Thursday news: takin' it to the streets, chartgazing and more...

Bucky Covington (with Shaun Bayles at left) gets ready to belt out a tune on stage at the Lincoln Theater in Raleigh in this shot taken last fall; photo by our very talented friend Buckyroo. Thanks so much, Buckyroo! 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.

Bucky Covington's takin' his request for your input on his next single to the streets--and to the media. Along with yesterday's report of Bucky mentioning the poll on Birmingham TV news (as reported in his fan thread at AmericanIdol.com last night), today's Mike and Dana's Country blog has the survey and the link to his official site as its lead story this morning. How important is this poll? Very! Cast your vote right here and let Bucky know which of his great tracks you'd like to hear on the airwaves this spring...

Chart news: Meanwhile, his current single is holding on strong and flirting with that crucial Top 20 notch; "It's Good to Be Us" held its ground at #24 on the Radio & Records country singles chart for a second week, and solidified its #23 spot on the Mediabase weighted and Top 500 listings overnight. So close, y'all! With those great contests in progress at Lia and After Midnite (see previous post for more details) it'll be easy to get those nationally syndicated requests in while you're witing to qualify...and be sure to let your local DJ know you're loving Bucky, too.

Upcoming shows: Here's a newly updated quick/expanded list for January and February--as always, a reminder that all dates are subject to change, and that the full list of tour dates is available at his official site. (The Dierks Bentley All Access bundle fan club presale for the 2/23 concert at the Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek, MI begins today--a great deal if you were planning to snag a Dierks fan club membership and a ticket at the same time!)

January 12: Sound and Speed*, Nashville [tickets]
January 12: Grand Ole Opry, Nashville [tickets]
January 19: Glass Cactus, Grapevine, TX [tickets]
January 25: Pullo Performing Arts Center, York PA [tickets]
January 31: Opening for Trace Adkins, Lowell, Mass. [tickets]

February 1: Opening for Trace Adkins, Johnstown PA [tickets]
February 14: Opening for Dierks Bentley, Gainesville, FL [tickets]
February 21: Opening for Dierks Bentley, Auburn Hills, MI [tickets on sale 1/12]
February 23: Opening for Dierks Bentley, Battle Creek, MI [tickets]
February 28: Opening for Dierks Bentley, South Bend, IN [tickets on sale 1/12]
February 29: Opening for Dierks Bentley, Farmington, MO [tickets on sale 1/19]

*Bucky will sign autographs at the 1:00 Backstage Garage Pass session.

For more info, bookmark that official Tour page and hang on tight...

On the tube and around the net: Bucky's video for "It's Good to Be Us" will brighten up your afternoon at about 5:32 ET on GAC-TV. As always, feel free to watch "It's Good to Be Us" at CMT, and give him your vote at GAC's Top 20 Country Countdown and CMT's Top 20 Countdown. (Pure Country Pure 12-Pack's done for the week--rest up for Friday!)

Online, be sure to stop in at this morning's edition of The Covington Times for a beautiful Big Spring Jam photo and a link to a fantastic live concert video of Bucky singing "It's Good to Be Us"; and if you haven't pulled over at the Bucky Truck Stop lately, you've got some fun catching up to do--Sunscreen's end of 2007 and start of 2008 additions to the thread there are not to be missed!

More soon--enjoy your Thursday!