Monday news: Top 25 cheer, Music City Madness, and a bit of Hot Dish...

Two great images from one fantastic show; at right, Bucky Covington on stage at Uncle Ron's in Lincoln, Nebraska, 11/28; photo by the very kind Janie, who shares more of her images from that exciting show in her Photobucket gallery. And below (scroll down), a beautiful close-up by our talented friend Rachel. Thanks to both photographers for letting us in on the fun! Bucky Covington's debut CD is in stores now, and his music videos for "It's Good to Be Us" and "A Different World" are 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 singles at CMT and GAC, or enjoy samples of songs from the CD at Bucky's official MySpace. A copy of Bucky Covington can be ordered at his official site or via his official fan club.

Your last chance to catch Bucky Covington's "madcap recap" of Music City Madness 2, CMT's online talent contest, happens today at 9 a.m. ET. If you've already seen it, and you'd like to get a vote in for your favorite of the two finalists, the ballot's right here...

Bucky's also a part of Hazel Smith's latest Hot Dish column at CMT.com, where his nod for the coveted New Faces of Country Music showcase at this year's Country Radio Seminar gets a mention:

Santa really dropped big ol' gift early for Luke Bryan, Jason Michael Carroll, Bucky Covington, Jake Owen and Taylor Swift. The five will perform on the New Faces Show during next year's Country Radio Seminar in Nashville. And they are probably singing "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" right now.

(Well, those of us who were fortunate enough to see him on last year's GAC Christmas Tour know that he does a pretty cool version of that particular carol. And if you'd like to hear and see him perform a killer version of the old Fats Domino classic "Please Come Home for Christmas", GAC's re-running Christmas at the Tennessee again on Wednesday night, 12/12 at 8 p.m ET...)

Our thanks to a kind anonymous commenter who dropped this great news under our cyber-tree this morning--Bucky's "It's Good to Be Us" is now a Top 25 hit on both the Mediabase weighted and Top 500 charts. An excellent way to start the week, yes? We can keep that sweet momentum going--and it's easy to do. A call to our local country radio stations with a request for "It's Good to Be Us" is a must this week--Top 25 is an important milestone, and a boost in local requests underscores the excitement that's already building on the national charts. So if you didn't think your calls and emails matter, think again--they matter more than ever now! (Those "Top X at X' ballots are a quick, fun way of casting a vote of confidence, too--if your station's site has one posted, drop in and give Bucky a thumbs up.)


And naturally, Bucky's exciting video for "It's Good to Be Us deserves a boost on the cable countdowns to match its leap on the radio charts--give him some unlimited affection at CMT's Pure 12-Pack and a once-daily boost at GAC's Top Twenty Country Countdown. Just passing by and haven't seen the video yet? You're in luck--watch it at CMT, and after you've seen it, feel free to join us in voting for Bucky on the Top 20 Countdown poll...

While Bucky's enjoying some downtime (and hopefully, some sun and sand) before the tour bus gets rolling again this weekend, it's fun to take a look back at some past bits and bobs we somehow managed to miss the first time around. He did lots of radio station remotes during the CMA Awards last month--K-Frog 95.1 in San Bernadino shares a fun photo and a podcast (scroll down) in which a DJ's confession about an alarming statement he made during Bucky's Idol days comes back to haunt him rather comically...

Bucky Covington gets up close and personal at Uncle Ron's in Lincoln; photo by the very talented Rachel, who shares more of her beautiful photos here. (Some shots may be very mildly unsafe for work.) Thanks, Rachel!

Bucky and the morning crew at WGAR in Cleveland discussed Tim McGraw's promising career prospects, Idol days, Rocky's "beating stuff up for a living", and more during CMA Fest week in this podcast at the station's site.

If you were at the meet and greet before the first Raisin' the Bar show in Corpus Christi, you might see your own smiling face in the KIXS photo gallery. (You'll definitely see Bucky, Jason and Cole's smiles...)

And finally, here's a real treat from the summer concert season. Regional music paper Rhythm, Art & Groove (aka R.A.G.) did a special story on the Jamboree in the Hills back in August--writer Kelly Cline got some good sit-down time with Bucky, and the result is one of the longest and best print interviews with him to date (.pdf file). Read his thoughts on country music stereotypes, his observations on the proper timing of singles, a typical day on the road, the right way to cook chicken and dumplings, and more. Highly recommended reading!

More soon--have a wonderful Monday!