Replies

This thread has truly been an oasis!
Texasflower ~ May 19, 2005

All of the American Idol threads this season have been dedicated in memory of Tammy Gammon. She had such a good time here, laughing, surrounded by her friends—I don’t know of any other place on FR where honoring her would have been more appropriate.

This is our third Idol thread and it will likely be the last for 2006, the last for Tammy. But all future Idol threads, if I have anything to say about it, will carry TEXASFLOWER in the keywords as a continuing tribute to our friend and a reminder to us all to be kind, considerate and compassionate—and to always root for the underdog :)

Please remember Tammy’s family in your prayers on May 18, her birthday. She would have been 47.

God bless them.
God bless you all.

“Texasflower helped make the AI threads so much fun. She always made me smile. FR will not be the same without her.” ~ Retrokitten

“I simply adored her ability to butt heads and loved reading her posts. She was always there with the perfect hug or hatpin, whichever she felt was most deserved.” ~ Doodlelady

“The sweetest, funniest, kindest poster on the AI threads where I had the honor of ‘meeting’ her.” ~ Jrabbit

“Texasflower was an integral part of our ‘American Idol’ gang. She was always sweet and upbeat and kind to all.” ~ Palladin

“In the beginning of November I was thinking about her because the town I work in was having their elections and it reminded me about her Dad going to vote in the ambulance … I loved her and miss her.” ~ No More Apples

“She was unfailingly polite, and more than that. Kind, thoughtful, patriotic, encouraging. A blessing. She was one of my most favorite FReepers, and I do not say that very often. She was exceptional.”

“We never truly know how deeply our lives touch others. I certainly never communicated fully to Tammy how much her posts lifted me up, and I regret that. I assumed she would continue to be there and I would be able to keep responding to her appreciatively.

“We will know in heaven the effect of our lives, when everyone gathers around the Lamb's throne and all our hearts are open and all our secrets known, and we have till forever to tell one another how God blessed us through each other …” ~ GretchenM

Texasflower

Prayers & Condolences

“She'll be a light here forever” ~ Doodlelady

HERE IS AN INTERESTING POST FROM MJs BIG BLOG WITH MY OWN PERSONAL COMMENT ADDED TO IT LATER...

This article originated in the LA Times a couple of weeks ago:

"The Los Angeles Times asked network executives, writers, historians and music executives to dissect the show to solve the mystery of why "American Idol" has come to rule the airwaves."

Some of the featured pundits: Kurt Andersen, novelist and public radio host, Neil Gabler, cultural historian (and my ex-college professor!), and Lauren Zalaznick, president of Bravo.

From Jacob Austen, author of TV-a-Go-Go: Rock on TV From American Bandstand to American Idol:

"Through the '60s, families watched TV together. All the shows were designed for the entire family. It didn't break up demographics. "The Ed Sullivan Show" would have an act for the kids, but it would be a pop singer, an opera singer or a juggler -- things that would be for the whole family because people only had one TV.

So American Idol is a throwback. It's a very simple idea, but it's actually pretty revolutionary at this point because things are really broken up into "now-casting" instead of broadcasting, "now-casting" of a demographic.

The other thing that makes it different is that there's an idea these days that everybody wants to be an insider. Everybody has to know what the box office is for different films this week and what the ratings are. This show feeds to that. On the one hand, on any game show you're supposed to be watching at home and pretending you're playing, but this one, instead of pretending that you're a person singing, you're sitting in the same chair as the three judges. It's really a key that Paula and Randy are inarticulate because the viewers feel like they are as good or a better judge of talent than these professionals."

This Variety article details the huge cash cow Idol has become. Not only for the Idol producers and Fox, but for everything it touches--including sponsors like Cingular Wireless, magazines and talk shows that cover Idol, guest musical stars (who see a huge spike in sales after an appearance) and Sony BMG, the label that releases the winners' albums.

"In its fifth season, American Idol is re-arranging the entire showbiz landscape. There are hits and there are hits; this show is a full-fledged cultural phenom.

Idol is steamrolling every show in its path and generating hundreds of millions of dollars every year in ad sales for Fox. But "Idol" riches are also trickling into many other sectors of the showbiz economy.

TV shows, newspapers and record labels that touch the show have enjoyed a lucrative ride on the "Idol" express. And the show's shadow economy isn't limited to media -- it's also lifted the fortunes of a wide array of Idol carpetbaggers, from Cingular to Coca-Cola to a host of licensees.

Still, the non-Fox profiteering may benefit the network in less apparent ways. With more companies having a stake in keeping "Idol" alive as a brand, it may help fulfill the net's hope that the show becomes a "Simpsons"-like fixture that thrives to the end of the decade and beyond.

All the spillover has raised a question: What exactly does it mean for a network that the most popular TV show in years blesses so many outside players? Herewith, a look at the net effect for Fox and for the other leading Idol beneficiaries."

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Shakira's appearance on the show in late March boosted sales of her latest album ¡°Oral Fixation, Vol. 2¡å from about 5,000 copies a week to 81,000 copies the week of her performance. The disc sale count is now beyond 834,000 units.

When Queen recently performed, sales of the band's new album Cold Stone Classics leapt from 14,000 units the week before the show to 62,000 units a week later. It was an infomercial for us, says Dominic Griffin, director of film and television for Hollywood Records, which reps Queen. Music publishing execs, some of whom pooh-poohed Idol when it debuted, have changed their attitude.

EMI Music Publishing has licensed more than 500 songs to American Idol, for which the company receives a multitude of fees. Martin N. Bandier, co-chief exec of EMI Publishing, says the effect of Idol is a mini tsunami that has made up for the declining CD and physical record market.

MY COMMENT :

I've been putting my marketing cap on for several weeks now trying to determine why this show has become the phenomenon that it is.

I mean to be able to mow down all serious contenders ( you name it --- Olympics, Grammy Awards, etc.) and bring in close to 35 million viewers (that's 1 in 10 of the American populace watching every week) and continue doing so for 5 seasons and INCREASING its viewership year after year is nothing short of amazing !

And get this : This isn't simply an American phenomenon. You should also realize that this show is ALSO BEING FOLLOWED worldwide. I realize that many countries have their own version of Idol but AMERICAN IDOL stands unique in that it is the ONLY Idol show that people from Asia, Europe, Canada and Latin America watch.

You should realize that I've read fan posts for Taylor Hicks IN SPANISH. I've also read fan posts on the Idol boards from countries like Singapore, Philippines, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, the UK, Sweden, Norway, Germany and even Iraq and Afghanistan ! ( but I bet the later two are from soldiers and contractors who get to watch the show ).

I can think of the following reasons ( but they¡¯re not necesarily the only ones )¡

1) It is ageless in its demographic, literally from to 90 (or as Nat King Cole would sing, For Kids from 1 to 92). I mean, if you could bleep Rod Stewart saying the word "balls" out, the just shows you how family oriented the show is trying to be.

Parents and Guardians are getting tired of all the crap that makes for TV nowadays with all the profanities and sexual innuendoes being thrown at underaged kids everyday. This is one of the very few primetime programs that at least makes a little effort at keeping things relatively clean (not that it always succeeds, but at least the effort is there). Which just shows you one lesson from Marketing 101 that people in the media tend to forget : IF YOU FULFILL A NEED INSTEAD OF A PERSONAL AGENDA, YOU WILL GET YOUR AUDIENCE.

Families want wholesome entertainment, PERIOD. Ask yourself, who is giving it to them ? NOT MANY I MUST SAY.

2) It has a sporting event feel. It's like watching the unfolding of a football or basketball season before your very eyes with one major difference : YOU GET TO CHOOSE WHO THE WINNER WILL BE WHILE STILL NOT KNOWING IF YOUR CHOICE WILL SUCCEED.

This is a blend of empowerment and uncertainty. The thrill of joining the competition with the touch of your hand makes you feel as if you're INVOLVED IN THE SPORT ITSELF.

Also, the fact that the show brings in relatively ineloquent judges like Randy Jackson ( how many times does he have to use the words : WHAT's UP, YO YO, DAWG, and CHECK IT OUT DUDE ) gives the audience a sense of empowerment.

They feel that they can do better as critics than the judges themselves. If you implicitly flatter the audience, they will respond.

3) More than the sporting feel, it carries with it more emotion and passion by adding the human interest factor in the show. As a result of that, people feel *connected* to the contestant because :

A) The contestant, with all of his/her struggles and frailties, mirror a lot of the viewer's stuggles.

B) The contestant gets to have the chance to overcome his/her struggles.

C) The viewers become emotionally invested in the success or failure of the contestant.

4) The fact that technology and telecommunications have improved to what we have today ADDS to its success. Chat rooms, blogs, forums and a whole heap of insta-opinion, insta-debate spaces have made virtual strangers from all over the country become instant chat-mates and friends with mutual interests to discuss.

5) It caters to a still large and relatively musically under-served demographic : THE BABY BOOMERS. These are the people who were born in the late 40's to the early 60's who grew up on big band, jazz, rock, soul and rock music.

The music of the past decade with its emphasis on rap, R&B and hip hop have relatively by-passed this demographic which REALLY HOLDS THE PURSE STRINGS OF AMERICA.

This is a market that has not been well served and that is one of the reasons for plummeting CD sales and mediocre audience ratings in the Grammies for the past few years.

By bringing back music that the boomers loved and meshing them with current music, the show is a stroke of genius. It UNITES generations so that they can appreciate each other's genres in one unique talent show.

Should one even wonder why Taylor Hicks has been always up there when the voting tallies come out ? I suspect that the majority of the votes come from the Generation X and Boomer demographic. Taylor, with his Gray Hair and his soul style is one of the few contestant that IDENTIFIES with them.

It's just a winning formula on so many levels.

An interesting question would be why is it so much more successful than a show like Star Search or many other talent contests we've had in the past ?

I think that answer is more subtle, but really has to do with being able to vicariously live through the lives of each contestants and to feel that you have the power to make him/her a superstar with your telephone. The SENSE OF INVOLVEMENT and EMPOWERMENT that the show gives to viewers is the genius of the show.

I'd be interested in hearing more of your opinions explaining the success of this show. You see, the fact that I am even interested in listening to your opinions ( so that I can incorporate some of them in my marketing strategy) makes this show even more relevant in the real world. YOU GET TO LEARN FROM IT.

Here is an interesting blog for you Taylor Fans out there :

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/05/06/175824.php
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Behind the Elvis Theme Week on American Idol one only has to look for a man named Robert F.X. Sillerman. He’s a Wall Street operator and sort of a ‘Donald Trump’ of the media business. A little background: he sold a group of radio stations to Westinghouse (now Viacom) in 1989 for $389 million. Less than a decade later he sold more stations to Hicks Muse for $2.1 billion. He had dealings with Clear Channel in 2000 when he sold a company that owned concert venues for a reported $3 billion. A real wheeler dealer.

Sillerman’s latest publicly traded corporation is titled CKX. The CK stands for “content is king,” while the ‘x’ is a reference to one of his middle initials. It’s unknown what they stand for but I’m leaning towards ‘effects’ abbreviated, you know, like seen on the cable FX station, or on an SUV made by Infinity Motors. It is his little secret. Sillerman made a business deal with Lisa Marie Presley in 2004, then moved to buy the smash-hit TV show American Idol and other properties from a company called 19 Entertainment (19E), which was previously owned by British pop mogul Simon Fuller. So you can see where this is leading. Regarding the business arrangements brokered with Lisa Marie Presley, what the man owns is Elvis Presley Enterprises. EPE generates $40 million in annual revenue from Graceland tours, onsite retailing, licensing, an apartment complex, and the much promoted Heartbreak Hotel. American Idol, Bob Sillerman, and 19E create a tangled but understandable money making thread, therefore we have American Idol able to throw an Elvis Presley Theme week and Sillerman able to promote his EPE ventures. Win-win for Sillerman and Elvis Presley entertainment from the final four contestants remaining on Idol.

Taylor Hicks and his compatriots will visit Graceland where they will have a tour accompanied by Priscilla Presley. To prepare for the competition this week, insight and guidance will be provided by Tommy Mattola. (I haven’t figured that one out yet). I’ve been reading about the fortunate A.I. fans able to commute or that live in the vicinity, staking out Graceland with the hope of seeing their favorites. Ah, yes, I can just picture myself hanging on the music themed wrought iron entry gates of Graceland… Screaming like a giddy fangirlly freak, “Taylor! Taylor! Tay…!”

Snapping back to a semblance of reality, and back to topic, the overwhelming challenge the contestants will face under this theme is the dreaded ‘Karaoke’ label. This should pose a real test of their individual artistic abilities. (I’m not just talking about taking an Elvis song like “Burning Love” and giving it the “Creed” alt-rock treatment to ‘make it their own,’ ala the “Live” turn of “Walk the Line,” performed by Daughtry.) Definitely a challenging genre, creating lots of speculation and excitement for this crazily popular talent show.

It’s a given that Taylor Hicks will have the highest hurdle to jump this week to avoid the dreaded “K” label. Hicks is proving he is not a stupid man, I am confident The Soulman will carefully consider all options. Overall, Taylor has been demonstrating that he is a winner, a champion performer with a heart for success. Like Secretariat, Taylor Hicks “knows how to run a great race”, he hasn’t won all the Idol races so far, but the ones he has had the other contestants 20 lengths behind, blinded by flying sand. On-line, Hicks has the largest confirmed fanbase and is all ready demonstrating his growing international appeal. The man has true star power evidenced by his performances of “Taking it to the Streets”, “Living for the City”, “Trouble,” and the brilliant combination of “Play That Funky Music White Boy,” by Wild Cherry teamed with George Harrison’s “Something.” No doubt, I am biased.

It may be inevitable that no matter what Taylor Hicks performs, a certain ascerbic judge may have already penned the dreaded “K” label on his index card. Conversely, when considering some of the ‘master-minds’ behind the Idol scenes such as the obviously brilliant Bob Sillerman, Hicks should be garnering the recognition, internally, within the monied fraternization needed to promote and develop his career.

My advice to Taylor Hicks, “Lay it all on the stage, baby, and don’t look back!”

Groove on Soulman!

OK FOLKS, QUICK IMPRESSIONS ON ELVIS NIGHT....

Taylor, "Jailhouse Rock": Yes, Jailhouse was silly and Ricky Minor and his bass gets some face time, but Taylor sang it as well as you could. I was NOT surprised Simon broke out the K-word for performance number 1. If you choose THE prototypical Elvis Rock song, you're going to be compared to the King and the K-word will not be far behind.

I don't know what Karaoke bars Simon frequents, I've never seen a perfomance like that in any of the bars I went to!

This is Typical Taylor... which is getting kind of boring by now actually. Basically if you hate Taylor you hated this, if you like Taylor you probably liked this. Period.

Chris, "Suspicious Minds": I liked this a lot. There are certain songs that Chris can do and this is one of them. His second song though ... I'll get to that later.

Elliott, "If I can Dream": The vibrato was a little much, but that's being picky. After the show I listened to Elvis's version and I liked Elliott's version a lot better. Well Done. But is it enought to keep you safe ?

Kat, "Hound Dog" "All Shook Up" "Treat me Nice" "Heartbreak Hotel" "Don't": Oh sorry, did I mention too many songs. Because Kat sang about 12 during her 90 second performance. No wonder she forgot the words halfway through - you try memorizing an entire box set. Seriously, Kat, a medley? Really?

I don't know how I knew but I knew she'd pick this song. It was perfect for her and I love how she added the mash-up as a twist. This was a fun performance, although she did look a little desperate to keep her body moving. It was like she was scared to stop, which I put down to nervousness/awkwardness. The dancing was hot though so I didn't mind. She sounded great to me except for her last note.

Taylor, "In the Ghetto": Fantastic. His best performance and dare I say best finals performance this year by anyone (Don't kill me Elliott fans). This was the first performance that made me think that not only could Taylor win the whole thing, but maybe he should. And he now owns a song previously owned by Eric Cartman. In fact I will say this -- I agree with Randy. He needs to put a full length version of this in his next CD. I liked his soulful version better than Elvis' himself.

Chris, "Little Less Conversation": There are so many other songs that he could have done - "Hard Headed Woman", "Heartbreak Hotel", etc. He has to go and pick a novelty song that (sorry Randy) was WAY out of his range. An uninspired performance of a stupid song.

Elliott, "Trouble":

I don't think this song is good for him. He's not a threatening presence in the least and his voice doesn't sound as well on short, clipped notes as he does on held ones. It was a good vocal but he cannot sell this song at all. I will give him props for swinging for the fences like this though.

Kat, "Can't Help Falling in Love": As a straight male it pains me to say this, but Kat needs to go home after those two performances. And I am going to miss looking at her...(I have to stop here since this is a family show :)

This was better than her 1st song(s), but I think her range is overrated. I know Simon, Clive and Tommy Mattola want Kat to win, but she's just too inconsistent and becoming more and more nervous with each week.

Chances of going home:

Taylor 0% - He was on tonight
Chris 30% - He wasn't on tonight
Elliott 30% - I don't even know why at this point. If the world were fair his % would be much closer to 0%

Kat 40% - But who knows - it could be any of the three and it wouldn't shock me.

Rankings:

In the Ghetto - Taylor
If I Can Dream - Elliott
Trouble - Elliott
Suspicious Minds - Chris
Jailhouse Rock - Taylor
Hound Dog/All Shook Up - Katharine
I Can't Help Falling in Love With You - Katharine
A Little Less Conversation - Chris

Should Go Home: Katharine

Will Go Home: Elliott - BOO !! THE WORLD IS UNFAIR BUT SUCH IS LIFE !!

OK FOLKS, EITHER YOU WILL TAKE OUT YOUR HANKIES AND TISSUES OR THE CYNICS AMOMG YOU WILL JUST SNEER, BUT HERE's THE STORY FOR WHAT ITS WORTH ...

'Idol's' Kellie: A pop (but not mom) fan

Kellie Pickler

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

May 30,2006

Kellie Pickler showed some class toward her jailbird father recently — but the "American Idol" vet is not as easy on her mother, who dumped her at age 2.

The trailer teen reunited with right-out-of-central-casting dad, Clyde (Bo) Pickler, after his release from a four-year jail sentence on stabbing and robbery charges.

"It was a very, very sweet moment," Pickler said in Chaunce Hayden's current Steppin' Out magazine. "When I first saw him, we just walked up to each other very slowly. It didn't seem real. I felt like we had to touch each other to make sure it wasn't a dream. He picked me up and hugged me. It was the longest hug of my life. He just said, 'I love you baby, I'm so sorry!' And 'I'm so glad you're here!' I had no idea what to say. I just said, 'I love you too, and I missed you.' It was just so sweet. Neither of us knew what to say.

"He just kept apologizing to me. But I said, 'Dad, don't apologize anymore, because I've prayed about it, I've forgiven you and it's forgotten. This is our future now. We're going to leave the past in the past.' "

But the Southern blond, who will go on tour this summer with other "American Idol" finalists, understandably can't forgive her mother.

"I just keep wondering if she watched the show," Pickler said through tears. "I wonder if she knows. She must know. You can't turn on the TV without seeing something about 'American Idol' or pick up a magazine. … So it's made me wonder if she ever picked up the phone and voted for me. How weird would that be? I don't know if I've even bumped into her at the grocery store.

"I just don't know if I'll be able to accept her back into my life, because we were never close in the first place," the singer went on. "She just walked out on me. I wouldn't even know what I would say to her. She hurt me a lot. I didn't even think about my mom until I picked up a copy of Star magazine and saw her in there. I just cried."

With good reason.

Television: Taylor Hicks: Everybody’s Favorite Idol

Sasha Stone

Mirror TV Critic

Nearly a week after the miraculous American Idol finale which handed the top prize to the charismatic but odd Taylor Hicks, it has become apparent that many people out there claim Taylor as their “favorite.” This is a gross distortion of the facts as I know them. After all, I spotted him first. He was my favorite from the beginning. And I’m not giving that up for anything, people.

There have been Idol winners in the past who truly deserved to win – Kelly Clarkson, of course, and Fantasia Barrino. But Taylor was different from all of them. For once, a contestant with not only real soul in his heart but some real knowledge of music history and taste for what is a good song and what is a forgettable one.

From the moment he walked into the audition room, harmonica in hand, grey hair on top and a kind of twitchy way of moving and speaking – it seemed clear that Hicks was destined for ridicule and a hasty Idol exit. He was already a singer but not a successful one. What about him seemed marketable? Nothing. He was unlike any contestant to ever appear in the contest. But what a voice.

The day of the Idol finale, people around town were buzzing about the contest. Two women at a Coffee Bean were adamant: “He better win” one said to the other. And when I turned and said “Soul Patrol” they gave a whoop and a cheer.

You have to love a contest where people can speak up for what we like most rather than always taking what the record companies decide we want. What record executive would have even listened to or considered Hicks if he hadn’t been so popular on American Idol? For one thing, early on, no one could figure out what was going with him – an amazing singer, a strange way of moving and talking – finally being lampooned on Saturday Night Live. What was the deal?

Turned out, it didn’t matter what the deal was. If Hicks was an autistic savant or someone on the spectrum, no one seemed to think twice about it. If he was a white Ray Charles, no one ever called him out. The truth about him was that you couldn’t take your eyes off of him from the moment he appeared on camera. He was the only contestant who got the idea that music and performing is about connecting with the audience. He was the only one who sang songs that made you want to hum them all day long. (How many of you had to go and listen to Elton John’s “Levon” after Hicks sang it?)

But let’s get this straight, folks. I saw him first! Hicks was the only contestant I ever voted for consistently from week one. He was the only reason I tuned in week after week and he is the only contestant, aside from perhaps Barrino, to make the Idol competition seem like more worthwhile than the silliness it’s been in the past few years. Finally, he is the only Idol whose CD I will happily buy and not be embarrassed to play it, and sing to it, in my car.

Could it be that Americans aren’t as stupid as everyone’s been saying? Could it be that we actually do know what we’re doing in picking our American Idol? That we don’t like them cocky or dynamic or hip and trendy, but rather kind and honest and singing from the heart type? Or could it be that Taylor Hicks just needed an audience and the magic was all his. Stay away from him! He’s mine!

Bo Bice performed last night at Alabama Adventure (their local amusement park). He played for their summer concert series. He put on a really great show.

Anyway, some of the songs he sang were Vehicle, The Real Thing, You Make Me Better, Little Pink Houses, Feeling Alright (which I also heard Taylor perform at the Galleria hee), Sweet Home Alabama, Freebird, Whipping Post, and some others.

There was a pretty big crowd, and it was a great show. Anyway, if anyone's interested in reading about it, you can go to

http://www.al.com/music/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1149931147317120.xml&coll=2

Bo's back - near-rock-star status

Bice bus takes family to fan base

Saturday, June 10, 2006
MARY COLURSO
News staff writer

BESSEMER -- It's Friday afternoon and Bo Bice, his wife Caroline, and the rest of their little family are kicking back in the tour bus.

The black Prevost sits quietly on a hill behind the stage at Alabama Adventure, unmolested by fans camped out seven hours early for Bice's 8 p.m. concert at the amusement park.

Most of the Bo Peeps waiting patiently for the gates to open probably guess that Caroline is on board with Aidan Michael, the Bices' 8-month-old son. But Gracie and Sal, the couple's two beloved dogs, are stretched on the floor, as well.

Welcome to domestic bliss, Southern rock-star style.

That means 12 bunks, a bathroom, a flat-screen television, comfy couches, stained glass and a lounge in the back.

But Bice, who earned fame as the 2005 runner-up on "American Idol," says he doesn't feel like a rock star yet.

"TV does this thing where people think that you're up above them," the ponytailed singer says. "I think it's pretty groovy that people want to meet me. But I'm just like anybody else."

Well, not quite.

Most folks don't have a gold album to their credit, a single on Billboard's adult contemporary charts and thousands of people paying close attention to their music at tour stops across the country.

Bice, 30, isn't about to brag about such accomplishments, but says he's happy to face a swelling crowd in his home state.

"It's really cool being back this time," says Bice, a Huntsville native and former Helena resident who now lives in Nashville.

"The last time I came, there was so much going on," he says. "I was recovering from the show, recouping from surgery, and the baby had just come.

"This time I'm actually healthy. I'm not on pain medication. The baby is almost 9 months old, and we can see family and friends. It's a privilege to come back," he says.

When Bice did an Oct. 15 hurricane-relief benefit at the Verizon Wireless Music Center in Pelham, he had yet to heal from major intestinal surgery. It repaired a kink in his digestive system but left him gaunt and pale.

Now the sparkle is back in his eyes; a tinge of pink has returned to his cheeks. His ripped jeans actually fit well, instead of hanging loosely.

Bice seems like a content man as he bounces Aidan on his knee, with Caroline close by his side. Fact is, Bice says, holding his blue-eyed son keeps him from worrying about his career path - or how much he can control it.

"I try not to take any of this too seriously or I'll think myself into the hospital," Bice says. "There are stresses and pressures when you're on `American Idol.' It's like a celebrity boot camp - a year of the process of being polished and groomed."

His "Idol" experiences - a fast, furious and very public workload - taught him to be diplomatic with the media, Bice says, and to be careful about his time commitments.

"I try not to push myself too hard," he says. "I'm no good to anybody if I'm not well."

Bice broke his foot and sprained his ankle on stage in August, during a stop on the "American Idols Live" tour in New Hampshire. But he finished the show and did several other dates wearing an air cast.

Dwelling on such mishaps isn't his style, Bice says. He hasn't changed his jumping, flipping, twirling, stage-diving persona, either.

"I just look forward and stay grounded," he says.

Touring and doing radio appearances to promote his pop-rock disc for RCA, "The Real Thing," have occupied Bice since its release date in December. As a result, Bice says, he hasn't gotten started on material for his next album.

But he does have a few general ideas: Take more time, use fewer songwriters and producers, set a tone that better reflects his Southern roots.

"For my first, out-of-the-gate project, (producer) Clive (Davis) allowed me to do a DualDisc that included some of my songwriter material and concert videos," Bice says. "I felt like he gave me a lot of leeway and a lot of room to grow.

"When it comes time to do the next one," Bice continues, "I hope the vision will be more Southern rock .... and have more of a country influence. I hope he'll allow me to season the album with more of me."

E-mail: mcolurso@bhamnews.com

Speaking of Bo Bice, I think his new single " U make me Better" is pretty cool. I hope Bo revives on the chart. Here is the address you can listen to his new song. TO BE RELEASED JUNE 20 !

http://wm.allaccess.com/allacces...ss/ bobiumak.wma