a certain night featuring That Guy From Season Two. (Luckily, "the public" outnumbers the show-biz pundits. And we have redial buttons.)

See you later with the usual Wednesday fare. Take care!

3/28, "Real Good Man"

The moral of the story goes right at the beginning, this time. Don't believe everything you read.


All the angst this week--the nasty media comments, the judges' collective cluelessness--and Bucky goes and turns in a terrific, undeniably fun, rather...er, nuanced performance in fine, down-home voice. (Note to the Simon Cowell Parrot Club out there--we told you so.)

The interview portion was pretty much a polite dismissal of all the slings and arrows of the past couple of weeks, delivered in a self-assured Southern accent. (And speaking of the interview segments this week, whose idea was it to have the poor contestants squinting into the California sun at high noon?) The Stevie Wonder and Fifties themes were, as Bucky put it, "challenging"--but now he had a chance to pick a song because he "flat-out liked it", and to be his own contemporary, country-rock self. And that he was--oh yes.

Resplendent in a black cowboy hat, lean jeans, a beautiful dark Western shirt and a ponytail, Bucky delivered Tim McGraw's "Real Good Man" with a sly, confident flirtatiousness that turned quite a few heads this evening, if the boards are any indication. The fun dance moves, the tiny smile, the usual Bucky Covington eagerness-to-entertain--if you saw it, you'd know why I'm not quite as worried as last week, and also why I'm having a tough time putting it into words. (I still redialed like a maniac, though--hope you did too.)

Sometimes the judges--Simon in particular, since he's about as fond of male-vocal country music as I am of root canals--are in a completely different universe than the general public. This week might be the perfect example of that; Randy said nice things about the outfit and song choice; Paula and Simon critiqued Bucky's diction. (I'm an NYC-born girl who understood every word...hmmm.) The rest of the free world might have been more interested in the fact that he sang the song in a beautifully gravelly, authentically country way and looked pretty dang good up there doing it. (This isn't to say that I'm not with Randy on the outfit and the song choice...)

A very enjoyable night for Bucky fans, and a great chance to refute some of the nonsense that's floated around this week. Our guy can sing. Get used to him.

Buzz on the boards: That was a truly hot spot in a so-so show tonight. Where's the phone?
Our take: See you next week, Bucky--and bring that cowboy hat with you.

You know what to do!

West Coast--get ready!:
1 866 43657 08
(text "vote" to 5708)

(Song spoiler and brief review in comments!)

Ah, the suspense!

Well, the mood on some of the boards has been a little subdued at times, but it looks as though the mood chez Covington has been anything but. A fun bit from this morning's Richmond County Daily Journal:

Last week, in a stressed moment, Bucky called his stepmother, Tracey Covington, and said he was ready to come home. But rest assured, Richmond County and Bucky fans everywhere, the 28-year-old isn’t ready to call it quits.

If anything, the show has just begun for the nation’s most famous singing body shop worker.

“He told me today, ‘Daddy, I’m ready to go for it all now. I’m in the top 10...let’s go for it,’” his father, Gene Covington, said.

Crystal agreed.

“He seems to be more comfortable, so I feel a lot more comfortable,” she said. “He said he’s going to pull out some things, some little dance moves that he does at home. He’s going to see how America likes it.”

And Bucky is going 100 percent country--“Bucky style,” of course.

“I think he’ll do all right this week,” twin brother Rocky said. “He said he’s pretty confident with his song this week. He’s getting more used to the situation.

“He went out and got him a cowboy hat and got him some boots. He’s gonna do it Bucky style this time. He’s still fighting for number one. He says he’s gonna tear it up.

Sounds like we're going to get something definitely country--but perhaps not a ballad. (And a friend who's been watching the show a little longer and a lot more closely says I should try to find David Radford's "The Way You Look Tonight" performance, check out the balcony, and then get back to her about the dance moves. I'm mystified, but I'll do it--or y'all can leave a comment and tell me what she's talking about...)

More news as it happens--stay tuned!

A not-so random act of senseless beauty...

Wow. I've been sitting here with the Blogger post page open for about a half-hour, trying to get my thoughts together.

Nope, it hasn't been the easiest week ever for Bucky fans. The media (pro and amateur) has been rather harsh, following Cowell's cues in an inexplicably unquestioning way. The mood on the boards has veered back and forth from determined to--occasionally--subdued.

And yet...this Bucky Covington guy is loved. Really loved.

In a strange fashion, this week shines a spotlight on the delicate balancing act that is American Idol . On the one hand, the producers want good television. On the other hand, the viewers want real music. The excitement of the show is largely based on the thrill of seeing young unknowns grow and blossom and burst into (Idol-style) stardom; the very structure of the show nearly guarantees that anything too organic and authentic will be filtered out in favor of the slick and vaguely familiar.

Throw in a bit of audience participation--and an ongoing debate as to the actual weight of that participation--and you have a recipe for a love/hate relationship with the very show you don't want to miss every week. And this past week, if you're a Bucky Covington fan, might have inspired more of the latter emotion than the former.

You know what I'm going to say next, don't you? Vote anyway.

Yes, really. Vote. You might be mad enough at the judges to hold your nose as you dial, but vote, and keep voting. Last week's passionate voting got Bucky into the Top Ten and on the tour; this week's passionate voting will give the rest of the world a chance to enjoy the beautiful, haunting Southern voice that's been hidden behind odd themes and awkward arrangements for the past two Tuesdays. He deserves it, and so do we.

Bucky's one of the most real contestants this show has ever had the honor of presenting--real in a way that seems to have struck a rare, affectionate chord with the usually-cynical Idol audience. Two hours of your Tuesday evening is a small price to pay for what Bucky brings to the show this year. Call, y'all.

(And if you need some dialing tips, please check out last week's "Why Tuesday means everything" post. )

See you tomorrow with pre-show ramblings and a late night recap after Idol airs. Sweet dreams, and get those phones charged up!

The calm before the party...

Your daily "awwww!" moment comes courtesy of Idolforums--really, how sweet is this?

Otherwise, it's far too quiet out there today--the boards are fairly serene, and the papers and mainstream media sites are apparently taking a break on Idol coverage until tomorrow night. So we thought it would be a good time to talk about...well, you.

We get lots of mail here at Buckymania--some for Bucky himself, actually. (We're not Bucky, nor do we know him--but if you'd like to leave him a message, here's his official site. Hit the "Blog" button, register and say hello, and be sure to check out the rest of Bucky Covington Online--frequently updated, fully authorized and 100% cool.)

A few fun facts from our mailbag:

By far, the most requested photos are from the "Superstition" performance. (Perhaps Simon was wrong about the hair, after all?) We aim to please, so...here's another one.

Bucky seems to have an impressive international fanbase! Besides the US and Canada, this site has regular visitors from Japan, the UK, Singapore, Finland, the Phillpines and Malaysia. (A popular blogger in Singapore has some enjoyable observations about American Idol in general and Bucky in particular--be sure to have a look.)

There appears to be a definite divide between those who've listened to Bucky's original songs at the official site--not to mention those who've been around since the semi-finals--and those who've only heard "Superstition" and "Oh Boy". If you haven't checked out "Wave On Wave", "Thunder Rolls" or the two originals, please do so. (Don't believe Simon's hype...)

The usual voting/nagging post--with a twist--coming later today. Have a great afternoon!

Welcome to Bucky Country

Just a quick update--the talented fans who brought you the "Vote for Bucky" site have done it again. Their new domain, BuckyCountry.com, is expanded with an extensive gallery, banners, icons, multimedia, a fan map, and a spanking new message board. A definite must-visit!

Sweet and unspoiled, thank goodness

An update to yesterday's spoiler news--the Idolforums member has changed the title of his/her post to "some suggestions", which means there's still a bit of healthy suspense about Bucky's choice for 21st Century Songs night. I'm hoping for a smooth country ballad that shows off the plaintive, rootsy-real voice that caught my attention a few weeks ago, and a look at the "favorite performance" threads at Bucky's sub forums at IDF and IdolonFox suggests I'm not alone. (An encouraging number of the Garth Brooks fans at Planet Garth enjoyed his take on "Thunder Rolls", too--always good news.)

This ought to be a fine, fine week for Bucky, when all's said and done. While "Superstition" was a fun and pleasant surprise hit, and I'll go to my grave maintaining (along with Sonny West, for heaven's sake!) that "Oh Boy" got an unfairly harsh critique, Tuesday should be sweet. Bucky's voice is authentic, contemporary country-rock Americana--as unexpected at American Idol as a piece of pure, beautiful sky-blue turquoise would be on Diamonique Day at QVC, and a huge bonus for us roots-rock fans who might otherwise skip Idol altogether. (MJ's Big Blog has a much more eloquent and succinct take on Bucky's place in the Idol-sphere; scroll down to the 3/21 recap.)

This week is definitely his chance to show the people who've just tuned in what those of us who saw the semi-finals know--this guy's worth staying tuned for.

More later!

Surprise? Well, maybe...

We're not ones to check out Idol spoilers, generally speaking. (Sometimes it's just more fun to be pleasantly surprised on Tuesday nights.) But if you're eager to know what the rumors are about Bucky's next song choice, they're talking it over at Television Without Pity, Idolforums and IdolOnFox.com. It's taken all our self-disclipline not to open those threads. Can we hold out until Tuesday? We'll see...

As for Tuesday's judging after the rumored song, there's a bit of discussion about Simon Cowell's next strategic move as well, now that Bucky's made the tour. Jennifer O'Reilly at TheCelebrityCafe.com has an intriguing observation:

Could it be that Simon is intentionally giving his least favorite contestants lukewarm comments in order to insure their smooth departure from the show? Think about it – last week Simon told Melissa it was her “best performance yet” despite the fact that she forgot the words not once, but twice, to Stevie Wonder’s “Lately.” He wanted her gone, but he knew that if had told her that she was appalling (as he did with Kevin Covais) her devoted fans would run screaming in outrage to their American Idol speed dial.

Fans are supposed to vote for the singer who performs the best, but sadly sometimes they vote for the one who is most accosted by the judges. That’s called the pity vote, and I think that finally, after five seasons Simon is finally figuring out how to manipulate the votes to control who goes home what night. I can only imagine him choking on the semi-civil response he’ll have to give Bucky Covington next week to keep things going his way.

Interestingly enough, the same conclusions were drawn in the TWoP thread above, and a healthy slice of the posters at every board we lurked upon are expecting a "faint praise" moment next week, whether Bucky's performance is brilliant or not. (Guess after five years of Idol, a little jadedness on both sides of the screen is to be expected.) Our take? As always, the only safety is to never assume anyone is safe.

If you enjoy a performance and you want to see the performer next week, vote and vote again. Technically, Paula, Randy and Simon are just giving expert opinions, not passing a final sentence; your way of expressing your agreement--or disagreement!--is by picking up the phone and hitting that redial button. And we think y'all know how to do that...

On a lighter note, there's a sweet followup to yesterday's look at Bucky's growing British fanbase. An eloquent young English poster at Idolforums has declared him "fit"; turns out that "fit" means something more fun in the UK than it does in the States!

More later...

Sitting on top of the world...

While we're still in the celebratory, "what will we wear to the show?" mood, here's a fun photo of two great reasons to check out the American Idols Live concerts later this year. (How many calories does the Happy Dance burn? We might have to buy new pairs of jeans by the time the tour bus rolls into town this summer...)

Entertainment Weekly offers Bucky some advice in this week's issue:

The affable Bucky hasn't given a single performance we'd describe as embarrassing, and his gruff, Southern-fried vocals can be a welcome respite from the show's typical syrup overload...but Bucky has yet to bust out the kind of water-cooler vocal that will drive fans to the phones in droves. Plus, he's got to put the kibosh on the dreaded "Idol squat".

The EW writer doesn't give Bucky any real fashion tips, aside from the expected swipe at The Hairdo--but the fans at the official board have a few that struck us as rather interesting...

Ever wonder what British viewers (who are watching American Idol via satellite) think of Bucky? Wonder no more. Looks like he's got a growing fanbase across the ocean, too. Wish they could vote!

And if you haven't already checked it out, be sure to visit the fan blog at Bucky Covington Online, where you can post to congratulate Bucky on making the tour. The site is sponsored by Bucky's family, so it's the perfect place to send well-wishes.

Take care out there!

Morning news

This morning's Pinehurst, NC Pilot features a brief but intriguing article about Bucky's Idol quest, and the effect it's had on family and community:

Covington began singing about eight years ago when he joined a rock band, his father said. The band played local venues such as the Carolina Grill, where supporters of Covington now meet to watch the show and cheer him on.

Gene Covington watched his son grow better as a rock singer over the years but admitted that he is surprised Bucky made it this far.

"I still wouldn’t have thought he was good enough to be where he is,” Gene Covington said. “I don’t mean it to be mean. ... He just got out there, next thing we know he started clicking them off."

The t-shirts mentioned in the article can be purchased from Broad Street Tees in Rockingham. They're also the only authorized Bucky Covington t-shirts, for reasons you'll see in the note under the descriptions. (Accept no cheesy imitations...) And there's a third, "secret" style, too--Bucky's wife Crystal models a very cool "Sweet Tea & Biscuits" shirt in a WRAL-TV video about her makeover, and the design is available by request. (Via Idolforums, with thanks.)

Speaking of sweet tea, a kind Bucky fan at the Fox boards has posted a recipe for clueless Northerners like yours truly. Sounds pretty tasty to us.

More later!

Quick update...

Today's Richmond County Daily Journal has the scoop on the local reaction to last night's suspenseful show. Their take on next week's possibilities:

Next week’s “Idol” will see the field narrowed to nine. The show’s theme is music from the 21st century.

“That’ll be real good for him,” Rocky said. “I think he’s going to stick with the country side of things. That’s pretty much his category anyway.

“Actually, I think that he’ll be good for the weeks to come.”

Gene said, “I think you’ll see better performances from him now. He’s got a weight lifted off his shoulders. What a relief.”

Over at Idolforums, the official Top Ten portrait (and a stopgap shot with Kevin Covais rather unkindly airbrushed out) have been posted--at XXL size. (Browser crash warning.)

And no matter which board you're browsing today, Bucky's fans seem to agree on one thing--it's time for a ballad. Ah, but which ballad? We'll keep our ears wide open...

The professional photos from Tuesday's "Oh Boy" are posted at IdolonFox.com. Bucky's shots start here. Enjoy!

3/22 Results: "Thanks for voting for Contestant Two, y'all!"

(Even Paula couldn't find anything nice to say about my fuzzy screencaps tonight...apologies!)

Before I begin, may I throw editorial distance out the window and say I love all you power-calling, redial-button riders out there, and if we were in the same room I'd kiss you/buy you a beer/whatever? Because I would. Really, I would.

Yeah, Bucky's safe for another week. How'd you guess?

This is American Idol after all, so it wasn't quite that simple. There were the usual recaps--Bucky and Taylor got lumped into a "Simon is no buddy of Buddy's" segment, but at least it was quick and relatively painless--and Barry Manilow flew in to sing "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" in his fun, amiably hammy way. (Between the swirling-daisy light filters and the swooping overhead shots, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Love was a Dizziness-Inducing Thing, but never mind.) Then after a less surreal, and therefore less fun, Ford beach-party spot, the painful part begins.


Ace, Mandisa, Elliot, Kellie, Paris and Chris are all on the top tier of the Sofas of Doom, and they're individually, slowly declared safe. Katherine and Taylor flank Kevin, Lisa and Bucky on the lower tier; Katherine and Taylor are safe, and the middle of the lower tier rises as one to stand with Ryan on the stage. (Bucky is so much taller than Lisa and Kevin that the cameraman has to do some quick adjustment during the "pan across the tense faces" bit.)


After about 78 commercials, several Fox promos (hey, did you know Fox has a new show called Unan1mous? Did you? Huh?) assorted local ads and a year off the Buckaroos/Buckaneers/BuckyBunnies and Covington's Crew's collective lives, the show wraps up rather abruptly. Lisa is told she's not in the bottom two; Bucky and Kevin remain standing and get some sweet-natured encouragement from Paula, and Ryan then apologizes to Bucky, saying "I'm sorry you've had to stand here; you're safe."

I think I fainted with relief after that...but when I recovered, Bucky was giving Kevin a hug and a whispered--and no doubt kind--word, and Kevin (who is terribly cute and funny and will certainly have a career in showbiz after Idol) was singing us out.

The good news? Bucky's on the tour. Bucky's on the tour!

I'll blog more about it later, but for now, I'll say that next week's theme--21st Century Hits--may be what the doctor ordered. And, oh yeah--Bucky's on the tour!

Yes!

(Edited to link to a very busy conversation at the Fox boards about Bucky's next crucial song choice. So far, looks like a Keith Urban tune is a big favorite...)

Yeah, the waiting is the hardest part...

A few tidbits to enjoy while you wait for tonight's results:

Sonny West, Rockabilly Hall of Fame member, buddy of the late Buddy Holly, and legendary songwriter of "Oh Boy", had some very complimentary things to say about Bucky's performance last night. His biographer posted at the IdolonFox.com boards this morning---go read, and smile, and consider the possibilities. You really can't get much more of a stamp of approval than that. (Simon who?)

And this morning's Richmond County Daily Journal article covered last night's show and the local reaction. (Looks like the Mayor of Hamlet agrees with us about the arrangement.)

More after the show airs tonight. Keep the faith, y'all!

3/21 "Oh Boy"

(More of my cheesy little screencaps--oh joy! I'll try to get better images later.)

Who doesn't love Buddy Holly? (Besides Simon Cowell, of course, but we'll get to that later.) In the Idol song-choice sweepstakes, "Oh Boy" has a lot to offer a singer like Bucky Covington--a certain cadence that makes a Southern accent a decided advantage, and a definite rave-up, rock and roll beat. Rockabilly isn't exactly the style that comes to mind when you think of Barry Manilow--tonight's guest legend/guru--but Bucky and Barry pretty much made it work. Or at least, most of us thought so.

Simon Cowell? Well, maybe not so much.

In the interview portion, we watched as the "repetitive" structure of the song got a bit of a tweaking from Barry; a key change added, a brass section pumped up. (Whether the new arrangement took it out of the realm of "rockabilly" and into the realm of "Vegas" is a question best left to purists on both sides.) On stage, it worked well enough for Idol. However, on a second and third listening, it seems to me that sticking with an authentic Crickets-style arrangement (twangy guitars, male backing vocals, slightly faster beat, no brass) would have brought out Bucky's beautifully rootsy voice better, and kept it safe from Cowell's "pointless karaoke" charges.

Having said all that, Bucky was delightful on stage, as always--no fancy lighting, no smoke and no cool 360-degree camera work, but he entertains brillantly even without Idol gimmicks. (And we totally dug that nonchalant mic-twirl...certain kinds of cool just can't be faked, you know? This guy absolutely needs to be on that tour. Did we mention that already?)


The post-song comments were extended, and interesting; Randy Jackson suggested he "find the song that's going to give you your best vocal performance"--always good advice, anyway. (Those who've been to the blog page at Bucky Covington Online know firsthand how chill-up-the-spine, evocative/good even his rawest vocal performances can be. Unfortunately, I don't think the singers are permitted to do original compositions on Idol.) Combine the right songs--and non-cheesy arrangements--with his audience pleasing performance style, and watch out.

In the end, Paula Abdul said it best. "People love you, Bucky!" Stay tuned.

Buzz on the boards: The tour would be duller without him. Save Bucky!

Our take: See Paula Abdul's comment above. Hey, it's sure true here...

(Disclaimer--I didn't like this arrangement of "Oh Boy", but I like Barry, Bucky and Buddy. )

West Coast, it's your turn...vote!

Help a brother out!

1 866 43657 02
(text "vote"to 5702)

Spoiler and quick notes on tonight's performance in comment section

Please do not click the comments link below if you're on the West Coast and don't want details on tonight's song! (And if you have seen it already, please post a comment and tell us what you think--let's talk. Full review coming after the show airs on the West Coast.)

Anticipation...

While you're waiting (and checking the charge on your phones, and calling your friends to request a little help with voting) here are a few quick, fun bits and bobs:

Via the kind people at Bucky's TWoP thread, here's a short L.A. Times article about tonight's Barry Manilow/50's theme show. (Sounds like the Idols had fun in Vegas...)

A poster at the official Fox boards got a chance to meet Bucky and Elliot Yamin during a flight stop in Las Vegas, and she graciously tells her story here, complete with a little message from the guys.

Got a website or blog? Need a cute little blinkie? Look no further than Idolforums, where a talented animator has made three different Bucky support blinkies and generously declared them "for anyone to use". (Thanks!) Here's one of the designs--it'll only be here today, so please upload it to your own server/imagehost.

And last (and least!) we're getting a little better at this screencap thing. For the reader who wanted the "Wave on Wave" profile, here you are. I'm fairly graphics challenged, but I'll do the best I can--if there's a cap you're looking for, please leave a note in the comments section and I'll try to find or make one as time permits.

A quick clarification to yesterday's voting post--only Cingular Wireless text-messaged votes count. Don't have Cingular? Then call, and call again...

A full review of tonight's show later--come on back!

Why Tuesday means everything

C'mon--you know you want it.

Admit it. You're already looking forward to getting dressed in your favorite summer concert gear, picking up a few of your most fun loving, up-for-anything friends, and doing something you've never, ever done before--buying tickets for an American Idols Live! show, just to see how Bucky Covington rocks it live on stage without cameras and judges and overeager stylists to hold him back. Oh yes.

Well, if you want that--and I think you do--then Tuesday means everything. Only the Top Ten finalists get to tour.

A lot of people watch the show regularly without ever picking up the phone to vote. This week, you (and anyone you know, but we'll get to that later) can't afford to be among them. And yes, we've heard all the objections: the voting might not be on the up and up, the producers pick the ones they want anyway, the tech-savvy kids skew the results, yadda yadda yadda. We don't care. There are very few things in the contest that we viewer-types have any control over. Themes, song choice, judges' comments, performance order--we can do nothing but watch helplessly. But we might be able to do something about the vote totals, and might is worth a two-hour effort tomorrow.

Here are a few standard voting tips culled from the boards--please feel free to add your suggestions in the comments section below...

• Use your cell and your landline phones, and make sure everything is charged up and ready by Tuesday afternoon.
• Are you recruiting friends to call and vote? Prepaid cell phones make a great gift! (Hey, we're not averse to gifts-with-conditions and/or calling in favors. Chances are, your buddies will feel amused, rather than nagged, if a freebie is in the offing.) Throw in an extra minutes-card and suggest that they give the phone to their favorite charity/kid/elderly neighbor after Idol is over.
• Cingular Wireless text messaged votes (which are, alas, not free) are actually more likely to be recorded than call-in votes, according to Broadcasting and Cable magazine in 2004:

...Text messaging is digital (unlike phone lines, which are analog) and simply doesn't have the same traffic jams. A text message is also time-coded, meaning that all of the votes messaged during the two-hour period can be lined up like jets on a runway and eventually recorded. "Manual phones have a very limited capacity because the voice takes up so much of the phone line," says Kurt Knutsson, a high-tech expert on TV's Cyberguy, syndicated in 114 markets. "Text takes up so little: It's like a whisper versus a presidential inauguration." (Please note--only Cingular Wireless text votes count!)

• Not willing or able to invest the money for texting or extra phones? No worries. Politely asking a good friend (or two, or more) to spend even part of their Tuesday night voting for Bucky is free. Putting on a pot of coffee--or offering whatever your favorite beverage might be (ahem!)--and inviting them over for a viewing-and-voting party costs nearly nothing.
• If you're overseas, recruit a friend in the US to vote in your honor, even if you're not sure whether he or she follows Idol or not. (This blog gets an impressive number of hits from Japan, the UK, Europe and South America--Bucky might want to consider a world tour after all this is over.)
• Try to begin voting as soon as Ryan Seacrest starts the recap, and don't stop trying until the two hours are up or the lines are shut down, whichever comes last.

Sure, you're going to lose a little sleep. Treat yourself to a larger size of heavily sugared caffeine at Starbucks on Wednesday morning, and spend a slightly groggy day knowing you did all you can to make Bucky's dream of making the tour--and your dream of going to a terrifically fun show this summer--come true.

See you at the arena...

Sunday surfing for Bucky fans...

Just a few quick links for a lazy Sunday:

We're in suspense as to Bucky's choice for his crucial Fifties night performance, but the buzz online suggests that an Elvis tune might be a strong contender. From Thursday's Richmond County Daily Journal:

Rocky stressed the importance of getting Bucky into the top 10.

“If he makes it next week, he’s really got something to look forward to (with the tour),” Rocky said.

Next week’s “Idol” theme is the 1950s — a far cry from the Wonder genre, which Bucky didn’t have in his repertoire. Bucky does do ’50s tunes — including a mean “Jailhouse Rock” rendition.

“He’s got some good ’50s style in him,” Rocky said. “I think he’ll do all right.”

Via the kind people on the Bucky thread at Television Without Pity, here's a cute photo of Bucky and fellow NC native Kellie Pickler. (Looks like the Behind the Scenes photo section of the official Idolonfox.com site has been updated--have a look and enjoy!)

And speaking of pictures, this photo thread at Bucky's sub-forum at Idolforums is a must- bookmark; there's a link to an incredible gallery inside, and the gallery's owner posts status updates on a regular basis.

(Coming up later--why Tuesday means everything, and how you can help...)

Weekend's here!

It's the weekend, and Tuesday's performance seems a long way away. You're in the mood to talk about Idol in general, and Bucky in particular, but there are no sympathetic souls around. (I feel your pain.) What's a Bucky fan to do? Hit the message boards, of course! Below you'll find a somewhat opinionated look at a few of the sites where people are buzzing about Bucky's quest for the Top Ten.

The most obvious stop is the official American Idol Message Boards at Idolonfox.com. Bucky's board is here, and the posters are enthusiastic, friendly and devoted--occasional pranksters excepted, naturally. (I won't even bother linking to the funny/weird "Is Bucky a British ringer" conspiracy theory which is currently being spammed all over--whoever came up with that one must have had a wee bit too much green beer yesterday.) The board requires registration to post, and is reasonably work-friendly, with censored text and smallish avatars. Our favorite thread right now (and a nice place to jump in) is the enormous and self-explanatory "Bucky Covington Fan Thread"--857 (!) pages as of this writing, yet every newbie gets a warm welcome.

If you're patient and have a sturdy browser, you'll enjoy Idolforums, where the crowd is young, casual and extremely Idol-savvy. For all their youth, the posters there appear to have followed Idol since it was only a gleam in Simon Fuller's eye, and their keen insights into the ups and downs of the show are well worth a look. Oh, yes, there's some emoticon abuse and OMG-ing there as well, but hey--how many message boards of any type are OMG-free? Idolforums is a delight for the eyes; most posters there have incredibly beautiful avatars (some animated and/or made with flash) , with banners and blinkies that would put most commercial artists to shame. The gorgeousness comes at a price, though--if you're on dialup, you'll find this a profoundly frustrating experience. (There is a lo-fi option available for those who are stuck at work or with a wobbly browser.) Bucky's sub-forum is here.

And if you're in the mood for a more serene atmosphere, the boards at Television Without Pity are completely image-free--making this a great choice for a quick catch-up at the office. The conversation here is grown-up, intelligent and generally witty, and Bucky's fans at his "Performers" thread in the Idol section are some of the most sincere and affectionate supporters he has online. This is a linear-format board (one long thread); the link will take you to the more recent posts. (It's probably best to start in the middle, read up to the current day and then catch up on old posts, if that makes sense.)

Last but not least, one way of knowing when an Idol contestant is moving up in the world is when boards pop up that are dedicated to him, rather than a sub-folder of an Idol board. We found a couple that are just getting started and look pretty promising: the Bucky-Covington.net boards are already hopping, and there's also a board at Covington's Crew (requires membership to view, apparently--we're not members yet, but we're sure it's a good one!)

The bottom line? There are a lot of people rooting for Bucky Covington out there. If you want to talk about it, you're not alone at all. (And if you want to talk to us, feel free to leave a note in the comments section below. We'd love to hear from you!)

Just a quick news sweep...

A little news from the Pinehurst, NC Pilot, where Bucky's on the front page today:

Next week’s theme might be a little more to Covington’s liking. The theme is the 1950s, and Covington possesses a rock ’n roll voice. If he gets by next week, he’ll be one step closer to leaving his job as a body shop mechanic behind. He told the show that if he fails to make it as “American Idol,” he’ll move to Nashville, Tenn., and keep trying to make it in the music business.

ElitesTV.com reviews last Tuesday's performances at length, with a favorable take on Bucky's "Superstition". (Hey, we weren't the only ones who had fun!)

And while we do not (repeat, do not) encourage gambling here at the Buckymania blog, here's a quick chart of the current odds on the Idol results from Pinnacle Sports. (I'm totally biased, but I think they might be a bit off base.) More later!

A bit of new video to hold you until Tuesday...

You lucky folks with computers built in this century are in for a treat tonight. I can't see it with my old PC, but there's a brand new page at Bucky Covington Online with a video and two original songs--the first by Rocky, the second by Bucky--along with images from the family's trip to Hollywood. If you can see and hear it, please leave a review in the comments section--I'll have to settle for enjoying it vicariously, I guess...

(What time does Circuit City open on Fridays?)

We've got a theme!

Straight from the official Idol site comes the news that next week's theme will be "songs of the fifties." This should be interesting, yes?

Meanwhile, the pro photos from Tuesday's show are out and about. A kind and talented poster at Bucky's board on Idolforums has a well-done AI photo gallery here with images ranging from hot-off-the-press to way-back-when--so if you were a little late to the party (like me), here's an excellent way to catch up. Enjoy! (If you find empty sections there, check back in a little while--her gallery is updated and rearranged often.)

Edited to add a fun photo link from the new issue of People Magazine. Awwww...

3/15 Results ...sweet tea for everyone!

Bucky's going to grace the stage again next week--thanks for voting, y'all! Not only that, but he seems to be moving up in the Idol world--he wasn't even in the bottom three. (Just for the record, Melissa, Lisa and Ace were, with Melissa going home.)

The results show only ran for a half hour, but that wasn't short enough to spare us some tense moments; Bucky was in the dreaded last spot on the bottom row, which made him the last to be declared safe tonight. At least one bit of suspense was cleared up at the start of the evening--the ponytail is back, ladies and gentlemen. (I hope the stylists will find a non-fluffy way to have him wear it loose sometimes, too--variety is a very good thing.)

By far the most memorable (not to mention surreal) part of this evening's proceedings was a weird, weird Ford ad
featuring our finalists in an obviously soundstaged "forest", with Chris Daughtry strumming and singing "All I Want" to all the stuffed woodland creatures, Bucky popping horizontally out of the back of an SUV to sing along (is this some new Ford audio options package we should know about?) , Ace Young in a furry humanoid/monster suit of some kind, marshmallows, a campfire...um, okay. I get the distinct feeling some strange subliminal message was being attempted there, but it would take a team of expert semioticians to sort it out for us...

Ahem. No theme announced for next week, so the suspense still isn't over. (We'll keep an ear out for any rumors; with any luck, "disco night" will be a no-show this year. ) Congratulations, Bucky!

3/14, "Superstition"

(Apologies for my cheesy little screencaps! I'll replace them with better images as soon as I can find some.)

Admit it--you were nervous about last night, weren't you? Granted, it's American Idol, which means that anything from "disco night" to Manilow Mania" can happen. But last night's theme was especially nerve-wracking for us Bucky fans. (Buccaneers? Buckaroos? BuckyBunnies? The whole "fan-naming" silliness deserves a blog entry all its own, methinks.)

The two questions on everyone's minds were a) how on earth is this decidedly Southern-rock dude going to approach the Stevie Wonder songbook, and b) what the heck were the stylists going to do to him?

As it turned out, we shouldn't have been worried about the song choice at all. As for the stylists? Well...

It started out in the usual Idol fashion; an interview clip in which an unstyled Bucky spoke honestly about his unfamiliarity with Stevie's work, name-checked Elvis (smart move), and thanked Mr. Wonder for his constructive criticism. Then he stalked out on stage with a brand-new, seriously fluffy 'do and--dare I say it--made a Bucky-style, Southern-rock version of "Superstition" fun. Really fun. It was so much fun that I was beaming at the screen like an idiot by the time it was over, both for the way he worked all sides of that stage like a combination runway/pulpit (preach it, brother! Superstition ain't the way!) and out of relief that, even for those less smitten than I, this was an undeniably entertaining performance. There seem to be two kinds of Idol singers--those who make it all about them--their ambitions, their dreams, their incredibleamazingundiscoveredvocalbrillanceblahblahblah, and those who actually appear to care about making sure the audience has a good time, too. Bucky pretty much established himself solidly in the second group, with bonus points for taking a tough theme and making it work for him.

Now about that hair. I'm tempted to use small font here, but ...um, I honestly didn't think it was so bad. Of course I don't--this is the exact style I've been rocking for about six months now, more or less. (I am a brunette girl, just for the record.) I have a feeling Bucky's do will be a bit less...I don't know, arranged?--tonight, but the slightly shorter length looks fine. (No shorter, though, people. Don't make me come out there.) Simon said it was Jessica Simpson-esque, but I flashed back to Behind the Music legend/70s pop star Leif Garrett, who sported a similarly luxurious golden mane about the time that Bucky was born. (Is someone at the Idol beauty parlor a closet Leifette?) Bucky himself had a good giggle over it. Pretty ironic that a guy's hair can actually be too good for showbiz, isn't it?

All in all, an enjoyable--and encouraging--evening. I still voted like a madwoman for the entire two hours (and I hope you did, too), but the after-show online conversation indicates that people were generally impressed. We'll know for sure tonight...

Buzz on the boards: Even those who weren't rooting for Bucky had a good time with this performance last night.

My take: See you next week, Bucky!

What did you think? Please leave a comment and let me know...

A little note on how this blog came to be...

Believe me, the last thing I thought I'd be doing this spring was starting a blog about an American Idol contestant.

I hadn't bothered to watch the show the last two seasons, and I had no intention of getting caught up in the frenzy this year, either. But on a business trip a couple of weeks ago, my usually quiet friend/co-worker surprised me by not only rushing back to our hotel to watch, but also whipping out her cell phone to vote for her favorite. ("Hey, it's free," she said, somewhat apologetically...)

Her favorite was nice. But the lanky blond guy who sang "The Thunder Rolls" with such a youthful, quietly plaintive tone was the first performer of the evening to make me think "well, I wouldn't mind a whole CD of that voice for the road." (It's ironic, but true--we Northern city girls of every imaginable background are the first to break out the 75-CD "Southern Rock Classics" set the moment we get behind the wheel for more than a crosstown roadtrip.)

The Idol judges seemed a bit less charmed by that performance than I was, but I figured --correctly, thank heaven--that he'd be around after the next day's results show. By the next week, I was seriously looking forward to his turn on stage, and by the end of a rousing "Wave on Wave", somehow a pen was in my hand, and I was writing down a number...

Yeah, I got hooked. What can I say?

I really, really want a Bucky Covington CD to listen to while the green and gray highway streaks by me on a hot summer morning, on the way to something good. I want to pack up a bunch of friends and go hear him sing his ol' heart out and cheer him on. I want him to have a solid singing career as long as he wants to keep doing this. He strikes me as talented, undeniably and authentically himself at all times, and truly eager to please the crowd--something rare on American Idol (or anywhere else, for that matter.) And he's a heck of a lot of fun to watch.

So we'll be here blogging for as long as he's in the contest, and during the American Idols Live tour--please, please let him make the top ten!--and when his CD, which will rock, is released. (Or until that infernally catchy Old Navy jingle makes me lose my sanity, whichever comes first.)

Let's shake, shake, Daddy-O Daddy-O...

(Edited 3/19 to add: Welcome, all you folks who hit this link looking for the name of the Old Navy song. I'm going to give you the info...the catch is that you'll have to promise to throw a few votes Bucky's way on Tuesday nights. Fair deal, yes? The song is called "Clap! Shake! Jump!" by Andrea Revel featuring Behavior, and you can find out more about it--complete with a fun two minute sample!--at Andrea Revel's website. A full version of the song will be available in April, when it will go into my workout mix posthaste. Go listen, vote for Bucky, enjoy Ms. Revel, and have fun, y'all.)

East Coast--get offline and on the phone!

1 866 43657 05

Real content later--for right now, there's the number to call at the top of the hour. Vote for Bucky!

Just testing!

(We'll make this all pretty for you later. Come back soon!)