Bo Bice Made My Day!

Calendars, mugs, shirts and much more!

Bo Bice Live Webcast Tonight, Dec. 20th

Bo Bice will be hosting a live Stickam webcast tonight, December 20th at 7:00pm (CST).
You can catch the webcast live on BoBice.com, Bo's MySpace page, or Bo's Stickam profile.
You can also come back here and watch it:

Bo Bice Updates- Dec. 14th

Bo’s Holiday Stickam Webcast
Bo will be hosting a live Stickam webcast on Thursday, December 20, 2007 at 7:00pm (CST).
You can catch the webcast live on BoBice.com, Bo's MySpace page, and Bo's Stickam profile (ID: bobice).
To embed Bo's stickam player on your website, blog, or MySpace profile, click here for embed codes.

BO BICE MUSIC GEAR UP FOR CHARITY AUCTION!
Bo donated some of the gear he used on the 2005 American Idol tour to his church. The church will be auctioning off these items with 100% of the money raised going to the New Hope Church building fund.
Bo Bice Autographed Stomp Board 
Bo Bice Autographed Taylor Acoustic-Electric Guitar 
Bo Bice Autographed Tour Strat Guitar 

Lighting the Video for Bo Bice's Witness
Truthfully, I expected more attitude. Between surpassing most of the winners of American Idol and his continued success, Bo Bice is down to earth. Very humble and cordial, Bo submitted to Ramon’s creative direction for the entire shoot. I accredit the video’s success for its honesty and organic nature. Bo is personable, approachable, and real. Contrasting with the untouchable rock star image, the video is a breath of fresh air bringing friendly warmth and unassuming honesty to an over produced music video market. I am proud of the fact that that I was given the opportunity to work with such a great artist and director and also that someone with such a gracious personality has risen to the top.
Great article and pictures HERE 

~Diane~

BUY "SEE THE LIGHT"
"See The Light" on iTunes
Order "See The Light" CD at Walmart
Order "See The Light" MP3's at Walmart
Order "See The Light" MP3's at Amazon

Bo Bice Updates- Dec. 8th

VH1 Top 20 Countdown
"Witness" was #1 for the third week in a row on VH1's Top 20 Countdown.

Brothers of the Southland cd with Bo Bice
Download of the New Brothers of the Southland CD Featuring 2 tracks with Bo Bice is now available!
LINK
Bo's two tracks are "Can't You See" (Marshall Tucker Band) and "Dreams" (Allman Brothers Band).

Exclusive Interview with Bo Bice
American Idol alumni often struggle with their second album. The individual artists often appease the record studios with their debut work, making as commercial an album as possible to quickly cash in on the sometimes fleeting fame that accompanies their involvement with American Idol. Bo Bice released his first album to commercial success. When it came to create his second album, Bo chose to make something more personal, something that may not be as commercially feasible as his first. The result is the recently released "See the Light." Bo stopped by not long ago to discuss his second album. 
FULL WRITTEN TRANSCRIP AND MP3 AUDIO

BO BICE UPDATES

Well I've been out of the country (and offline for a week) and Bo has been one busy guy!

Three new blogs on bobice.com if you missed them:
"Yes In Deedy Do!!! We're 1 Not 2" 
"Happy Birthday Jimi"
"1 Once Again!! Thanks Peeps"

Bo and Brothers of the Southland
Bo joined Brothers of the Southland on stage at Exit/In in Nashville to sing vocals on "Can't You See", which is one of two tracks featuring Bo on the band's upcoming CD.
Visit Brothers of the Southland's MySpace page to check out video of Bo's performance with the band Thursday night and to preview tracks from their upcoming release, including "Can't You See" with Bo Bice.

D. Scott Miller has been producing a new album with Dan Toler, Jimmy Hall, Henry Paul, Steve Gorman, Reese Wynans, Steve Grisham, Jay Boy Adams, and Mike Brignardello. George McCorkle wrote two tracks and was scheduled to appear on the new CD. Bo Bice also recorded on a few of the tracks. The newly formed group is called Brothers of the Southland.
LINK 

"Witness" on VH1 Top 20 Countdown Witness debuted at 3 on the VH1 Top 20 Countdown and has been in the 1 spot (where it belongs) for the past two weeks.
Don't forget to keep voting! CLICK HERE TO VOTE 

Bo appeared in the Helena Christmas parade as a suprise guest
If you hadn't guessed already, the special surprise guest (other than Santa himself) was Helena's own Bo Bice that made a guest appearance on the Helena police officer's float. Bo was as gracious as ever, accommodating to both children and adults by obliging photo opportunities and autographs. What a great man with a big heart, as is his wife Caroline. I am happy to see success visit someone as humble as Bo. Which reminds me that his no CD, See the Light is out and under his Indy label, meaning it is true Bo Bice, unbarred by record exec's (more on that in a future blog). A great listen. All in all-What a wonderful day!
LINK 
PICTURES 

 ~Diane~

BoBice.Com
Bo Bice MySpace

BUY "SEE THE LIGHT"
"See The Light" on iTunes
Order "See The Light" CD at Walmart
Order "See The Light" MP3's at Walmart
Order "See The Light" MP3's at Amazon

Bo Bice "Witness" No. 1 on VH1 Top 20 Countdown!

BUY "SEE THE LIGHT"

"See The Light" on iTunes

Order "See The Light" CD at Walmart

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Walmart

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Amazon

BoBice.Com

Bo Bice MySpace

~Diane~

BO BICE UPDATES

"Witness debuts at 3 on VH1 Top 20 Countdown!

Atlanta Falcons Celebrity "FootBowl" Tournament

AtlantaFalcons.com
ATLANTA -- Dozens of Falcons players and various local and national celebrities gathered Monday night at Ten Pin Alley to dust off the bowling shoes and hit the lanes for a good cause.

The Atlantic Station bowling spot was transformed to a party scene as players and guests took part in the third annual Atlanta Falcons Celebrity "FootBowl" Tournament . Full Article Here.

To check out some video of the event, click here. You can watch Bo bowl (complete with play-by-play commentary and a short interview) a little under two minutes into the video.

The event raised more than $45,000 for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

Kids light up with excitement at Lights On Afterschool

Peavey Electronics presented the final installment of its 3rd Annual Lights On Afterschool Celebration where Meridian High School student Sarah Margaret Huff, 17, was proclaimed the winner of the Afterschool (not) Idle competition [...]
The event was held at the MSU Riley Center, where the top three finalists, Huff, 7 year-old Holly Brand, and 15-year-old Oshima McKee performed before appearances by special guests singer Bo Bice, singer Julia Burton, and Nashville session musician Michael Sprigs. Other on-stage guests included members of the Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi and last year's winner, Marisa Potate. [...]
Bice, who came for his second year at the event, met the Peaveys when he was hired to endorse their products, he said, and was eager to become a part of the program as soon as he heard about it. [...] FULL ARTICLE

"Witness" e-card

Send it to all your friends! CLICK HERE

Bo Bice- Tribute To The Troops

BoBice.Com


Buy "See The Light"

Bo Bice "See The Light" CD Reviews

The "Must Have" CD of the Season. Do Yourself a Favor and Trust Me!

 

Take a look at these critic reviews:

"Bice spends "See the Light" concentrating on what he does best, which is the kind of soulful, vaguely funky Southern rock the Black Crowes used to churn out by the bucket load." *** 3 of 4 stars.
Mikael Wood, LA Times, October 19, 2007

"See the Light is a bluesy, Southern rock effort steeped in gospel, featuring a handful of songs about whiskey, sinners and redemption. "Witness" is a blistering blues rock number that brings to mind Lenny Kravitz at his most Hendrix, while "I'm Gone" evokes shades of "Feel Like Makin' Love."
Linda Ryan, Rhapsody Online, October 2007

"This indie effort, letting him indulge his passion for southern rock, feels like a labor of love."
People Magazine, November 2007

"[Bice has] parted ways with major labels and has crafted a potent, 10-track sophomore effort steeped in the sass and grime of down-'n'-dirty Southern rock. It's the Black Crowes without the fraternal squabbles, or Lynyrd Skynyrd minus the redneck fan base. Throw it on and feel free to scream "Free Bird!" at nobody in particular."
Preston Jones, Fort-Worth Star Telegram, October 24, 2007

"It's a challenge to take Bice seriously as a Southern-fried post-"American Idol" rocker […] But then he goes and cooks up something like "I'm Gone" or "This Train," two hard-to-resist radio rockers that find him effectively channeling late Skynyrd front man Ronnie Van Zant, and suddenly you believe in him."
Christopher John Treacy, The Boston Herald, October 26, 2007

"These allegiances are evident from the first notes of first track "Witness." "Notes" is probably too formal a word for what these are. Overdriven electric guitars seem to be spitting fireballs at us, and as Bice tears into gutty vocals the mix of Saturday-night jam and Sunday-morning gospel recalls the Black Crowes and Skynyrd. The singer sounds utterly liberated — this is why he got into the biz to begin with."
Jake Blaine, Wal-Mart.com, October, 2007

"'Witness' the first and best track immediately reminded me of Lenny Kravitz. A strong soulful voice full of funk and rock is backed up by kick ass crunchy guitar with the just the right amount of distortion. You know, it's 'rockin' not 'make your ears bleed' annoying."
Nathalie Vanderheyden, Blogcritics, October 2007

BUY "SEE THE LIGHT"
"See The Light" on iTunes
Order "See The Light" CD at Walmart
Order "See The Light" MP3's at Walmart
Order "See The Light" MP3's at Amazon

~Diane~

BoBice.Com
Bo Bice MySpace

Bo Bice Shares The Music and The Stories

BUY "SEE THE LIGHT"

"See The Light" on iTunes

Order "See The Light" CD at Walmart

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Walmart

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Amazon

Bo Bice "See The Light"

BUY "SEE THE LIGHT"

"See The Light" on iTunes

Order "See The Light" CD at Walmart

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Walmart

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Amazon

BoBice.Com

Bo Bice MySpace

~Diane~

BO BICE "WITNESS" popping up everywhere!

"Witness" debuted yesterday on VH1's "Fresh New Music".

You can also watch the video on MTV Overdrive and CMT!

~Diane~

BoBice.Com

Bo Bice MySpace

"See The Light" on iTunes

Order "See The Light" CD at Walmart

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Walmart

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Amazon

Bo Bice "Witness" on VH1 Top 20- GO VOTE!

Hey Bo Bice Fans!

The time has come to VOTE!!!

CLICK HERE to vote on VH1.com to get Bo's new video "Witness" on VH1's VSpot Top 20 Countdown!

Happy Voting!!

Get The Door, It’s Bo Bice! (New Contest)

GET THE DOOR, IT'S BO BICE!

One Lucky Fan Will Win a Private At-Home Show with Bo.

Everyone gets his new song "Witness" – FREE!

Bo's back, and badder than ever! In celebration of his newly-released second album, See The Light, in stores on October 23, we're giving you a special chance to participate in our exclusive Bo-dacious sweepstakes.

Just add five new artist alerts, including Bo, to your "My Ticketmaster" account between November 1-7 and get the funky track "Witness" from iTunes on us. Plus, you'll be automatically entered for a chance to win a private acoustic performance in your very own home for you and up to 40 of your friends. That's right, Bo will play your pad – live and in person!

Bo says the songs on See The Light are meant to be performed live. You might see what he means when his tour makes a rock-the-house call.

Learn more here!

~Diane~

BoBice.Com

Bo Bice MySpace

Listen to songs from "See The Light"

BUY "SEE THE LIGHT"

"See The Light" on iTunes

Order "See The Light" CD at Walmart

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Walmart

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Amazon

Order "See The Light" at AOL Music Store

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Napster

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Amie Street

Bo Bice Updates!

*~*~HAPPY BIRTHDAY BO~*~*~

*Nov. 03, 2007 -Wal Mart Store - Plano, TX

The event is to kick off the Christmas shop and the Wal-Mart Holiday Season. Select Wal-Mart stores have demonstrations of the 2008 Holiday "it" toys. In the Plano Wal-Mart, Bo Bice will help showcase the new video game "Rock Band." After the exhibit of Rock Band, Bo will sign autographs for his new CD.
LINK

*Nov. 10th or 11th, 2007 - Auto Show - Birmingham, AL

Conflicting info on the date.
Auto Show Link says "Bo Bice Saturday November 10, 7pm-9pm"
bobice.com says "CD signing. More details to follow." Stay tuned to bobice.com for more info!

*"WITNESS" MUSIC VIDEO ON VH1

VH1 Adds for the Week of 11/05/07: Bo Bice "Witness" (Sugar Money/StratArt)
LINK

*MyFox Birmingham Interview

Watch it HERE

*"See The Light" Behind the scenes Podcasts 1-6

Watch them HERE

Operation: See The Light - Supporting The Troops!

Bo Bice fans have identified two organizations that are doing great work in providing our service men and women who are currently deployed overseas packages and gifts to let them they are in our thoughts and hearts this holiday season, and how very much we appreciate them. Bo's fans are organizing to send Bo's new CD See The Light to be include in holiday packages for our troops.

The two organizations we will be donating to are: Tunes for Troops and Organization Gratitude.

Both organizations are dedicated to lifting the spirits of our troops and bringing a smile to their faces by providing us a way to express our respect and appreciation to the men and women of the U.S. military overseas.

Our goal is to collect and donate as many copies as possible of Bo's new CD "See The Light"as gifts to be included in the care packages sent to our troops overseas this holiday season.

Here are your donation options:

• Purchase See The Light CDs and Holiday Cards mailing them to the satellite site in time to be received by the cut off date of November 30th


• Buy See The Lightonline from Walmart.com and have them shipped to the satellite site address


• Send money via PayPal and I will purchase CDs to be included in the donations made to Tunes For Troops and Operation Gratitude
  
  

Satellite Site Mailing address:

Linda June
The UPS Store
20423 State Road 7 - F6, PMB 101
Mission Bay Plaza
Boca Raton, FL 33498

PayPal: email Linda through this site for PayPal information

Cut off date for receiving CDs and Cards is November 30th. This will allow enough time to pack and ship the boxes in order to be received by Christmas.

For anyone who would like to include a card or letter with their CD donation to Operation Gratitude:

The Heart of this program is to bring a smile to the faces of the Service Members who read the letters and cards.

WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT

• Be thankful~~share a little bit of yourself with them Ask questions (but not about death or killing)


• Avoid politics completely and religion in excess~~ Saying you pray for them is OK - don't over do it - It's all about heart, appreciation and respect


• Ask yourself: "Will this letter bring a smile to someone's face?"

MORE HELPFUL INFORMATION

• No stamps are needed. ~~ Do not seal the envelopes.


• Sample salutations include: Dear Service Member, Dear Hero, Dear Brave One, etc.


• Please include your own contact information (mail or email) for recipients' replies.


• A self addressed envelope included with the letter is thoughtful… no stamps needed.


• Hand Written letters or cards with nice notes are most appreciated
  


• All letters will be screened by Operation Gratitude, so don't seal them.


• Don't be concerned about how many you send, but about the heart in each letter.


• If you do not receive a reply, don't be discouraged-remember, they are busy.

BO BICE-AUTOGRAPHED CD'S AT SELECT WAL MARTS

Check it out...




~Diane~

BoBice.Com

Bo Bice MySpace

Listen to songs from "See The Light"

BUY "SEE THE LIGHT"

"See The Light" on iTunes

Order "See The Light" CD at Walmart

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Walmart

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Amazon

BO BICE- Behind the scenes "See The Light" Part 2

Bo Bice See The Light Podcast 3

Bo Bice See The Light Podcast 4

~Diane~

BoBice.Com

Bo Bice MySpace

Listen to songs from "See The Light"

BUY "SEE THE LIGHT"

"See The Light" on iTunes

Order "See The Light" CD at Walmart

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Walmart

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Amazon

BO BICE- Behind the scenes "See The Light"

Behind The Scenes of the Witness Video Shoot

Bo Bice See The Light Podcast 1

Bo Bice See The Light Podcast 2

BUY THE CD NOW!

"See The Light" on iTunes

Order "See The Light" CD at Walmart

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Walmart

Order "See The Light" MP3's at Amazon



~Diane~

~ BO BICE ~ "SEE THE LIGHT" ~

1. Witness
2. Take The Country Outta Me
3. I'm Gone
4. Only Words
5. Got Money
6. See The Light
7. Sinner In A Sin
8. This Train
9. Ain't Gonna Die
10. Whiskey, Women & Time

BUY "SEE THE LIGHT" NOW!
"See The Light" on iTunes
Order "See The Light" CD at Walmart
Order "See The Light" MP3's at Walmart
Order "See The Light" MP3's at Amazon

~Diane~

BoBice.Com
Bo Bice MySpace

WATCH BO BICE LIVE TONIGHT!

Today;(Tuesday, October 23), Run out and buy "See The Light"!
To celebrate the release, Bo will be hosting a special live video listening party on Stickam. The show will begin at 8pm Eastern. You can watch it here so be sure to tune in!
You can also view the feed on BoBice.com!

Click Here to subscribe to the biceCast podCast feed, including all previous Stickam broadcasts being made available for download for FREE through iTunes and various other media players! Click the link above to subscribe, and you'll have access to the biceCast content as it is released!

~Diane~

BoBice.Com

Bo Bice MySpace

Listen to songs from "See The Light"

"See The Light" on iTunes

Order "See The Light" CD

Order "See The Light" MP3s

Bo Bice's New CD on "AOL Full CD Listening Party"

"See the Light" is now available for listening on AOL's Full CD Listening Party.
Click HERE and then look for Bo's face along the top bar to load "See the Light." The tracks are jumbled, so the names don't match the actual song, but you can still listen to them all. Hopefully they will eventually fix the tracks.

Enjoy and remember to go buy the CD tomorrow!

~Diane~

BoBice.Com

Bo Bice MySpace

Listen to songs from "See The Light"

Order "See The Light" CD

Order "See The Light" MP3s

Bo Bice Radio Interview at The Loop in Chicago

Special thanks to Keelakat for this blog!

Bo Bice Radio Interview at The Loop in Chicago

Bo has been on a radio promotion tour the last week. The interviews have been just great. His interview with The Loop in Chicago was especially fantastic. He talks about what's been happening with him since American Idol, his new CD coming out on October 23rd and the bonus of hearing him sing some great songs including"I'm Gone" and "American Blood". This interview is well worth listening to, so enjoy!!

free player from mysplayer.com

A number of radio stations have added "Witness" to their playlists. Now that you've heard the interview and know how special this CD is going to be, take a look at the list of stations below and call or email and request "Witness"!

WQUT - Johnson City
http://www.wqut.com/

KKPT - Little Rock
http://www.point941.com/pointweb/

WDMT - Wilkes Burre
http://102themountain.com/pages/397204.php?

Dial Global - 97 stations
http://www.dial-global.com/xr/dg_247_mainstreamcountry.asp

KSHE - St. Louis
http://www.kshe95.com/

Bob and Tom - 165 stations (The url below will take you to a page where you can find the affiliate station in your area).
http://www.bobandtom.com/gen3/affiliates.html

John Boy and Billy - 70 stations (The url below will take you to a page where you can find the affiliate station in your area).
http://www.thebigshow.com/00webcast/webcast.html

KYYS - Kansas City
http://www.kyys.com/pages/135210.php

WBGG - Miami
http://www.big106.com/main.html

WKGR - West Palm
http://www.gater.com/main.html

 

~Diane~

BoBice.Com

Bo Bice MySpace

Listen to songs from "See The Light"

Order "See The Light" CD

Order "See The Light" MP3s

Bo Bice Video Player (Widget)

CLICK HERE to get your own Bo Bice Video Player.

~Diane~

BoBice.Com

Bo Bice MySpace

Listen to songs from "See The Light"

Pre-Order "See The Light" CD

Pre-Order a digital "See The Light" MP3s

Bo Bice- "Witness" / "American Blood"

American Blood [Single] on Napster!

05:20 minutes of pure bliss for $0.99

No need to give any credit card info. Fill out the registration and When you get to the page that asks for it, just close it.
Go to your e-mail and you should have an e-mail from them saying you are signed up for lite service. click the link and you should be able to purchase the song without the service. Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Repost from Bo Bice:

WORLD PREMIERE OF "WITNESS" MUSIC VIDEO!
Stay tuned for the world premiere of the music video for "Witness" from Bo's upcoming release, "See The Light"!  YAHOO MUSIC

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Diane~

BoBice.Com
Bo Bice MySpace
Listen to songs from "See The Light"
Pre-Order "See The Light" CD
Pre-Order a digital "See The Light" MP3s

Bo Bice- "Witness" Music Video on "Yahoo"

Check It Out! CLICK HERE

~Diane~

BoBice.Com

Bo Bice MySpace

Listen to songs from "See The Light"

Pre-Order "See The Light" CD

Pre-Order a digital "See The Light" MP3s

BO BICE- Cummings, GA- October 11, 2007- Video!

Thanks to everyone for sharing their videos!


Bo Bice receives Hendrix Stratocaster from his fans

Bo Bice "See the Light"

Bo Bice "Ain't Gonna Die"

Bo Bice "Whiskey, Woman & Time"

Bo Bice "This Train"

Bo Bice "Only Words"

Bo Bice "Witness"

Bo Bice "Take The Country Outta Me"

Bo Bice "American Blood"

~Diane~

BoBice.Com

Bo Bice MySpace

Listen to songs from "See The Light"

Pre-Order "See The Light" CD

Pre-Order "See The Light" MP3s

Win an iPhone & an autographed cd from BO BICE!

Click the graphic for more details!

~Diane~

BoBice.Com

Bo Bice MySpace

Bo Bice FaceBook

Bo Bice's Official YouTube Channel

Bo Bice on Good Day Atlanta- Interview & Performance

Bo Bice Drops by Good Day Atlanta
CLICK HERE TO WATCH

There is another video on the side of the page with "I'm Gone" or just CLICK HERE and lets hope the link works...lol



~Diane~

BoBice.Com

Bo Bice MySpace

Bo Bice Media- Updates!

Thanks to lulu1001 for uploading these Radio Interviews:

WDVE 102.5 Pittsburgh

Big 105.9 Miami

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UPCOMING DATES

 

October 11, 2007 - Cumming Country Fair And Festival - Cumming, GA

October 15, 2007 - John Boy & Billy (morning show) - Nationally syndicated

October 15, 2007 - WQUT - Johnson City, TN

October 16, 2007 - WEGR - Memphis, TN

October 16, 2007 - KKPT - Little Rock, AR

October 17, 2007 - KYYS - Kansas City, KS

October 17, 2007 - KSHE - St. Louis, MO

October 18, 2007 - WFBQ - Indianapolis, IN

October 19, 2007 - WLUP - Chicago, IL

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pre order a digital copy of “See The Light” HERE
Pre order a physical cd of “See The Light” HERE

Digital downloads of "See The Light" cd at AMAZON

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~BoBice.Com~

Oct. 8th blog: Waiting At The Airport

Oct. 4th blog: Daytona Celebrity Golf/Poker Tournament Day 1

New Pictures

Listen to clips from all songs on "See The Light"

Bo Bice "Witness" Music Video Debut

Bo's new video "Witness" from his 2nd album "See The Light" will debut on Yahoo Music on October 17th!
Check out the video HERE 





click here to pre-order physical cd

BO BICE RADIO INTERVIEWS

Bo Bice on Pittsburgh radio
Bo was interviewed on WDVE 102.5 today. Thanks to lulu1001 you can listen to the interview and his performance of "I’m Gone" HERE 

Bo Bice on Miami radio tomorrow
Interview with Bo Tuesday Oct. 9th on BIG 105.9 on the morning show with Paul & Ron. LIVE STREAM

Bo Bice Cumming interview
SOUTHSIDE STEVE AT THE CUMMING COUNTRY FAIR & FESTIVAL 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (EAGLE Remote)
Join Southside Steve out at the Cumming Country Fair & Festival Thursday October 11th. Just look for the Eagle 106.7 tent under the arena. Southside will bring on Bo Bice at 7:00pm. LIVE STREAM

An Interview With Our Favorite Podcaster, Uncle Shag!

Hey Charlie, Thanks for taking the time to do this interview. You know I'm a big fan so I really appreciate it.

When did you start your podcast and how did it come about?

Uncleshag's Longtown Sound has been coming to folks emails, browsers and RSS feed readers daily since April 2005.
Uncleshag's roots are deep in webcasts through various forums and websites since September 11, 2001. What started as a long distance music dedication from a military wife to her husband/soldier overseas has blossomed into a thirty minute affair with 100,000 listeners every week. The shows are and have always been free to download.

When putting a show together, how do you decide on the songs to use? Does your current mood have any factor in your decision?

Perhaps you have seen the phrase, "Uncleshag's ear-picked tunage". That's what I do, Diane. If I like it, I include it. If I really like the artists work I go in search of more. Since I listen to music, in the fore and background most all of the time, even while sleeping, I plan ahead to include music in theme type shows. At times, one must really reach to discover just what theme a show conveys. My mood affects everything I do. As does my caffeine intake. Lack of/too much sleep. Smells also affect me. Fortunately, at my age my moods are fairly stable. I seldom seek fresh meat on Thursday any longer.

How do you find new artists and what criteria do you use in deciding whether you think your audience will be receptive or not?

Word of mouth is always my best source. A few folks are known as "Official Order of the Longtown Earpickers", others just comment in emails or the comments section following the podnotes of every podcast. Then there's PMN and Garageband, Sonic EPK's and of course the artist's profiles on MySpace.com. Labels and publicity outlets serve in adding quality artists to the Longtown Sound and WLSO.FM playlist.

How did you "stumble upon" Bo Bice?

Most folks don't know this, but I never saw or watched American Idol. I just haven't watched ANY TV since Nov. 2004. Oh, a snippet here and there of news or old movies I hear in the background on a kitchen set playing too way loudly. No, I went searching in Garageband.com for Southern Rock and there was SugarMoney and a few songs. The frontman/vocalist was a long haired fella named Bo Bice. "Papion" was first featured in March and April of 2005.

Do you agree that Bo Bice fans are the best fans out there??? (Sorry, couldn't stop myself from asking!)

By far, Bo Bice fans are the most vocal whether by phone, vote or MySpace comments/messages, emails (galore) Facebook, and many assorted forums and a multitude of blogs. Bo Bice fans today are yesterday's Dead Heads in strength and devotion. Unbelievable.

Do you play any instruments?

Guitar, piano/keyboards, mouthharp washboard and kazoo.

When did you start playing and what drew you to that instrument?
 
I really loved the piano first but guitar was for me. I guess what drew me to it was the fact that I could carry a guitar. I had the rock band, ZAFFER (It's mine, Dave Barry, so sorry.) at age fourteen and we sucked like most bands did in our towns and communities, but folks felt sorry for us and kept asking us to come and play, so we never stopped. Then I got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout, and when love fizzled after three kids, I wandered down to Jacksonville, Florida where there were 24 hour DRIVE THROUGH LIQUOR outlets! JAX, just like Mickey D's! There I met a group that would become Lynyrd Skynyrd wanting to be the house band of a little dive off the Arlington Expressway. The bartender asked me what I thought and I said, "Yeah, give 'em a shot." She said, "Good, I gave 'em your spot on Thursday nights."   I left Florida for Spartanburg, SC, sure that I had done the right thing as my lone 12 string James Taylor/John Denver rip off act just wasn't pleasing the biker bar/mushroom slurping crowd like it once did. I guess the novelty wore off. Or, the mushrooms did.

If you could instantly know how to play one instrument, which would it be and why?

Accordion. Why? Polka, of course.

Favorite group?

Favorite all time - The Beatles
60's? Dave Clark Five, Led Zeppelin
70's Marshall Tucker/Moody Blues, The Outlaws (Waylon, Willie, Jesse Coulter and Tom Paul Glaser.)
80's Alabama and lots more since.
No rap in da mix, funny ain't it.

Favorite singer?

For limitless talent, superb timing, matchless vocals and longevity, the one and only Tony Bennett.

Favorite song?

Jackson Brown - "Doctor My Eyes".
Every time I hear the opening, my head turns like I am going to see something and I never do.
It's all in my head.

I'm good at...

Chess, bowling, basketball, golf and body art. At once.

I'm very bad at...

Bear wrestling.

A common misperception of me is....
 
Probably that I like people. Really, I wish I could be less shy and more outgoing.
It's just not in my nature, I suppose.

One other misconception is...

that I got to be where I am by sleeping with the boss. Well, that is the Truth. Just sayin'.

 

Unc on MySpace

WLSO.FM

LongtownSound

~Diane~

Interview with Luis Espaillat (Bass Player for Bo Bice)

A big thumbs up to Luis for taking the time to do this interview!

What aspect of making music excites you the most and discourages you the most?

What excites me the most is the creative aspect of how emotions intertwine with sound and finding the best way to convey what feeling you want to through making music?
What discourages me the most about making music is the things that can get in the way of that, whether that is some aspect of business or technology. Don’t get me wrong, both of these things can have a very positive impact and help you make the music or make it better. But I have seen these things hinder the process when handled by the wrong people with the wrong intentions.

Music-wise, what are you up to now? (Current or upcoming recordings, tours, top-secret projects...).

Obviously Bo Bice. I have also been involved with a website called esession.com which allows music makers from all over the world to collaborate online. I can record parts out of my home for songwriters and producers and they don’t have to live in the same town as I do. It is also cheaper and easier than most people think so many people are just starting to get wise to it.
I also play a few live dates with various other artists whenever time permits.

How did you first get involved with Bo Bice?

I was recommended to him by a mutual friend. He called me; I came over to his house, jammed with him and Thomas and got the gig. I love the fact that Bo was very hands on in selecting the band members.

Have the places you've lived affected the music you create or your taste in music?

Absolutely. I believe any person, musician or not, is affected by where they live, family and who they hang out with. My family is from the Caribbean and the music they played on the stereo when I was very young affects what I might play. I find that influence coming up in my playing and note choices more that I thought it ever would. My family settled in central Florida. Southern rock was the thing there so I wound up playing everything from Skynard to Molly Hatchet. I also was hanging out with the musician crowd that introduced me to progressive rock like Rush, Yes and Kansas.

How would you describe your musical style? Was it deliberate or did it just sort of emerge on its own?

A big stew! Everything mentioned above and then much more. I have been lucky enough to perform with rock acts on the charts, country music legends, jazz bands, blues bands and salsa bands. The one thing that I always try to do and keep in mind is to play what is right for the song. Sometimes I can step out musically and show off and other times all the song needs is me to play the fewest notes possible.

Who are your main influences musically?

The first guy that got me into playing bass was Geddy Lee from Rush. Reason being is that I used to play keyboards in a band and when I saw his doing keys and bass at the same time, I thought it was the coolest thing. I have way too many people I could sight as influences on me as a player but a few are John Entwistle from The Who, Paul McCartney from The Beatles, Rocco Prestia from Tower Of Power, (he can make anyone dance), John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin and LA session great Abe Laboriel.

Favorite group?

Too many to narrow down. King’s X, Rush, Kiss, King Crimson, Queen.

Favorite singer?

Also too many to narrow down. Freddy Mercury from Queen. Luciano Pavarotti. Doug Pinnick from King’s X. Pat Monahan is getting my attention.

Favorite song?

Again, Too many to narrow down. Possibly What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong and Don’t Give Up by Peter Gabriel.

What's the most unusual place you've ever played a show or made a recording?

In somebody’s tool shed right out side Sebring, FL. It was a biker party and some people were in the shed with us and the rest of the crowd spilled out the doors into the yard. We had a blast playing Guns N Roses, Iggy Pop and Led Zeppelin tunes with the roar of bike engines blaring away.

Was there an individual who influenced your decision to be a musician?

There were several people.

Who was it and what did they do?

My Mom was the first one. When I was 6 we started piano lessons together. She also started me on oil painting and pottery. I flourished with the music and she with the painting. After that my Dad encouraged me to pursue higher education in music. All of my music teachers in school were also encouraging.

Were your parents supportive of your music?

Very much so.

When did you begin playing guitar/bass and What was it about the guitar/bass that attracted you?

I started with the bass about 20 years ago. I love the sound of the bass and wanted to pick it up. I thought to myself, “How hard could it be? It’s only 4 strings and it is layed out in a simple way.” I found out quick that even though understanding the instrument was easy to someone with previous musical knowledge, actually playing it well was far from it. I still felt that the bass was the instrument that I really wanted to purse.

Do you play any other instruments?

Yes. Piano, Baritone Horn, Upright (acoustic) bass.

If you could accomplish one thing through your career, what would it be?

Longevity as a successful musician. So far, so good.

What’s the hardest or most challenging thing about being a musician?

Getting your foot in the door in the music business and making people aware of who you are and what you can do whether that is with management, a record company or with other musicians and artist.

What is a "successful musician" to you? Is it mainly someone who makes a lot of money, or are there other ways you think about success?

One of my private bass instructors at Berklee once told me that a successful musician is one who can make a living at it. Once you have done that, then you have made it. Not necessarily be rich and famous. I also believe if you are happy playing music, no matter how much you are making or even if you are not doing it full time, then you are successful.

What's the magic formula for success?

Determination + Persistence + Fun.

What really drives/motivates you?

The raw emotion that is created by the interaction of the music, the musicians and the listeners. I love to hear from different people and how each of them can interpret the same piece of music in very different ways. Also, making my family proud.

If you could go back in time, is there anything you would do differently?

Nothing.

I'm good at...

Useless music, movie and sci-fi trivia.

I'm very bad at...

Any type of handyman or auto repair tasks that do not involve anything stereo or TV related. That I can do.

A common misperception of me is....

That I speak with an accent when people see my name.

Luis on MySpace

Other interviews (in case you missed them):

Philip Shouse (Bo Bice band member)

Dan Hardin (Bo Bice co-writer)

~Diane~

INTERVIEW WITH DAN HARDIN, Co-Writer of "Only Words" w/ Bo Bice

A Big thanks to Dan for taking the time to let us get to know him a bit better!

Introducing Dan Hardin...

What aspect of making music excites you the most and discourages you the most?

"What excites me most is writing and performing original music: Discourages, none. It's better than breaking big rocks with little rocks".

Music-wise, what are you up to now? (current or upcoming recordings, tours, top-secret projects...).

"I'm writing with multiple artist as well as pitching songs to a new publishing co. in Nashville. I've also done a lot of work for local studios and artist."

How did you first get involved with Bo Bice?

"I met Bo when we lived in the same apartment complex. That's when we got together and started writing and performing."

"Only Words" is a song you co-wrote with Bo. It will be featured on Bo's upcoming CD "See The Light".
Can you share the story behind the song? How it came about? The co-writing process?

"Only Words" was one of the first of several songs we co-wrote together.
We sat up in my apartment recording on an old Fostex 8-track he got off Gary Nichols. The details of the song are left to the listener to explore and use in their own experiences."

Have the places you've lived affected the music you create or your taste in music?

"I'd like to think so. I grew up on front porches all across the south with a large family full of musicians. Sweet tea and 6 strings. That should sum it up."

How would you describe your musical style? Was it deliberate or did it just sort of emerge on its own?

"I think trying to force or copy a style is wasteful. I aim to let something greater write and perform through me while leaving room for a taste of my favorite inspirations to shine through."

Who are your main influences musically?

"That's a tough one. It ranges from Little Feat to James Taylor to country to rock."

Favorite group?

"There is just to many to list."

Favorite singer?

"Right now I'm really into Robert Palmer and Delbert McClinton."

Favorite song?

"One of my favorites is " Gone To Carolina" by James Taylor."

What's the most unusual place you've ever played a show, made a recording or wrote a song?

"An old songwriting partner and I once recorded songs in a cave that came out really cool."

When did you write your first song? Tell us about it.

"My folks say I wrote my first song at age 5 sitting at an old upright piano."

Was there an individual who influenced your decision to be a musician/songwriter?

"Everyone I grew up with influenced me in some way or a another."

Who was it and what did they do?

"The main thing I was always told was if I turn that guitar right side up it would be easier, but I never did."

Were your parents supportive of your music?

"Sure they were."

What instruments do you play?

"Guitar, bass, keys, mandolin, and some dobro."

When did you begin playing an instrument and What was it that attracted you to it?

"I can't remember a time I wasn't trying to play some form of instrument."

If you could accomplish one thing through your career, what would it be?

"To be able to write and perform the music I love and make a good enough living to travel with my family."

What’s the hardest or most challenging thing about being a musician/songwriter?

"When it becomes a job not a love, and once this happens, how to bring that love back to life."

What is a "successful musician/songwriter" to you? Is it mainly someone who makes a lot of money, or are there other ways you think about success?

"It's someone that makes enough money to support their family doing what they love."

What's the magic formula for success?

"As long as you never lose sight of what's pure and true, and keep your faith strong, you won't need magic."

What really drives/motivates you?

"My family and the great friendships I've developed over the years in this business."

If you could go back in time, is there anything you would do differently?

"No. It's made me who I am, the good and the bad."

I'm good at...

"Only what I do best."

I'm very bad at...

"Anything else."

A common misperception of me is....

"I really don't know......I don't pay much attention to what people think or say about me so....."

Dan on MySpace

Website

click here to pre-order physical cd

Interview with Philip Shouse, guitarist for Bo Bice

Philip Shouse was nice enough to take the time to share some of his life and thoughts, with me and all his fans. 

 

What aspect of making music excites you the most and discourages you the most? 

Playing live w/ different people in different places and in different styles excites me the most.  Seeing computers take over and stale, unorganic music becoming extremely popular is very discouraging.  

 

Music-wise, what are you up to now? (current or upcoming recordings, tours, top-secret projects...). 

I'm getting ready for some Bo Bice shows, as well as planning Defense Wins Championships (an exciting side project of mine) game plan, touring w/ Warner Bros. recording act the Dirt Drifters, and writing and planning my own group, which is something brand new for me.

 

How did you first get involved with Bo Bice? 

I met Bo through our mutual friend Ean Evans of Lynyrd Skynyrd.  We met for the first time at the Skynyrd/Hank Jr. show in Nashville. 

 

Have the places you've lived affected the music you create or your taste in music?

Most definitely!!  Growing up in the south, the rich musical heritage seeps in your blood like kudzu.  You can't escape it, or at least I couldn't. 

 

How would you describe your musical style? Was it deliberate or did it just sort of emerge on its own?

Eddie Van Zant.  It just kinda happened that way.  I'm from the Van Halen-school, but again, I'm from the south, so you can definitely hear the Skynyrd-Allman-ZZ in me.

 

Who are your main influences musically? 

ZZ Top, KISS, Clapton, Michael Schenker, Van Halen, Jeff Beck, Aerosmith, Deep Purple, Skynyrd, Allmans, AC/DC, the Faces and Sabbath (among others I can't think of right now) have all played roles in my musical life.  Oh yeah, and the Beatles and the Stones.  And the Yardbirds.  And they got everything from Chuck Berry. 

  

Favorite group? 

classic Van Halen (at the moment)

 

Favorite singer? 

hmmm...  Paul McCartney has a great rock and roll voice.  Robin Zander does, too.  Ronnie James Dio's voice has so much character and personality.  And Michael McDonald brings me to my knees.

  

Favorite song? 

Can't even come close to answering. 

 

What's the most unusual place you've ever played a show or made a recording? 

I've played a show at a sushi restaurant after trivia time.  Recording...  a lot of bedroom recordings, but nothing real strange comes to mind. 

 

Was there an individual who influenced your decision to be a musician? 

 

All of the aforementioned heroes and influences, and every music teacher I've ever had.

 

Who was it and what did they do? 

Ed Nichols, my high school band director, played a big role.  

 

Were your parents supportive of your music? 

Yes they were.  At first, I don't think they were super pleased about my career choice, but they were always at shows w/ video camera in hand.  Couldn't have done it without them and their moral and financial support.

 

When did you begin playing guitar and what was it about the guitar that attracted you? 

I started guitar when I was 12, almost 13.  I grew up with my older brother's record collection, and this was in the late 70's/early 80's, so between Zeppelin and Aerosmith and the pictures on the record sleeves, I had no choice.  Joe Perry is still the coolest looking guy with a guitar.  

 

Do you play any other instruments? 

Saxophone

 

If you could accomplish one thing through your career, what would it be? 

To have a long one, and always make music that I am proud of.

 

What's the hardest or most challenging thing about being a musician? 

 

Getting in the door and finding a way to eat before you're there.  And when you're in, too. 

 

What is a "successful musician" to you? Is it mainly someone who makes a lot of money, or are there other ways you think about success? 

Money definitely is part of it.  Not necessarily "a lot", but enough to not do anything else for money.  And also making music you are proud of with people you enjoy making music with.  I know I shouldn't end sentences with prepositions.

 

What's the magic formula for success? 

Hard work + good attitude + open mindedness

 

What really drives/motivates you?

The fact that I feel I haven't reached my potential is a big motivator.  Becoming a better guitarist fuels the fire, too.

 

If you could go back in time, is there anything you would do differently? 

I'm one of those people who think every single decision you made, no matter how small or insignificant you may think it is, helped get you to your present point.  So no, I wouldn't do one thing differently. 

 

I'm good at...  well, music.  But besides that, trivia games.  I'm lethal.  You want me on your Trivial Pursuit team. 

 

I'm very bad at...  building things and putting things together, i.e. home improvement projects. 

 

A common misperception of me is...  that I'm only a performer and can't really play guitar.  Well folks, that just ain't true.

 

Make sure to catch Philip on tour with Bo Bice. Details on bobice.com.

 

Check out Philip on MySpace