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Access Atlanta > American Idol Buzz > Archives > 2005 > December
December 2005
12/30: Ruben, Diana, Carrie updates
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You have to wonder: when is Ruben going to come out with his next album? I presume sometime next year. In the meantime, he’s doing the National Anthem at the Orange Bowl next Tuesday.
Diana DeGarmo was in Bahrain and Qatar recently in the Persian Gulf doing a USO show, according to this article out of Bahrain and this one in Qatar.
Carrie Underwood was named “Oklahoman of the Year” by Oklahoma Today newspaper and her single “Jesus, Take the Wheel” is now No. 3 on the country charts.
And happy new year to all! We are just 18 days away from “Idol 5.”
12/28: Kelly interview
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
AOL, via AIM, interviewed Kelly Clarkson online. Here’s the interview. I’m not 100% sure if non-AOL members can get it but given how AOL has opened up much of its content to the world, probably.
The writer didn’t get much out of her but she does come across well, as always.
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12/25: Merry xmas! Bo, Carrie airplay update
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I have temporary access to the entire Mediabase radio airplay charts for a brief time. Here’s how things are going with Bo and Carrie’s first full blown singles (The lousy “Inside Your Heaven” doesn’t count.)
Carrie’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel” has taken country stations by the spurs. It’s now No. 5 on the charts for the week ending December 23, with 5,486 spins on 175 of 177 reporting radio stations. It has a serious chance of going No. 1 (as Josh Graacin did earlier this year with “Nothing to Lose’). Kicks 101.5 has it as its third most popular single of the week, with 38 spins and 232 to date.
Bo’s mid-tempo rocker “The Real Thing” has just launched and some top 40 stations are giving it a chance. 44 out of 134 Top 40 stations gave it at least one spin last week. It’s ranked no. 55 out of top 40 stations, no. 58 among hot AC stations. It had 475 spins among top 40 stations and 109 more on hot AC. Star 94 has been one of his top supporters, giving it 25 turns last week, the third most among all stations (only stations in Birmingham and Jacksonville played it more.)
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12/24: Billboard year end review
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Fred Bronson, a big “Idol” fan, included some “Idol” stats in his annual chart recap here
This is the “Idol” related portion:
Clarkson is the main, but not only, reason that the “American Idol” franchise has made such a powerful showing on the year-end recaps. Contestants from the TV series are responsible for 17 year-end No. 1s, up from two in 2004 and 2003 and one in 2002. The honors are spread among all four “American Idol” winners and one runner-up.
Clarkson is responsible for nine of the 17 “Idol” No. 1s. She is the No. 1 artist on the Hot 100 Artists, Female recap. She has the No. 1 position on the Hot Adult Contemporary Songs recap—“Breakaway” (Walt Disney/Hollywood)—and is the No. 1 AC artist. She is also the No. 1 Adult Top 40 artist and the No. 1 Hot Dance Airplay artist. She has the No. 1 song on the Pop 100 Songs chart, “Since U Been Gone,” which is also the No. 1 Pop 100 Airplay song and Clarkson is the No. 1 Pop 100 artist. Finally, “Breakaway” from “The Princess Diaries 2” is the top soundtrack single.
The second season “American Idol” winner, Ruben Studdard, has the No. 1 title on the Top Gospel Albums chart. “I Need an Angel” (J), and is the No. 1 act on the Top Gospel Albums Artist chart. Third season “Idol” Fantasia is the No. 1 Adult R&B artist and the No. 1 new R&B/Hip-Hop artist. Fourth-season “Idol” Carrie Underwood has the No. 1 title on Hot Singles Sales and on the online Hot Country Singles Sales recap with “Inside Your Heaven” (Arista), and also led the online Hot Country Singles Sales Artist recap. Second season runner-up Clay Aiken has the No. 1 Christian album, “Merry Christmas With Love” (RCA).
This is the fourth consecutive year that an “American Idol” singer has the best-selling single of the year. Underwood’s “Inside Your Heaven” follows in the footsteps of Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This” (2002), Aiken’s “This Is the Night” / “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (2003) and Fantasia’s “I Believe” (2004).
12/23: Kelly, Kelly and more Kelly
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In AOL’s Battle of the Bands, they pitted Kelly Clarkson vs. Mariah Carey. Kelly is winning 54% to 46%.
She also has a new boyfriend, her opening act Graham Colton, which I know has been out for awhile but I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it here before.
And how about this for class? She did a concert in the fall in the San Jose/Bay area while she was struggling with bronchitis and decided to come back, allowing anybody who had a ticket to the previous engagement to come to this one, too. And the article said nobody really complained about her last performance.
When she came to the Fox Theatre in the spring, she had opened with a vocally rough “Since U Been Gone.” To end her tour, she did “Since U Been Gone” and had the entire HP Pavilion singing along.
This review exudes nothing more than respect for Kelly
And can you believe she’s in the top 10 again with “Breakaway” and hasn’t fallen out of the top 20 in album sales since the album came out more than a year ago? That’s incredibly difficult to do. She’s now sold about 4 million copies of that record.
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12/22: More with Bo
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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12/22: Nostalgia for season 1
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
MSNBC was kind enough in [this story] to go back and check out what the Season 1 contestants from 2002 are up to.](http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10456043/)
We all know Kelly Clarkson is a true superstar in every sense of the word.
Nikki McKibbin and Ryan Starr have shown up on other reality shows (i.e. “Battle of the Network Stars,” “Kill Reality,” “Surreal Life”).
Jim Verraros, the only openly gay “Idol” competitor, released his own independent album and garnered a dance hit.
Tamyra Gray, our local gal from Norcross, has had several TV appearances and a part in “The Gospel.” She also had a part on Broadway. Her first album didn’t do that well but you can’t count her out.
And we know what happened to Justin.
The MSNBC reporter wasn’t very complete though. She didn’t talk about EJ Day or RJ Helton, two local contestants. Or AJ Gill or Christina Christian. I’ll actually have to fish around and see what those four are up to.
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12/21: Mark yr calendars!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Fox has sent out a more specific schedule of how “Idol” will play out early next year. After initially promising a consistent Tuesday-Wednesday schedule, Fox is experimenting with Thursday night results shows for the semifinals. It appears they will return to Wednesday results once we reach the final 12.
“AMERICAN IDOL� BEGINS JANUARY 17 AND 18 ON FOX
Top 24 Singers Revealed on Wednesday, February 15
Top Male Singers Perform on Tuesday, February 21
Top Female Singers Perform on Wednesday, February 22
First LIVE Results Show on Thursday, February 23
Top 12 Finalists Perform Together for the First Time on Tuesday, March 14
Just when you thought you’ve seen everything, AMERICAN IDOL, the No. 1 show of last season, returns with outrageous new auditions and unbelievable talent. The search for the next singing superstar began last summer, as AMERICAN IDOL held auditions in San Francisco, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Denver and Greensboro. Find out who makes it to Hollywood and who is sent home as season five of AMERICAN IDOL premieres Tuesday, Jan. 17 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Wednesday, Jan. 18 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Episodes featuring the audition cities will air on four consecutive Tuesdays: Jan. 17 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), Jan. 24 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), Jan. 31 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and Feb. 7 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT); and three Wednesdays: Jan. 18 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), Jan. 25 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and Feb. 1 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT).
Those who get past the judges move on to the Hollywood Round, which will air on Wednesday, Feb. 8 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 14 and 15 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). On Wednesday, Feb. 15, the Top 24 semifinalists – 12 males and 12 females – will be announced.
Then it will be up to America to decide who stays in the competition. The first performance show featuring the Top 12 male singers will air Tuesday, Feb. 21 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). The following night, Wednesday, Feb. 22 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), the Top 12 female singers will perform. A LIVE results show revealing America’s vote will air Thursday, Feb. 23 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), when the two male and two female performers with the fewest votes will be sent home.
For the next two weeks, the males will perform on Tuesdays, the females on Wednesdays and the LIVE results show will air on Thursday nights. Thus, the Top 10 male singers will perform on Tuesday, Feb. 28 (8:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) and the Top 8 male singers on Tuesday, March 7 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). The Top 10 female singers will perform on Wednesday, March 1 (8:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) and the Top 8 female singers battle it out on Wednesday, March 8 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). Four contestants, two males and two females, will be eliminated from the competition on the LIVE results shows airing Thursday, March 2 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and Thursday, March 9 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). The Top 12 Finalists will be revealed on Thursday, March 9.
The competition heats up as the Top 12 Finalists take the stage for the first time together on Tuesday, March 14 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). One contestant’s journey will end as America’s vote is revealed on Wednesday, March 15 (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT).
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12/20: Feed me some reviews!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’ve managed to miss Clay, Ruben, Carrie and Diana, all who made public appearances the past 10 days. (I was busy or out of town in all instances.)
Can anyone provide me a review of any of their appearances?
We do have pictures of Clay’s concert online. Here’s the link
Bo also subbed out for Ashlee Simpson during Monday night’s Radio Music Awards. Her loss, his gain!
And feel free to give me some feedback on Bo’s and Carrie’s albums!
12/19: Bo in hospital again
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I was joking a couple of weeks ago with Bo about his propensity for injury. Well, he’s back in the hospital due to complications from his intestinal surgery a few months ago..
The story says he was going to sub for Ashlee Simpson (hospitalized recently for “exhaustion”) on the Radio Music Awards tonight to air on NBC. But now he needs a substitute: the Goo Goo Dolls. How bizarro is that? I’m sure lead singer Johnny Rzeznik will have a medic nearby just in case!
12/19: Constantine touring (not here)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Good news: Constantine Maroulis is doing a two-week tour with his band Pray for the Soul of Betty.
Bad news: He’s skipping Atlanta. For those of you who are reading this in a city below, have fun!
1/16 San Diego, CA House of Blues
1/17 Los Angeles, CA Roxy
1/18 Anaheim, CA House of Blues
1/20 Denver, CO Gothic
1/22 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line
1/23 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Club
1/24 Chicago, IL House of Blues
1/25 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
1/26 Cleveland, OH House of Blues
1/27 Pittsburgh, PA Rex Theatre
1/29 Baltimore, MD Recher Theatre
1/30 Boston, MA Avalon Ballroom
1/31 New York, NY Nokia Theatre- Times Square
2/1 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts
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December 19: Five predictions for “Idol” 2006
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This is semi tongue in cheek since I have never proclaimed to be a psychic in any sense of the word. Here we go:
1) I predicted last year before the season started that it would start losing popularity. I was wrong. But I’m going to predict it again. I find it hard to believe they’ll be able to find a cooler set of finalists than last year. Complaints will abound that this year’s contestants just don’t cut it in comparison.
2) Simon, Randy & Paula will get into a nasty fight on air and we’ll be highly entertained.
3) Another William Hung type character will pop up in the auditions to torture us far beyond the requisite 10 seconds they deserve.
4) At least two contestants will have some nasty background lawsuit/arrest that will pop up on thesmokinggun.com. And one will have to leave early. That’s an easy one because it seems to happen every year now! :)
5) Someone extremely talented will get voted off prematurely, instigating yet another round of “the voting system is flawed/rigged/idiotic.”
12/17: Randy Jackson speaks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The “Idol” publicity machine is creaking awake again and we reporters got to participate in a phone conference with Randy Jackson. No real revelations or juicy quotes. No surprise there.
I asked Randy about Ryan’s comment last week about more drama between contestants. Randy agreed.
“The kids this time want this worse than ever,” he told me. “There’s quite a bit of an interesting fighting and dialogue going on among the contestants. I think it’s the people’s egos saying I want to win this. I don’t want anyone to stand in my way. It’s actually pretty funny.”
He also promises some good brushups among him, Paula and Simon.
When I asked him a semi-serious question about whether he was jealous that Simon was clearly getting a gargantuan amount of money, he joked, “We’re waiting for our raise to match his.” Later, when AP reporter asked him to aggrandize, he kept right on joking about it. If there is any jealousy or anger about it, Randy wasn’t going to convey that to us.
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12/15: Early Bo sales report
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bo Bice’s first album “The Real Thing” looks to debut in the 180,000 to 200,000 sales range, based on first-day sales. Check out the story at www.hitsdailydouble.com. That is better than my pre-release prediction of 150,000 and far exceeds runner ups Justin Guarini and Diana DeGarmo but is not even a third of what Clay Aiken did. It would be the sixth biggest debut by an “Idol” contestant following the four winners and Clay.
12/13: Diana at Falcons game
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Diana DeGarmo went back to her roots, singing the National Anthem at the Falcons/Saints game last night.
Chuck Smith, formerly of V-103 and now on 790/The Fan with Matt Chernoff, spent several minutes slobbering over Diana’s body on the radio at about 2:15 p.m. after seeing her at the Falcons game. “She’s really got it going down!” he said. Matt warned him that she may not be “of age,” noting he got in trouble commenting about Britney Spears when she was underage. Fortunately, they discovered Diana is 18 years old so Chuck was safe.
Foxes on Idol
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
http://www.foxesonidol.com
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Other American Idol stories
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
http://www.sirlinksalot.net/americanidol.html
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12/12: My Bo interview
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I held off on posting this until closer to its run date in the paper. Here’s the best of what I got from Bo during my 15 minutes. I mostly asked him silly questions just to see how he’d respond. As expected, he pulled this off with aplomb:
Q: Why did you call the album “The Real Thing?� Are you trying to get an endorsement from Coca Cola like “American Idol�?
Bo: Hey, man, I wouldn’t mind that! The title of the album wasn’t my idea. But if they want to throw some money my way, I’ll take it!
Q: You just won a Jim Croce songwriters award. If you could save time in a bottle, what’s the first thing that you’d like to do?
Bo: I’d do the same thing as Jim: I’d save it up and spend all my time with my wife and family.
Q: You’ve recorded a special for the Oxygen Network [which aired December 11.] Doesn’t that hurt your rock-and-roll credibility?
Bo: I’m not too worried about my credibility. So it’s a women’s network. To me, what guy wouldn’t want to perform in front of women? Now if it was all guys out there, I’d have to think twice. . .
Q: My wife wants to know: what conditioner do you use on your hair?
Bo: Actually, I just use Pantene two in one I like to hurry up and wash and go. Brush the hair and move along.
Q: You told Rolling Stone that you were glad you didn’t actually win “American Idol.� Do you still feel that way?
Bo: Yah. The reason that I said that is as a songwriter and a guy who plays a lot of insruments, I know the winner doesn’t get to write original songs the way I do on my first album. I also get to play my guitar and I’m happy.
Q: Your mom [Nancy Downes of Covington] told me you got along well with legendary record executive Clive Davis and actually challenged him over issues. Did you guys hang out at bars and sling beers?
Bo: No. Clive and I haven’t been out on the town drinking yet. He took me out to dinner once. We’re not best pals but he lets me come into his office.
Q: Did you steal anything from his office?
Bo: Just a small square of carpet. I don’t think he’s noticed yet.
Q: In the People magazine photo shoot, one of your dogs is sucking on a pacifier. Do your son Aidan and the dogs share?
Bo: Well, Gracie [the dog] gets the Winnie the Pooh pacifier. Aidan, the Tasmanian Devil one. He’s a little devil, keeps me up late at night feeding. The wife changes most of the diapers. I have to do three a week. She’s got her work cut out for her.
Q: You’ve had intestinal problems and a broken foot. What do you think your next injury will be?
B: I’m trying to stay out of the hospital. Hopefully nothing with food and nothing to do with my hands. Maybe a hangnail in my toe.
Q: You have a song on your CD called “U Make Me Better� where you spelled it with the letter U. Are U trying to be like Usher or Prince?
Bo: They charge us per letter. They’re that cheap. I tried to convince them not to capitalize the U. We could have saved four bucks!
Q: You won the VH1 Big in 05 award for Reality Star of the Year over the likes of Danny Bonaduce, Dog the Bounty Hunter and Tommy Lee. How long would you last in a wrestling ring with those guys?
A: I wouldn’t step in a ring with those guys. Maybe as a referee.
12/10: Justin Guarini new CD
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Justin Guarini, still a butt of jokes as moppet-topped “Idol” runnerup contestant, has independently released a jazz album with a smaller moppet. Check out his site for samples and purchasing. He sings “My Funny Valentine” — your judge to see if it’s better than the Constantine version.
And he’s represented by Stiletto Entertainment (which also represents Jim Verraros and Kimberley Locke.) Here’s the link if you want him for your wedding. Plus, he actually has a publicist for the first time in years. I’ll have to see if I can talk to him. (I’ve only talked to him once before by phone and have never met the man.)
12/9: Seacrest promises “Idol” drama
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I was on a national phone conference with Ryan Seacrest about his co-hosting “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” on ABC with Dick Clark.
He did take some questions about “American Idol.” The only real interesting thing he said was he promised there was going to be more conflict among contestants than in the past. (Remember Julia “DUI” DeMato and Kimberly Caldwell in “Idol 2”? That was the exception, not the rule, at least in front of the Fox cameras.)
“We just got done with some stuff this week that hasn’t made it out yet,” Seacrest says. “In terms of competitive spirit between the contestants, I think we’ve seen more drama, if you will, and more individual and independent competitive spirit than ever before.”
“You’re going to see some personalities who are really gunning for that spot,” Seacrest says. “They know exactly what they need to do to win, and they’re not going to let anyone get in their way.”
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12/8: Fantasia, Kelly Grammy noms
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Fantasia received four Grammy nominations today: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (“Free Yourself”), Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance (“Summertime”), Best R&B song (“Free Yourself”) and Best R&B album (“Free Yourself”).
Kelly Clarkson was nominated for Best Pop Female Vocal Performance with “Since U Been Gone” and Best Pop Vocal Album with “Breakaway.”
12/8: Hung still hangin’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TV Guide interviewed William Hung. Yes, the man is still making money off his “She Bangs” appearance two years ago. Amazing! Or amazingly sad. Hard to say which…
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12/7: Carrie in Douglasville 12/13!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Check this out Carrie fans! Unfortunately, I’ve got a final exam to take that night and won’t be able to make it.
KICKS COUNTRY CHRISTMAS Benefiting U.S. Marine Corp Reserve Toys for Tots Program Featuring a Free concert from American Idol, Carrie Underwood!
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
3p til 8:30p
Arbor Place Mall - Douglasville FEATURING
Free concert from American Idol, Carrie Underwood (7:30p)
Live broadcast from Kicks 101.5’s Cadillac Jack (3p til 7p)
For immediate release For more information contact: November 7, 2005 Christy Ullman
(ATLANTA) – Atlanta’s Country Leader, KICKS 101.5, along with Metro Atlanta Automobile Dealers Association, present the 12th Annual KICKS Country Christmas at Arbor Place Mall, Tuesday, December 13. American Idol and Arista Recording Artist, Carrie Underwood, is our very special guest this year.
KICKS 101.5 is proud to continue our partnership with the U.S. Marines for this annual Holiday concert. The Marines and Santa will be on hand at the event to accept toys for their annual campaign.
KICKS 101.5’s Cadillac Jack will broadcast his show live from Arbor Place Mall, starting at 3pm. At 7:30pm, Carrie Underwood, who walked away with the American Idol title on May 25, 2005, will take the stage to entertain the crowd with music from her debut cd and some very special holiday music selections. Carrie’s debut album, “Some Hearts� will hit stores on November 15, featuring the hit single, now playing on KICKS 1015, “Jesus Take The Wheel�.
Don’t miss this magical night with the whole gang from KICKS 101.5, The U.S. Marines, and Carrie Underwood! The only price of admission is a new unwrapped gift to benefit Toys for Tots.
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12/6: Diana appearance 12/17
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
94.9 Lite fm and Airtran Airways present the 7th annual “Carols in the Park” featuring American Idol finalist, Diana Degarmo and the Big Chicken Chorus on Dec 17th at 6 PM in the Duluth Amphitheater. Come enjoy this family holiday event with 94.9 Lite fm and the City of Duluth! For more information call 770-497-5312.
So if you want a double dose of “Idol” contestants, check this out, then go over to Clay Aiken over at the Atlanta Civic Center.
I’ll provide some details about my 15 minutes with Bo later this week when I have some more time. He was very entertaining, as I asked him mostly silly questions. For those who were wondering, he has not committed to a video for “The Real Thing” but hopes to do one. And he’s doing all those TV shows as promotion. We’ll see how well he does. I expect he’ll open in the 150,000 range week one. Just a guess.
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12/5: Track by track - Bo’s album
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s another press release breaking down Bo’s album song by song:
(Los Angeles, CA – Monday December 5, 2005) Bo Bice, “American Idol� fourth season finalist, will release his much-anticipated debut album, “The Real Thing,� on 19 Recordings/RCA Records on Dec. 13. Produced by Clive Davis, the album teams Bice with Chad Kroeger, Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi, Ben Moody , John Shanks, and Swedish producer Max Martin. “It’s so cool to be surrounded by people like that,� says the singer from Birmingham, Alabama. “You just feel grateful every day.�
There will be two editions of “The Real Thing.� In addition to a regular CD, there will be a DualDisc version with bonus material, including three extra songs written by Bice. The DualDisc version will include the full album in enhanced stereo; a 22-minute video of “A Day in the Life� of Bo; an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Bo in the studio, at promo appearances, photo shoots and meeting his fans; the three bonus audio tracks “Cinnamon & Novocaine,� “Sinner in a Sin� and “Whiskey, Women and Time�; and acoustic performances of “Changing for the Better,� “Whisky, Women and Time,� “Sinner in a Sin� and “Papillon.�
Bo will support the release of “The Real Thing� with multiple television appearances, including “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno� (Dec. 5), “The Billboard Music Awards� (Dec. 6), “The Today Show� and “Live With Regis and Kelly� (both Dec. 9), Ellen (Dec. 13), “The Tony Danza Show� (Dec. 15), “The Early Show� (Dec. 16), “The Radio Music Awards (Dec. 19) and “Jimmy Kimmel Live� (Dec. 20).
On Dec. 11, the Oxygen Network will air “A Holiday Custom Concert Special – Featuring Bo Bice and Special Guests.� He’ll wrap up the year with a one-hour special, “In the Moment With Bo Bice,� airing Jan. 13, 2006 on CMT.
There will be three opportunities for Bo’s fans to watch him perform live. The fans are invited to watch Bo give an outdoor performance at Rockefeller Center for the Dec. 9 appearance on “The Today Show.� They can also attend the taping of the Oxygen Network special in New York on Dec. 7. and on Dec. 20, fans can watch Bo perform live on the outdoor set of Jimmy Kimmel’s show.
“Bo Bice is indeed ‘the real thing’,” says Clive Davis, Chairman CEO BMG U.S. “The album’s title is so very accurate in not only reflecting its first single but also the extent of who and what Bo and his talent represent.”
The tracks on Bo’s debut album include:
“The Real Thing� (written by Kara DioGuardi and Marti Frederiksen; produced by Marti Frederiksen). “That’s an incredible tune,� says Bo. “I had a great time recording it with Marti. He’s just like me, a laid-back cat, pretty mellow. We started working between 10am and lunch and would go for 12 hours and just had fun.� Dioguardi adds, “It’s about a man saying to a woman, ‘I know you have these feelings and I know you’re not saying them and it looks like you want to say them.’�
“You’re Everything� (written by Chad Kroeger; produced by Chad Kroeger and Joey Moi). “Chad and Joey are great guys,� says Bo. “Chad brought an incredible song to the table. I love the tune. I met the guys in New York, hung out for a minute, and we started recording.�
“U Make Me Better� (written by Martin Sandberg and Lukasz Gottwald; produced by Max Martin). “Max and Dr. Luke were a lot of fun to work with. Max has some major league hits and he’s real genuine and humble. Max and I are kindred spirits; we got each other right away,� says Bo.
“Nothing Without You� (written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and John Shanks; produced by John Shanks). “John and I are both guitar freaks,� says Bo. “I met Richie Sambora when we did ‘The Tonight Show’ together last June. He pitched a song to Clive.� John Shanks adds, “Bo steps up to the mic and gives you a great performance from the get-go.� Shanks had been working with Jon and Richie on Bon Jovi’s “Have a Nice Day� album. “We had been saving this song and I told Jon and Richie we should see if Bo liked it,� Shanks explains. “It’s a modern pop-rock song. The hook says that all of this means nothing without you. I can go through life but without sharing it with someone you love, it’s meaningless.�
“My World� (written by Mitch Allan and John Allen; produced by Ben Moody). “That song is on the poppier end of the spectrum,� says Bo. Moody calls Bo, “the real deal,� adding, “He can stand there with an acoustic guitar and play classic rock tunes for an hour and you’ll never lose interest…the guy is just a star!�
“Remember Me� (written by Kara DioGuardi and Marti Frederiksen; produced by Marti Frederiksen). “That’s one of my favorites,� Bo enthuses. “Marti and Kara wrote it for me. I’ve played it live several times because it’s such a cool song.� DioGuardi elaborates, “It’s about a love that’s gone bad. It says now that we’re done and I’m crushed, don’t ever forget me. It’s a plea to be remembered even though things have gone bad.�
“Hold On to Me� (written by Jess Cates, Dennis Matkosky and Lindy Robbins; produced by John Shanks). “That’s another song from the poppier side,� says Bo. Shanks adds, “I kept it in the same vibe as ‘Nothing Without You’ so there would be a sonic consistency on the album. I’m the kind of producer who listens to the demo and honors it by taking the best elements and being respectful to the writeras who worked so hard on the song, and try to make it into a hit record.�
“Lie…It’s All Right� (written by Martin Sandberg and Lukasz Gottwald; produced by Max Martin and Lukasz “Dr. Luke� Gottwald). “It’s a real heavy pop tune,� says Bo.
“It’s My Life� (written by Cliff Magness, Kara DioGuardi and Bo Bice; produced by Cliff Magness). “Cliff and I wrote some of it and then we brought in Kara to help us round off some corners,� Bo recalls. “Cliff and I had been talking about how weird and crazy life was and that we just move along and try to enjoy every moment of it.� DioGuardi adds, “When we were writing for Bo we concentrated on chanelling his emotions – the strain, the angst, the release. All the things he did on ‘American Idol’ that made him so great.�
“Willing to Try� (written by John Shanks and Richie Sambora; produced by John Shanks). “It’s so cool to have someone like Richie that I’ve admired my entire life write a song because they saw you and were inspired by you,� says Bo. Shanks confirms, “We wrote that especially for Bo. It has elements of Otis Redding, giving Bo a chance to stretch out in a more soulful way. The lyrics are about the obstacles of relationships and that through adversity, you’re willing to try even though it’s easy to give up.�
“Valley of Angels� (written by Bo Bice and Cliff Magness; produced by Cliff Magness). “It’s a very introspective tune I wrote several years ago,� Bo explains. “It’s about finding inner peace. I had one of my old guitars in the studio and was warming up with this song when Cliff asked me what the song was. It was incomplete, so Cliff wrote an instrumental bridge and I put some lyrics over his bridge.�
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12/5: Bo Bice on his new album
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s the press release from RCA about his new record. I can’t believe he actually worked with Max Martin, known for schlocky hits by the likes of Ace of Base, Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears.
Bo Bice has music in his blood. Born Harold Bice in Huntsville, Alabama on Nov. 1, 1975, Bo was raised in the south by his song-singing, instrument-playing, music-worshiping parents. “My father played guitar, banjo and mandolin. My mother and her three cousins were in a group called the Singing Jays, and my mom sang at the Grand Ole Opry. I guess that’s why I always took music for granted. I remember how weird it was the first time I realized not everybody could sing� Bo laughs.
Bo’s parents had extensive record collections, inspiring Bo to buy his first album, by Steve Miller, at the age of five. Soon, Bo was adding Boston, the Rolling Stones, and the James Gang to his growing pile. On Bo’s his ninth birthday, he received his first real guitar - an electric Squire Telecaster - as a birthday present. “That’s not a little thing for a nine-year-old� Bo laughs. “It cost $500 and that was a lot of money for my parents. I had that guitar around my neck all the time.� That same year, Bo performed in public for the first time, singing “God Bless the U.S.A.� in a talent contest at the Atlanta Civic Center.
Bo’s musically rich childhood prepared him well for his future. Bo has been on the music scene, writing songs, recording, producing and playing in bands since he was in high school. In the last year, every personal and professional dream he kept alive throughout the years has come true. He’s gone from guitar-store manager to American Idol, and he’s recently completed work on his first solo album.
The record, titled The Real Thing, will be released on December 13th. It includes several original songs on which Bo shares writing credit such as “It’s My Life�, which Bo wrote with Clif Magness (Avril Lavigne) and Kara DioGuardi (Ashlee Simpson). The record, which is produced by Clive Davis, also features collaborations between Bo and eight different producers and songwriters including Chad Kroeger (of Nickelback), Max Martin (Britney Spears), John Shanks (Kelly Clarkson), and Marty Frederickson (Aerosmith).
Bo has a lot to say about the songs on his new record. “The Real Thing�, a classic epic pop track written by DioGuardi and Frederickson, is “about a man saying to a woman, ‘I know you have these feelings and you’re not saying them and it looks like you want to say them’� says Bo. “Nothing Without You�, which Jon Bon Joni, Richie Sambora, and John Shanks� wrote together, comes complete with soaring hooks and powerful vocals that reflect the arena-rocking backgrounds of its creators. “The hook says that all of this means nothing without you. If you go through life without sharing it with someone you love, it’s meaningless� says Shanks, who also produced the song. Moody pop ballad “Remember Me�, written by DioGuardi and Fredericksen, is one of Bo’s favorites. “Marti and Kara wrote it for me. I’ve played it live several times, it’s such a cool song�. DioGuardi elaborates, “it’s about a love gone bad. It says now that we’re done and I’m crushed, don’t ever forget about me.�
After years of fantasizing about success in the music industry, finally achieving it is incredibly gratifying and humbling, says Bice. “All these elements have brought me to this point. To have been working in music for so long, and dreaming about doing what I’m doing now. I’m just grateful for the opportunity to not only to be able to do what I do, but to do it with the caliber of people that are making this happen. It’s like having your Fantasy Football team. With everything behind this album, if it doesn’t do well, it’s obviously because I suck, because everybody else around me is incredible!� After a bumpy summer that included hostpitalization and emergency surgery to treat an intestinal blockage, Bo has finally found his stride in the studio and is feeling both confident about the record he’s about to release, and reflective on how he got here.
“I’ve produced a couple of Christian-rock bands, back in Birmingham. I did the Nashville thing earlier and I did the songwriting thing as a career. So all that stuff is really the backbone to being able to walk in the studio and do a song that I’ve never even heard before. It’s a language. It’s like I couldn’t walk out to a damn construction site and have some guy go, ‘Hey man gimme that double-wedged hammer slide!’ I’d be like, ‘what the hell?!’�
So what does the future hold for Bo Bice? Two years ago he was looking forward with determination to a life filled with music, on a smaller scale. Now, he’s thinking about promoting his new record, and exploring the multitude of options his fame has created. Don’t be surprised if you see Bo guest starring on a TV show, every once in a while, if he can pry himself away from music for long enough.
“I never set out to be somebody on TV but I hope that I’m able to continue to do things on TV, you know, without becoming an actor. I want to do little silly things. Something that’s relevant, something that I can enjoy,�
12/4: Bo Bice interview
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I never had a set time or day with Paula Abdul. They said they’d call and if it happens, it happens. It ultimately did not happen.
But I got myself a reserved 15 minutes with Bo Bice Monday at 5:20 p.m. He’ll be promoting his new album. I’d love to know what questions you’d like me to ask!
One thing’s for sure: he’s incredibly quotable…
12/4: Idol 2’s Julia DeMato DUI
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Former American Idol contestant arrested on drunken driving charge
BROOKFIELD (AP) — A former American Idol contestant is in trouble with the law.
Brookfield police say they arrested Julia DeMato about two-o-clock this morning.
They say they saw her dark-colored S-U-V drive into the parking lot of a restaurant that had been closed for more than an hour.
Police say the 26-year-old DeMato failed sobriety tests, so they arrested her for driving under the influence.
They say they also found two marijuana pipes, a small quantity of marijuana and a baggie with a small amount of white powder that tested positive for cocaine.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
12/2: Missed Paula
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sadly, the publicist called me yesterday with one opening slot to gab with Paula Abdul. I missed the call and missed Paula. Sorry…
Here’s a Clay Aiken Q&A from the NY Post as solace.
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12/2: Diana DeGarmo “West Side Story” photos
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s a link to Diana DeGarmo’s fan site with photos from her time as Maria on ‘West Side Story’ in San Jose and a posed shot of her from the play itself
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