Bucky Covington finished just eighth on American Idol. But after the show he released one of the most successful country albums by a former contestant not named Carrie Underwood.
The year was 2007 and three Bucky Covington singles — “A Different World,” “It’s Good to Be Us” and “I’ll Walk” — wound up at number 11 or higher on Billboard’s country singles chart.
As for the followup album … thanks to what Bucky calls a contractual “catch-22” and a record label that no longer exists, fans had to wait five long years, until earlier this month when “Good Guys” hit stores and online sites.
York County country music fans will get to hear some of Bucky’s old hits and material off his new album on Sunday when he plays a free show at 4 p.m. at Cousler Park in Manchester Township.
His appearance is part of a fundraiser to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association, organized by the township’s career firefighters. The event begins at 11:30 a.m. and also features performances by other artists. For event details, head here.
Meanwhile, Bucky talked to Idol Chatter recently about the cause that’s bringing him to York.
Idol Chatter: “Tell me about your involvement in Help the Good Guys.”
Bucky: “In country music, you do a lot of different charity work — for children, pets, whatever it may be. But I also found out that I was showing up (at the benefits), throwing on the guitar and singing seven to 12 songs, and then I was on the road. I was headed to the next town. I did help someone out, but other than the name of the project, I didn’t really know what was going on.
“So if I was going to do charity work, I decided I wanted to be more involved, more hands on. So I hooked up with a guy named Mickey Milam with an organization called Help the Good Guys. Now what Help the Good Guys is, we raise awareness and immediate financial relief for firefighters who have been injured in the line of duty and their families.
“These guys were making the right decision going into a burning building helping someone or something, they get burned up, and they can’t pay the mortgage. They’re losing their home for making the right decision, and I thought that was just absolute crap. It’s a great organization. We got to conventions all over the place. I’ll be going to New York on 9/11 to do a big thing with the firefighters.”
Idol Chatter: “Now, the album is called ‘Good Guys.’ Is that because of your involvement with the organization?”
Bucky: “We went out to a bunch of fans and asked them to help name the album and a couple of people suggested ‘Good Guys’ and it just made sense. I like to consider myself a good guy. When push comes to shove, I like to make the right decision no matter what. We’re going to help out of a bunch of good guys, firefighters all over the United States and Canada.”
Editor’s Note: This is an abbreviated version of an earlier blog in which Bucky also talks about his new album and video. Go here for the full interview.
And check back Sunday for Idol Chatter’s for coverage of the show.
Meanwhile, here’s the video for Bucky’s latest single, “Drinking Side of Country.”
Leave a reply