Bucky Covington's "Gotta Be Somebody", the winter chart break, and you...

Bucky Covington on stage at his homecoming show in Rockingham, where the video for "Gotta Be Somebody" was filmed in September. Thanks again to the very kind Buckyroo for the photo.

I'll make a long story short--shocking, coming from me, I know! The plain fact is this: Bucky Covington's "Gotta Be Somebody" can benefit from our requests more than ever, even though things seem to be very quiet on the charts right about now. For the long-form inner workings of why that's so, read on...

At the moment, we're experiencing what veteran chart watchers call the "winter break". On most charts, and especially on the already notoriously slow-moving country rankings, singles seem to lose momentum--and some appear to stand still--as the holiday music and programming slowly take over valuable airtime. Chances are your local country station is mixing in a few old and new country Christmas songs along with the current hits, and as the month rolls on, the ratio of holiday-to-current will tip even more strongly against new tunes.

But does that mean that requests for Bucky's latest single count less? Absolutely not--requesting Bucky's now puts the song in a much better position once the holiday break is over and the charts get moving again. The more momentum it has in December, the bigger a jump it has on the January charts later on--and the better our chances become of having an early spring hit in the bag in time for the release of I'm Alright.

It's crucial--any time Bucky gets on the radio now is a huge factor in getting him more time on the radio after the jingle bells stop ringing. The video votes are vitally important, too. GAC's Top 20 Country Countdown and CMT's Pure 12-Pack go a long way when it comes to getting Bucky's new single (and his videogenic appeal) in front of casual fans who like him lots, but who might not necessarily be hitting fan sites like this one. Bucky's very hard at work supporting the song live--he's added plenty of December shows and tour stops (see our sidebar at right) and he's gaining new fans at each and every turn. (If you haven't seen him yet, don't wait! Get thee to a show...)


A favorite vintage concert shot by Buckyroo: Bucky Covington on stage in Charlotte, NC in '07. Bucky returns to NC on December 15th for the WRNS holiday show--click here for details.

Wondering where to place that call or send that eQuest? Bucky's official site has a handy station finder, and if you're already a loyal listener at your local country station (yay!), be sure to check and see whether or not your favorite DJs are on Twitter and/or Facebook. Finally, if your station's gone all holiday--or will be headed that route soon--Bucky's got a rockin' version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" to tickle your neighbors' frostbitten ears this winter.

News post next! See you soon--Winnie