Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Wednesday news: "both kinds of music", chart gazing and more...

Click image to visit Mr. Clifton's gallery. Bucky Covington rocks the house at Wild Bill's in Atlanta in this colorful portrait by Mike Clifton. Mr. Clifton of Local Sports Online was on hand for Bucky's concert in Atlanta in June, and his stunning gallery of shots from the show is an absolute must-see. Thanks again to Mr. Clifton for his incredible images--his contact info is available at the gallery link, and his beautiful work speaks for itself. Enjoy! Bucky Covington's debut CD is in stores now, and his music video is available for online viewing at CMT.com and Yahoo Music. You can buy Bucky's album at Amazon, Best Buy , iTunes, WalMart Music and Target, hear the full version of his single "A Different World" at CMT and GAC, or enjoy samples of songs from the CD at Bucky's official MySpace. An autographed copy of Bucky Covington can be ordered while supplies last at his official site or via his official fan club.

(Edited to add a link to the Bucky Truck Stop at Rawkhands, where Moondancer graciously shared her recap of Bucky's WE Fest performance. Huge thanks to Moondancer for describing the fun so well and to Sunscreen for all the updates!)

There's an interesting musical side discussion in progress in the Bucky Covington fan thread at AmericanIdol.com this morning. Those of us who've been watching and listening to Bucky since his "Bless the Broken Road" audition and "Simple Man" semi-final turns (some in the thread have been hearing him much longer than that!) have been able to discern everything from Southern Rock to contemporary country-pop to soul to classic country among his musical influences, and all of the above and more are present and accounted for in his debut album. Is Bucky Covington, the CD, primarily country-pop, country-rock or just plain old "contemporary country"? It's a small part of a larger discussion that is as old as country music itself, and as current as your local radio station's playlist.

As Bucky himself said recently (and I'm paraphrasing here, y'all--if anyone's got the original quote, feel free to add it in comments), "country music" is always evolving--but at its core, it doesn't change--all the sub-genres, old and new, are still, at their heart, country music. If you'd like to have a listen for yourself, you can preview cuts from Bucky's CD here.

As for me, I'm a lover of "both kinds of music" ("Country and Western!") among many other genres--and I think it'll be interesting to watch how Bucky's music evolves and changes during those twenty-something-plus years he's looking to have in the business. Having said that, seeing Bucky Covington grace the Grand Ole Opry stage for the very first time remains one of the sweetest memories of this country fan's heart. No matter what sub-label you attach to Bucky's sound, it's pretty clear that he's starting off those twenty years right where he ought to be.

He's also starting off that long career with a big hit single--"A Different World" is hanging tough at #5 on the weighted listings and #6 on the Top 500 at Mediabase, and while the #4 song seems to be changing direction hourly, there's still a gap that could use a bit of bridging, and a bullet that could use some serious plumping-up. Keep requesting "A Different World" at your favorite local and streaming country stations, and (you knew this was coming!) remember your local "Top X at X" countdowns and your favorite nationally syndicated shows tonight, too. (As of post time, the Radio & Records/BDS country singles chart hadn't been updated, but the latest one may be posted by the time you read this--look for Bucky's debut hit in the #5 spot there this week.)

Bucky, Rocky, Don, Hans and Shaun will be busy rocking the Great Lakes beginning tomorrow--you can catch them at the Ross Country Fair on Thursday night, and at the Belpre Homecoming on Friday. (Kathy of Team Covington fame will be there for Bucky's Belpre concert--head over to her beautiful blog this morning for a link to a news story about how her community is preparing for the Homecoming fun.) Bookmark the tour schedule at Bucky's official site, and prepare yourself for a rockin' good time when the band hits your city...

We'll keep looking out for more photos and recaps from Bucky's recent shows, so come on back. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

22 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:52 AM

    i listened to the CD on the way to, and on the way home from work and i hear a variety of styles if you will. hometown is one of the best songs i've heard in awhile and sure hope it gets the nod as single #2 while american friday nights gets picked up as a theme somewhere.


    i'm not anonymous, i'm unknown

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  2. Hey, Unknown! You are so right about the variety of styles and I am with you on "Hometown"--it's just an excellent song all around, and there is kind of a cool, very appealing mournful/soulful quality to Bucky's vocals that hooked me from the first time I heard him--I can't tell you how happy I was to hear it on the CD.

    "American Friday Night" does have that kind of pop-anthem thing going, doesn't it? Yep, it'd make an excellent theme and I hope it gets picked up for one, too.

    My favorite cut right now remains "Bible and the Belt"--I know it isn't everyone's cup of tea but it is a truly catchy track and I love a good stomping tune I can dance to. Fingers crossed that it ends up as a single eventually. I haven't seen the full band play yet, but I am really looking forward to hearing that one live and loud.

    Good to see you as always! :)

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  3. (P.S.--Well, I got caught off guard here on today's Power Picks, y'all--my apologies! Bucky lost this one to Blake Shelton's newest, with 42% of the vote. Thanks and hang in there--Winnie)

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  4. Anonymous11:19 AM

    FYI..Bucky lost spins on both charts. And Reba has bounced ahead in Aud Imp on the weighted chart. It looks as though ADW may have hit its peak at #5. And if that is true i couldn't be more proud. We will just have to get the new single to #1..

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  5. Anonymous11:47 AM

    Hometown is in contention for single 2? Color me thrilled - that's my favorite song on the CD and one of the best songs I've heard in a while, period. His voice really sells it.

    AFN would be perfect for Friday Night Lights. I also love Bible and hope it gets a shot as a single as well.

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  6. Anonymous11:56 AM

    OH I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have "Hometown" as the next single. That song is also my FAVORITE on the album. Well fav of all songs out there. I really think it could be a huge hit. Alas I see the next single being something a little faster, perhaps "Im Good" or "Good to be us". My money is on one of those two. And I too also Love "Bible and the Belt". I hope it gets a chance on the radio one day. Bucky sells whatever he sings.

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  7. Anonymous12:06 PM

    I am thinking "Back When We Were Gods" would be a lovely 2nd single but the focus now should be still on single one. It could still go higher....keep requesting everyone! :D

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  8. Anonymous1:15 PM

    From Ken Barnes @ idol chatter...
    93-91 Bucky (around 8,000; a marginal (sub-1%) gain in sales; 240,000 total): Very steady sales for Bucky.
    ~m~

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  9. Anonymous2:22 PM

    Don't know if this old news but Bucky's Empty Handed is on the NASCAR 08 video game.

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  10. Anonymous3:13 PM

    R and R was updated. ADW is listed as #6 for the week.

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  11. Anonymous3:13 PM

    DAMN!!!! On R&R they gave #5 to Reba. It looks like Bucky won't reach an official #5. We settle for 6th. I was hoping if only for a week to see Bucky get that Billboard #5. DAMN.....
    Geez I don't even think that Reba's version of that song is very good. Not as good as the original. Oh well, thats my opinion.

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  12. Anonymous3:32 PM

    I don't think ADW has peaked yet. Keep your chins up and keep requesting. Lots of others on the charts have dropped some spins too.

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  13. Anonymous4:45 PM

    Madness Marches: Lyric Street's Bucky Covington will host CMT Loaded's online talent search, "Music City Madness." Entries for the talent contest will be accepted online or via snail mail through October 15.
    ___Kasper

    Source: Aircheck magazine

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  14. Anonymous4:49 PM

    Video of the world's cutest host:

    http://www.cmt.com/loaded/player.jhtml?id=1565933

    :) --SS

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  15. Anonymous5:02 PM

    The video is of Bucky being cute host man and talking about the contest if that was not clear to one and all. hahaha

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  16. Anonymous5:09 PM

    Proof related to the earlier "world's cutest host" remark:

    http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t31/BuckyTruckStop/host.jpg

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  17. Anonymous6:16 PM

    Geez, Bucky still has a bullet on Both mediabase charts and is still gaining spins. yes, Reba passed and Rescal Flatts will pass also but Keith will fall out ...as long is there is a bullet there is hope to move up. think positive group. The same sort of comments were posted at 25 and 15 and 12...I just ignore them and keep requesting away!

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  18. Anonymous6:26 PM

    "I just ignore them and keep requesting away!"

    That sounds like one smart bunny to me!!! :D

    Keep hopping happily along! ;)

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  19. Hey, everybody!

    Anon 11:19, by now you know how stubborn I am...and also how leery I am of making any predictions about the charts, one way or another. "A Different World" has surprised us so many times now that I will probably have to see it listed as #50 (with a little red anchor) before I give in. :)

    One thing is for sure, though--Bucky Covington has definitely chalked up his first in a string of smash hits. That is just as true now as it ever will be, no matter where the song peaks or how high it climbs from here on out. (Bucky's got a hit, y'all.)

    Not only that, but the thrill of hearing him on FM radio is still fresh and new for me (and I suspect that's true for most of my neighbors...our local station took forever getting him on the playlist.) So I'm going to keep on supporting this one as long it's out there as "Bucky's current single".

    Basically, I am embarrassingly fan-minded enough to support whatever cuts from Bucky Covington, the CD, are released to radio, because...well, it's Bucky on the radio. The day I stop wanting to hear that, please check my pulse...

    Marzy, thanks for the sales update from Ken! It does seem to be a truly steady seller, which bodes well for the long haul--I bet some of that is the result of Bucky attracting lots of new fans on the road--a good chunk of those folks must be checking out the CD. Glad Mr. Barnes made a note of its staying power... :)

    Anon 2:22, thank you! There was a post on the blog about that excellent NASCAR 08 news a while back, but things have been happening so quickly that it scrolled off the page fast. "Empty Handed" and Bucky are in some great company there.

    Anons 3:13, I am hoping Bucky will still get that official #5--between the fact that it's been holding there on Mediabase for the past few days and the slippery slope the Mediabase weighted #4 song seems to be on, it's entirely possible that next week will be the charm. (I know I sound like a relentless Pollyanna, but those bullets are making me think positive...)

    SS, thanks so much for the video link and the great news! It's posted out front now.

    Bunny and Anon, hi there! Count me in on the requesting (and the hopping. :) Good to see you!

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  20. I am one of those that noticed Bucky from day one on American Idol. Before Bucky, I never bought a country genre CD, but I did enjoy southern rock because I am a 60's girl. I absolutely love all the songs on Bucky's CD, and I am now listening to country music! One thing I notice about a lot of country music is that they are not afraid to mention God and that rates in my book!

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  21. Cathy Anne, hi and I am sorry I missed you! I think a lot of us have had that experience of either discovering or re-discovering country music lately--Idol (and the success of Josh, Carrie, Kellie and Bucky) has been one factor, but it seems to me that country music in general has a higher profile in pop culture now than it did even five years ago. There are people who don't listen to country radio on a regular basis who know who Martina, Reba, Keith and Brad are with no last names necessary.

    And I agree with you about the fact that the candid way country music addresses matters of faith is one of the very appealing aspects of the genre. Whenever you have real people writing real songs about life, love, hurt and joy, they're going to be honest and upfront about their faith, too.

    Good to see you! :D

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  22. I am one of those that noticed Bucky from day one on American Idol. Before Bucky, I never bought a country genre CD, but I did enjoy southern rock because I am a 60's girl. I absolutely love all the songs on Bucky's CD, and I am now listening to country music! One thing I notice about a lot of country music is that they are not afraid to mention God and that rates in my book!

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