“American Idol” alum Bo Bice spoke about his upcoming show on June 18 at Community Gardens in Bastrop, Texas.
Upcoming show on June 18
“I’m doing an acoustic set,” he said. “These are some of my favorites because I get to tell the story behind each one of the songs. That allows the listener to see where your inspiration came from and get a wider view of the song than what they interpreted. Although I enjoy the intimacy of having a song mean something special to an individual, it’s always cool to hear where it was conceived.
“If they enjoy live music and being part of something special I encourage them to join in on the fun and come out to celebrate the new season and all it has to offer. I’m just happy to be back out on the road and have the ability to see fans and engage with one another again after so long apart. Music is only part of the show, the audience is really what makes the show special and gives it the spark of electricity that sets the tone. So being with the fans and sharing great music is what I’m looking forward to the most,” he said.
Bice, a southern rock vocalist, was raised deep in the heart of the American south in Alabama. Bice began his music career at an early age, performing and singing in local talent contests and shows.
After spending some time in London, England as a teenager, he returned to America in 1995 to begin working as a professional musician.
Over the next decade, he performed and recorded with a number of rock bands, including Purge and Sugar Money. The latter’s five-track CD, Recipe For Flavor (2000), received a notable amount of radio play in Alabama.
Bice was working with Sugar Money at the time of his audition for the fourth season of American Idol in late 2004. The Fox TV show premiered on 18 January 2005 and Bice was immediately marked as a refreshing alternative to the usual contestants with his authentic ‘rocker’ image and penchant for traditional blues rock material.
The finale on May 25saw Bice lose out to country singer Carrie Underwood, although by this point he had already arranged a solo recording contract with RCA Records, that landed him a gold-selling single with “Inside Your Heaven” and a hit album ‘The Real Thing’ which in December 2005 made number four on the US pop charts.
He toured as the lead singer with the legendary band “Blood, Sweat and Tears” for five years and in August 2019 was involved with The Ides of March on their 55th anniversary project, along with Mark Farner, Joe Bonamassa, and Mindi Abair.
He co-wrote a single on the album called “Love Or Something Like It” with Jim Peterik. Bo continues to perform at various events and charitable causes.
The digital age
On being an artist in the digital age, Bice said, “The digital age has changed the entire landscape of music and how we (the artists) interact with the fans. There are new platforms for performing and for sharing your projects with the world while creating new opportunities for everyone involved to learn new technology and look towards the future for the next big thing to arrive.”
“Personally, I’ve tried to embrace the change and grow with the times to continue to evolve as a person and artist as to not become stagnant and lose sight of the ever-developing industry,” he added.
Future Plans
Regarding his future plans, he said, “I have the World Games coming up and I’m excited to be representing Alabama along with 20 plus other fellow talented Alabama musicians (Randy Owen, Blind Boys Of Alabama, Martha Reeves, Ruben Studdard, Taylor Hicks, Sara Evans, etc.) for the opening and closing ceremonies in July. But my main plan is to continue to tour and produce music like I’ve been doing over the past 25 years.”
“When you set out on the journey to be a songwriter and performer it’s not something you can just flip a switch and stop one day. We are creative beings and all have different talents that are the blessing that we were sent here to share, music just happens to be my outlet,” he said.
Music and songwriting inspirations
On his music and songwriting inspirations, he said, “My inspiration for songs can come from just about anywhere. Happy moments, sad, inspirational, even boredom! It’s about knowing when the tingle hits you that it’s time to pick up the pen and begin to write.”
“Sometimes that’s at the most awkward moments and you don’t even have an instrument to play the idea on, so I use my phone to record the ideas and then work the rest out later. Before the smartphone, I carried a lot of scrap paper around with me though,” he said.
Bice opened up about his latest projects in music. “Before the pandemic, my friend Jim Peterik and the Ides Of March have their 55th Anniversary album called PLAY ON that showcases different artists on each track. I recorded a song called LOVE OR SOMETHING LIKE IT that Jim and I wrote for the project and it turned out spectacular,” he said.
“I’m also working on new music and ready to get back out on the road and entertainment old fans and make some new ones along the way, that’s the beauty of music and sharing it with the world, it’s therapeutic for everyone,” he said.
Success
On his definition of success, he said, “Success to me is more about being a good person than achieving any particular goal in other areas. Life is too short to stuff in frivolous things to fill time. Enjoy each day, love more than you did the day before and always know that someone out there has something they are dealing with that just might be harder than what you’re living at the moment. Just pour out love and don’t always expect it back when you pour it out.”
To learn more about Bo Bice, follow him on Instagram.
