Below is a painting that I recently finished called "Teh Hat" No, that's not a typo. That's what the fans call that very special custom-made hat which was given to Bo by his fans when he was recovering from his last surgery. (Click to view larger, and then click one more time so you can see the brush strokes.)
While I painted "Teh Hat," I referenced THIS wonderful photograph taken by Flip4fins at the Redondo Beach show.
WHERE BO FITS INTO MY MUSIC INTEREST
I love all genres of music, as long as it's heartfelt and expressive. Of those, my favorites are folk, blues, rock, and classical. I want to be moved by music... to hear and see genuine emotion expressed... whether it's with an instrument, voice, performance, or all of the above. That's where Bo fits into it.
Bo's emotional nature reached out and touched me... through his music, performances, lyrics, and personality. Bo is a man of unusually deep feelings, which contributes greatly to the power of his performances and songwriting. Bo makes me feel the lyrics. His songs throughout the years have been a wide variety of richly-woven tapestries of life, steeped in passionate emotion and Southern styles.
Bo's tears touch my heart. It takes a REAL man to so openly show his genuine emotions. I love and admire that quality in him.
Bo's Voice and Performing Style
There's something very special about the timbre of Bo's voice that strikes me. Bo can sing magnificently in any genre. He can growl out a bluesy style, tenderly sing a soft ballad with the most beautiful vibrato, flatten out that vibrato for a deep South traditional dirge-like style, belt out a passionate rock power ballad, or often combine some of those styles in certain Southern Rock songs. Some of his songs from his younger days (with his old band called Purge) were a funk style with incredible searing raw emotion.
Bo's face and body reflect the meaning and feeling of the lyrics. He moves all over the stage and connects with every person in the audience--whether front row center, far far up in the balconies, or coming into your living room through the eye of a television camera--right into your heart.
Bo's Affect On People
Bo has already made a positive difference in the lives of people all over the world. Many have spoken of how Bo's music has uplifted them, calmed and soothed them, gotten them through tough times, healed wounded spirits, renewed their enjoyment of music, made them feel younger and more vital... and many other positive effects. People of all ages and walks of life naturally love Bo because he is a man filled with gratitude, appreciation, humility, deep spirituality, hilarious sense of humor, and a genuine love and respect for all people. His life-long acts of kindness and generosity are legendary.
We fans are often the lucky recipients of that generosity when Bo takes time out of his busy schedule to chat with us and share his life with us on his website bobice.com. He gives live free webcasts from his home, shares stories and pictures in his blogs, and makes special homemade videos especially for us. On top of all that, he keeps us in stitches with some of his antics.
DREAMS
During the time when Witness went to #1 on VH1 Top 20 Countdown and Bo's new album had just come out, it struck me just how many of Bo's impossible dreams had come true. In fact, most were beyond his wildest dreams only a few years before. I pulled together a few pictures of some of those moments and made a banner which I have to keep adding to because more dreams are coming true! It's quite incredible to see all those dreams pictured in one place. At this rate, I'm sure new dreams are coming true for Bo even as I post this!
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In April of 2008, Bo stated that his little boy, Aidan, was his biggest dream come true. As of August 5, 2008 that dream became twice as sweet when little Caleb entered the world. Click image below to view the page from US Weekly.
There seems to be some kind of amazing magic surrounding Bo in many different ways. I think he draws good people and good luck to himself by the combination of his deep faith, optimistic outlook, and how he treats everyone with such respect and kindness. That is combined with hard work honing his talents and working his career; willingness to take a chance; never giving up despite huge obstacles; and having the courage to reach out to "grab the brass ring." These qualities earn the respect and admiration of others in every walk of his life. I can't wait to see what yet unimagined dreams are waiting around the corner to come true for Bo!
After one of Bo's performances on Idol, Paula Abdul had said, "Bo, you're a gift to your fans all over the world. But we here know that you are a gift on the inside, too... a wonderful soul."
THE GIFT – An Impossible Dream Come True
Paula's words have proven to be true. There is a special light that shines from within Bo, and we fans do consider him a gift to us--in many different ways. Bo cherishes his fans as much as we do him. That special bond became obvious in October 2007 when Bo was performing a concert in Cumming, GA to make up for one that had been canceled due to his surgery. In the middle of the concert, Bo's beautiful Mom, Nancy, came onto the stage and interrupted Bo with one of the biggest surprises of his life. She brought one of Bo's fans, Bill Tilly, out on stage with her (click to view larger):
Bill presented Bo with a very special gift, and he told Bo that it was from ALL Bo's fans, which touched Bo beyond measure! Bill handed Bo a hand-painted guitar case with Bible Psalm 100 on it, "Make a Joyful Noise." The case contained a very rare Jimi Hendrix Monterey Pop Festival Stratocaster hand-painted replica of a guitar that Hendrix (who was also an artist) had hand-painted then destroyed on stage as a performance art. After viewing a dramatic video of that performance, I was inspired to create the digital painting below (click to view larger):
All his life Bo had idolized Hendrix's guitar playing. Bo even hangs a Hendrix tapestry behind him at concerts as his way of honoring Hendrix, as you can see in this picture I took at Detroit/Meadowbrook (click to view larger):
Bo had been lusting after that hand-painted guitar for many years, but he thought it was beyond his range of possibilities because during the time he had researched it, the price had gone from $10,000 to most recently $17,000!!! Nonetheless, Bo had continued to track it even though he couldn't imagine actually ever being able to actually own it. At one point, Bo had said that was the one thing he had wished for that he didn't think he could "ever ever ever" get. Well, Bill had been listening, and had made it his mission to get that guitar for Bo. So when Bo opened that case and saw his dream guitar, he dissolved into tears and was so overcome with emotion he couldn't speak at first. (Click to view larger):
He was so touched--not only that it was an impossible dream come true--but it was most meaningful because it represented a huge "pat on the back" from his fans after all he had been through, and for the major accomplishment of his new album. When Bo finally stepped up to the mic, he gave a tearful heartfelt speech. His dreams were coming true far beyond what he could have imagined only a few years before. At one point in his speech he told us, "At every turn, sometimes we all doubt ourselves... and I don't want any one of you guys to doubt yourself, because you can do whatever you dream." I think you will find every word of that speech inspiring--and the whole guitar gift event very touching--when you watch it on this VIDEO.
MY MAGICAL BO BICE ADVENTURE
The picture below was taken in September of 2005 on the very first day of what I call my "Magical Bo Bice Adventure." Bo's mom's cousin Rhea and her daughter Spunky had really enjoyed their mother-daughter trip from Alabama to meet us in Chicago for Farm Aid. They were warm and friendly, and we all had a fantastic time!
Spunky, Rhea, and me in Chicago
I got that T-shirt from Rhea. She and her sister Evie had designed that shirt and sold it on eBay to help finance Bo's stay in Hollywood during American Idol.
Four-year-old Bo on front of T-shirt
The cute little kid with the guitar on the front of that T-shirt is Bo when he was only four years old! That prophetic picture was taken by Bo's uncle on Rhea's front porch.
The following month, I had the unexpected pleasure of meeting Evie and Bo's Granny Madge, along with Bo's mom, uncle, great aunt and uncle, and in-laws. After meeting Bo's family members, I could see where his Southern charm comes from! They were all about the friendliest people I'd ever met, and they all had that great sense of humor and told warm Southern stories like Bo does!
Evie, me, and Granny Madge in Birmingham
Granny Madge was a hoot that day. After I told her how much I had loved watching her whistle for Bo on Idol, she and I traded whistling techniques in the parking lot.
Granny Madge whistling on Idol and in Birmingham
She was wearing beautiful sparkly sandals which she told me Bo had bought for her in Hollywood. She said she never wanted to take them off. I could see how deeply she loved Bo by the way her face just glowed when she talked about him. Granny Madge had designed and sewn most of Bo's performance outfits since he was a child, and she had even designed some of the clothing he wore on Idol. She is one of the most adorable people I've ever met... just brimming over with warmth and love!
I'VE SEEN THE LIGHT!
Bo is certainly a shining light to behold... as a performer and as a person. Right from the start I always said that Bo is a multifaceted gem with a brilliant light shining from within. Three years later I feel that is even more true than I knew way back then. At this point, I've seen Bo perform live in concert 15 times, and have been fortunate to have met him ten times, mostly through unexpected serendipitous circumstances. I was lucky enough that nine of those times were captured on camera! (Click to view larger):
When you meet Bo, you will find that he is a gracious Southern gentleman. He is genuine, warm, friendly, sweet, humble, down-to-earth, and hilarious. He is even more gorgeous in person than in pictures or videos.
I've made a lot of wonderful friends along the way on my Magical Bo Bice Adventure, and I've had a blast! Below are a few shots from some of our fan gatherings before and after concerts. But most of the time I was having so much fun I forgot to take pictures!
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Click HERE to view a larger version of this slide show.
Bo's music video--"Witness" (from Bo's album "See the Light")--spent three consecutive weeks at #1 on VH1 Top 20 Countdown" in December 2007. During that same period of time, "Witness" was ranked #2 on VH1 Video on Demand, and Bo's "See the Light" was ranked #1 Album!
You can view a larger format of this video on youtube and you can purchase a beautiful high-quality version of this video through iTunes!
My YouTube Channel
I've put together some of my favorite Bo Bice videos HERE on my YouTube Channel. Some are professional and some are amateur fan videos from live performances. Check 'em out!
BO WITH LYNYRD SKYNYRD
"Gimme Back My Bullets"
Watch GROWLY BO experiencing nirvana, living his dream! Here's Lynyrd Skynyrd with Bo Bice performing "Gimme Back My Bullets" from the VH1 Classic TV Special, Decades of Rock." Bo idolized Skynyrd since childhood. Performing with them on Idol was a dream come true, and each time he performs with them is pure joy for him, as you can see in this video. It's Southern rock at it's best!
"Doesn't Remind Me"
Bo covers Audioslave's "Doesn't Remind Me" with bandmates Thomas Lee & Heath Clark. The latter part of this song shows off Bo's vocal range in the upper registers.
I couldn't resist making the above "psychedelic neon Bo" animated GIF after seeing Bo's amazing "Voodoo Child" performance in Worcester during the American Idol Tour. In that incredible performance Bo almost seemed to become possessed by the guitar!
Later I found the following sizzling wild hot and sensuous fan video of Bo's Newport performance of "Voodoo Child" with a little of "The Wall" which is my new favorite "Voodoo Child" performance by Bo.
Another side of Bo...
Isn't he adorable?
ROCK STAH Bo...
Following is some of my "Photo Art" and retouched screenshots from fan videos of recent concerts... (Click to view larger)
Talkbox Bo uses a talkbox to make the guitar "talk" while performing "Witness"...
The fans are fascinated by the talkbox. I made the following animation of Bo using the talkbox during his May '08 performance of "Witness" on American Idol Season 7…
Here's one of my favorite pictures that I took during the Summer of 2006 (at Detroit/Meadowbrook)...
Check Out All My Photos! I think I've gotten some decent shots since Montgomery (when I finally got a camera that could handle stage lighting), and I'm having a blast doing it! You can check out all my pictures here (Password: kathy).
BO BICE INFORMATION
Check Out Bo Bice's Official Website
Visit Bo Bice on MySpace
Leave Bo a comment on his MySpace. You can also call Bo and leave him a voice message. Every morning (when he's not on tour), Bo reads the comments and listens to the voice messages! Later, you just might get a phone call with a recorded message from Bo. It's a fun surprise when your phone rings and it's Bo's voice on your phone!
Other Bo Bice Info
Besides Bo's official sites, you can find lots of up-to-the-minute Bo Bice info at
BonafideBice Blog
"The Real Thing" (DUAL DISC version) Includes bonus 'A Day In The Life' video, additional studio recordings and acoustic performances
Amazon.com
Barnes&Noble.com
Walmart.com
Check out Bo's unofficial Biography and Discography on Wikepedia, a free encyclopedia on the internet which is built collaboratively by users: Wikipedia – Bo Bice
MORE GOOD STUFF!
Bo sometimes performs with other long-time friends who are also incredible talents.Gary Nichols and Chris Tomkins are former members of his old band, SugarMoney. Visit them on MySpace and check out their great music! They sometimes perform with Bo, who has been collaborating on songwriting with each of them. A couple of those songs are be on Bo's latest album, "See the Light" (CD exclusively available at Walmart. Downloads available through Walmart.com, iTunes, and Amazon.com)!
Another old friend of Bo's--and also a former member of Bo's old band, SugarMoney--is Jason Isbell. Until recently, Jason has been with a successful band called "Drive By Truckers" and has just come out with his first solo album. He is a wonderful songwriter. He writes powerful, poetic lyrics, and his songs are packed with emotion. Check him out:
Dan Hardin is another talented friend of Bo's. He co-wrote "Only Words" with Bo (featured on "See The Light"). They lived in the same apartment complex many years ago, and wrote and performed together back then.
Recent Past Band Members:
EVEN MORE GOOD STUFF
Blog de Louie
You won't be sorry if you subscribe to Tommy's incredible blogs! Yes, it's Bo's keyboardist--Thomas Lee, alias Swapmeet Louie! His blogs can be absolutely hilarious, introspective, insightful, down-home folksy--like he's "shooting the breeze" with you on the front porch. He shares his life, views on things; he shares his wonderful photographs capturing moments in time; he talks about and shares music (his own music and that of others')... and much more!
Folk music is another love of mine.
Check out Folk Alley!
Hi, I'm Kathy(aka KKat). When I accidentally discovered Bo Bice, I felt like I'd discovered a treasure, and I still feel that way almost four years later... even more so! That's why I created this page--to share this incredibly fascinating man and his awesome music with you, and tell you the inspiring story of his indomitable spirit!
I was not an American Idol watcher until the night of February 28, 2005, when I clicked on my TV--and there was Bo, passionately belting out "Whipping Post." He was so electrifying that I was mesmerized, and I became an instant fan of somebody for the first time in my life. That night I could never have imagined that I'd someday actually MEET Bo, or that--because of Bo--I'd meet many wonderful new friends from all over the world who also felt the same way about him. At that time, none of us had any idea that we were about to embark upon a magical adventure which would take us to thrilling highs, and which unfortunately would include some stunning and heart-wrenching lows.
Bo only had entered American Idol on a bet with his Mom and he never thought he had a chance to win. He thought perhaps he might get a few more gigs for his band. Being a Southern rocker, Bo did not fit the American Idol mold, but he fooled everybody! Millions of voters selected Bo as runner-up to Carrie Underwood, who only beat him by a very narrow margin. Bo had wowed us, but little did we know that he had a lot more to offer than we saw on American Idol!
BO'S DRAMATIC POST-IDOL STORY
Bo's pre-Idol life was so fascinating that I hope he writes a book about it some day. I'm most familiar with his post-Idol story, and I want to tell it here because it's a compelling story of survival, loyalty, commitment, determination--a roller coaster of unbelievable highs and lows, and ultimate triumph.
Other than a small blurb here or there, very little has been written about the dramatic life and death struggle that Bo has endured since Idol. Until recently, Bo has not spoken much about those times, and he usually played it down when pressed about it. He is now finally admitting his ordeal in recent interviews.
Dreams Coming True -- and Life-Threatening Illness
Bo always puts on a dazzling live performance, even when injured or ill. Most people didn't know that Bo was sick during the finals of Idol--and certainly nobody knew that he was suffering from a rare life-threatening intestinal condition called Intussusception (least of all Bo). Intussusception is a condition where the small intestine telescopes into the large intestine and causes a blockage which can lead to death if not surgically repaired in time. As Bo later put it, his large intestine was swallowing his small intestine!
Bo was told at the hospital that the cause of his severe pain and vomiting was food poisoning, so he checked out of the hospital and managed to perform brilliantly for the Idol finals. One of the backstage workers later reported that Bo was vomiting in a bucket in the wings just as Ryan was announcing "Inside Your Heaven" (a new pop song that Bo had to learn just before the show)! As the band was starting to play the song, Bo ran out onto the stage and got to the mic just in time to sing! The mic was not where he was told it would be, which must have also been flustering. But his many years of singing in public paid off big in that moment. He managed to seamlessly adjust the mic as he was starting to sing the song. Bo handled it so professionally that nobody could possibly guess what had just happened, or that Bo was so sick. It is impossible to imagine trying to perform while so deathly ill--with the added stress of performing a newly-learned song in a different genre that he normally sang, his first time on the unfamiliar and daunting stage of the huge three-tiered Kodak Theatre auditorium which contained a live audience of 3,400... and on top of all that, over 30.3 million people were watching it live on TV! But Bo managed to pull it off with style!
Click the video image below to watch how smoothly Bo handled that nerve-shattering situation, and how amazingly beautiful he sang that song--especially given the circumstances! Simon had no idea of what Bo had gone through, but what Simon said to Bo at the end was priceless!
After struggling to make it in the music industry all those 12 years prior to Idol, it must have felt surreal to Bo that his life had so quickly come to this point beyond his wildest imagination--making it all the way to the finale on American Idol, performing with his life-long idols, Lynyrd Skynyrd... and being offered a record contract by the legendary record producer, Clive Davis!
And yet, it was ironic and unfair that this ultimate of nirvana and long-deserved recognition shared the stage with such horrible pain and sickness. With the dogged determination and willpower that Bo had built up over a lifetime of passion for his music, he pressed on through the illness. With his typical positive outlook of faith and gratitude, he focused on all the possibilities unfolding before him.
POST-IDOL – Roller Coaster of Highs and Lows
Immediately after Idol, life was a whirlwind of activity for Bo. Just after his close finish on Idol at the end of May, Bo appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live." In June, Bo's first single, "Inside Your Heaven" debuted on the pop chart at No. 1 (the B-side was "Vehicle" which featured Richie Sambora on guitar). Bo appeard on "The Today Show," "Live With Regis and Kelly," and guest-hosted "The View." In July, he appeared with Richie Sambora on "The Tonight Show."
During the American Idol Tour that followed, Bo continued to be plagued with the mysterious illness. He sought medical help at hospitals along the way, but at each hospital, he was again erroneously told it was caused by the food poisoning! Bo continued to suffer sickness and pain after he tried to eat anything. Bo's fans were shocked and worried to see how thin he was getting, and how his beautiful complexion was becoming ashen. Some didn't even recognize him at first. Nobody knew that Bo's body could not absorb nutrition, and dangerous toxins were building up in his body! Bo still thought he had food poisoning issues, so he persevered because his work ethic had always been to put on the best possible performance no matter how bad he felt. Also ingrained from all those years on the road was the fact that "no work means no money, and people are counting on you." He was very grateful for the opportunities and he always honored his commitments.
Bo wanted to give the fans the best performance possible. All along the Tour, he received rave reviews from critics and fans. He flew all over that stage, and had audiences on their feet in thrilled exhilaration during his entire dazzling set at each show.
Injury and Emergency Abdominal Surgery During Idol Tour
On July 31st, Bo broke his foot onstage during a performance in Manchester, NH. He continued with all his songs that night, and did not miss any subsequent performances because he couldn't bear to let anybody down. Bo gave his all, and continued to whip audiences into a frenzy, receiving the loudest and longest standing ovations. He made light of his broken foot by joking about it. Nobody but Bo knew that the pain he was suffering in his abdomen was far worse than the pain from his broken foot!
Just weeks later (August 18, 2005), Bo was rushed to a hospital when he collapsed after sound check just before the Las Vegas show. He was so critically ill that the hospital called in a specialist who finally correctly diagnosed Bo's condition. On August 19th, Bo had major emergency intestinal surgery to save his life. Bo's mother, Nancy, must have hardly known which way to turn because Bo's younger brother (a U.S. Marine) had been seriously injured when his car slid under a semi truck on his way back to base after seeing Bo perform in LA two days before that!
Always Thinking of Others
When Bo woke up from the surgery, his first concern was his fans. In a heart-wrenching tearful phone interview from his hospital bed, Bo sobbed, begging his fans to forgive him for letting them down, and pleaded for them to give him just one more chance to make it up to them!! Bo's fans had been holding fervent prayer vigils for him and certainly never felt that Bo had let them down! But due to his work ethic, Bo had never missed a performance due to injury or illness, so missing these performances felt unbearable to him. I'm sure the thought of missing the rest of the Idol tour was an unbelievable disappointment to him. He had worked so hard his whole life for this, and now that this incredible opportunity was finally at hand, his body had betrayed him!
Hurricane Katrina happened while Bo was in the hospital, so he spent his days there planning benefit concerts for the victims. He had received a lot of flowers during his hospitalization, so his beautiful Mom, Nancy, went out and bought lots of vases. She and Bo divided up all those flowers into the new vases and distributed all them to other patients just before he left the hospital. That is typical of Bo's generous and kind family, so it's easy to see where his sweet nature came from. Bo wrote a heart-felt song for the hurricane victims called "We Can't Change this World" (which has yet to be recorded), and even loaned his house in Alabama to a family who lost theirs. When Bo is praised for his many acts of generosity, he shrugs it off, saying that he was raised with the philosophy that "If you've got, you give", and "If somebody's down, you give him a hand to help him up." Those principles are ingrained in his blood (his tradition at Thanksgiving is to serve in soup kitchens).
Fall of 2005 – Life Goes On At Warp Speed
Bo didn't stay down long after the surgery. He returned to the tour for the final two concerts in Syracuse. He moved to Nashville and soon welcomed his precious baby son, Aidan, into the world. On the same day, he started work on his RCA album called "The Real Thing." That was the day he received the disappointing news that he would have to record a pop album of songs written by pop writers instead of his own songs in the Southern Rock genre he so loved. Afterwards he said to his friend, "It's like trying to put a mink coat on a penguin... I'm still a penguin!" I think those words were the only semblance of complaint I've ever heard from Bo's lips. Nonetheless, he was very grateful for the faith Clive Davis had in him and the opportunities that RCA offered him. He learned a lot in the process and he did a fantastic job on that album, despite the pain of singing all those songs with a deep surgical incision through all his singing muscles. He even got a couple of his own original songs on the album, (and other originals on the Dual Disc) after Clive Davis realized how good they were.
In September Bo received the Relly Award for "Best Reality Guest" for his appearance on the Regis & Kelly Show. Bo was under a grueling schedule, but at the expense of getting much-needed rest, he worked endless hours to polish up his own band, SugarMoney, to the level needed to be his tour band (against the wishes of RCA). Bo was determined to share his newfound good fortune with his "brothers" in SugarMoney. Coop and Shane had been with him more than twelve years. Kris and Tommy had just joined them (Heath came along later). Bo was willing to do whatever it took to bring SugarMoney with him on tour--at his own expense.
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Bo proudly introduced SugarMoney at Bayfest on October 7, 2005, and I was lucky enough to be there to experience the magic! It was my first time to see Bo live, and I unexpectedly got to meet him that afternoon, several hours before the concert. I could hardly believe that Bo Bice was actually standing right there in front of me. His beautiful hair was shimmering in the sunlight. He looked even more gorgeous, and much younger in person than on TV... but he was shockingly thin and frail from his recent illness and surgery. In talking with him, I found him to be very sweet and humble. Onstage that night, he radiated joy and a powerful magnetism. He put on an incredible show--the likes of which I had never experienced in my life. Thus began my addiction to seeing Bo Bice perform live. Bo also performed two concerts the following week, including a big charity concert for the Katrina Victims which I also attended. During that same period of time, RCA also had Bo under a very heavy recording schedule--recording him day and night in order to make a deadline to get the album in stores before Christmas. Unfortunately, the August surgery had not repaired his intestinal condition, and Bo was back in the hospital the next day after the Katrina Concert.
Proud Moments and Honors
In the following months, Bo made rounds of TV appearances, including Leno, Jimmy Kimmel, Ellen, Regis & Kelly, Today, Early Show, MTV, Daily Show, Extra, etc. November was a special month for Bo. He was named "Heartland Hero of the Week" on John Kasich's show, Heartland for giving up his house to the family displaced by Hurricane Katrina and for also using his music to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
People Magazine featured an article about Aidan's birth and included pictures of Bo, Caroline, their newborn son Aidan, and their dogs. One of the dogs (Sal) is cropped out of the following picture, but their hound Gracie is shown with her own pacifier in her mouth! (click to view larger):
Bo also hosted an Oxygen TV Christmas Special, and his special guests included Patti LaBelle and Joan Osborne. But most special of all for Bo was when Jim Croce's family awared him the "Jim Croce 20th Annual Music Award." Bo had idolized Jim Croce since he was a little boy. Bo was greatly influenced by Jim Croce’s music, and the Croce family were very moved by Bo's performance of Croce’s song “Time in a Bottle” while he was a contestant on American Idol. In December, Bo beat Danny Bonaduce and Tommy Lee to win the "Big Reality Star" award for VH1's Big in 05 Show, and he was hilarious during the presentation.
More Health Problems
Bo had some wonderful appearance opportunities, but health problems seemed to crop up at the worst times. In December, Bo was very sick with the flu when he was filmed for AOL Sessions singing some of the songs from his album, "The Real Thing." Bo managed to pull it off, although you can hear that he's sick. Not long after that, Bo was about to appear on the Radio Music Awards when he vomited blood (surgery complications) and had to be hospitalized instead!
2006 – Good Times, Bad Times, and Hospitals
In January 2006, CMT aired an hour-long TV special--called "Bo Bice: In the Moment"--which chronicled Bo's life post-Idol during the recording of his album. Their cameras had followed Bo around for months. They had captured many touching moments, including the birth of his son. In February, Bo kicked off a radio promo tour with a dazzling performance at the Cleveland House of Blues. He was so happy to be able to take SugarMoney on the road with him for that tour. Unfortunately, during the ensuing year of promotional appearances and touring, Bo continued to suffer from pain and vomiting from his intestinal condition and continued to seek medical help all along his tour route, but the experts didn't seem to have the answers.
It must have been a comfort and support for Bo to have his old friends (band members and roadies) with him on the road.
They did have some great times touring together, but not without many scary trips to hospitals all along the way! In the span of just a few months during his various tours, Bo was hospitalized 20 times, checking out of the hospitals each time to honor his performance commitments! The doctors couldn't seem to help him.
Audiences had no idea that Bo was so seriously ill because he gave such thrilling performances every time, as evidenced by the following two amazing shots by a fan, Laura Haines (click to view larger):
The shot on the right was taken at the Montgomery concert. The oppressive intense heat felt suffocating and beastly to those of us in the audience, but Bo's pastor later told us that the temperature was an unbearable 120 degrees on the stage that night! But Bo gave his all, as you can see on this video. Later Bo admitted that he'd felt like he had heat stroke for two days after that concert. Bo always gives 150%--even under adverse conditions--because he loves his fans and he can't stand to let anybody down. But yet again, Bo was soon to have no choice about that.
My Own Photographs of Bo Taken in 2006
On the Acrobat Cube below is some "photo art" that I created one night in an attempt to salvage some of my blurry photos of Bo and members of his band from the Montgomery concert in May 2006. (It may appear as a large blank area until it fully loads. Click any panel on the cube to enlarge an image in upright position; click again to get back to cube.)
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Following is a slide show of some concert photographs that I took during the summer of 2006 in Dayton, Detroit, Charlottesville, Chicago... and in September in Bloomington--just three weeks before more emergency surgery. The pictures also feature members of Bo's old band, SugarMoney(see their banners on left).
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More Emergency Surgeries, Near Death, and Ultimate Triumph
In October 2006, Bo's intestinal condition finally felled him once again--and this time it was even more serious. He again underwent major emergency surgery (which took six hours). But the next day, a terrible complication occurred that almost took his life, and he had to undergo yet another surgery which was longer and even more complicated. He spent a long time in ICU while in critical condition, and 60 days in a hospital bed.
As usual, Bo was thinking of others! While still in the hospital, he got his hands on a laptop computer and made a home-made video just for us fans (with a hilarious prank at the end) in an attempt to diffuse our angst and worry. That gesture touched us deeply.
Sometime during the long months of painful recovery that followed, RCA dropped Bo. Ironically, Bo was presented with a Gold Record for "The Real Thing" not long after that. But Bo was finally liberated to call his own shots, and he began plans for his own recording studio and record label.
Sadly, around that same time, Bo and his old band, SugarMoney, parted ways because Bo was laid up for months, and the guys had to find other means to support their families. But Bo had never held them to a contract anyway. He had always told them that they were free to move on at any time that they felt inclined to make a change on their musical journey. After Bo's surgery, Kris Bell formed a band which included Coop and Shane... and Heath joined his old band in Texas. Thomas played keyboards for Stephen Cochran, but kept his options open for still playing with Bo. During Bo's recovery period, Thomas and Bo cowrote music together ("See The Light" and "This Train" are both on Bo's album, "See The Light").
"Blades of Glory"
Ben Stiller had asked Bo to record the audio and music video for the title track of the Will Ferrel movie, "Blades of Glory" (produced by Stiller, who was a big fan of Bo since Idol). It was recorded not long after Bo's surgery. It was all tongue-in-cheek (including the powder-blue tuxedo that Bo was wearing). Bo was thrilled at the opportunity, and he really enjoyed everything involved in the project. He managed to do a great job at belting out the rock power ballad, despite the fact that his singing muscles had so recently been sliced through and stitched up (as had also been the case when he recorded "The Real Thing")! Somebody who had worked on that video blogged that the video shoot had to be cut short early on due to medical reasons. Consequently, they had to make good use of the small amount of footage they were able to get instead of the more elaborate music video they had planned. The video turned out quite good anyway, and Bo sounded great! (Click image below to view video)
2007 – Introducing New Songs
During the many difficult months of recovery that followed the Fall 2006 surgery, Bo was not lying around feeling sorry for himself. He was writing wonderful new songs which he introduced to us at a special acoustic performance in Nashville at the Exit/In on February 23, 2007 (his first appearance since his surgery). We were greatly relieved to see Bo looking so much healthier, and we were thrilled by his new songs. Following is a slide show of photos I shot that night:
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2007 Acoustic Tour Cut Short Due to Illness
Bo introduced and tested several of his wonderful new songs during his Spring 2007 acoustic tour. I was lucky enough to see Bo perform in May 2007 in Kent, Ohio and Indianapolis, Indiana. Following is a slide show of some of the pictures I took at those two fantastic shows (which took place only days before Bo was hospitalized).
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During his Anaheim performance, Bo became ill while onstage, and he had to leave the stage right in the middle of a song! Tommy was left dumbfounded at the keyboards to finish it up alone. That was the first time Bo had ever left the stage during a concert. He was so sick that he ended up in the hospital again. The fans had been afraid it was a recurrence of the intestinal condition because Bo had appeared to be getting thinner as the tour progressed. Instead, the illness was reported to be a serious case of the flu and bronchitis. Unfortunately, the remainder of that tour had to be canceled, which must have been heart-breaking for Bo.
But true to his nature, Bo did not lay low for long. He's like the Energizer Bunny--he bounces right back up and just keeps on going and going! He immediately got busy recording his new album. In June, Bo introduced his wonderful new band which included keyboardist Thomas Lee (who had been in SugarMoney), plus three new members (their banners in the left column are linked to their MySpace pages).
Bo's New Album
"See The Light" is the album Bo always wanted to make. It was recorded from his heart and soul in his own brand new Rockhound Studio under his own independent record label, SugarMoney (teamed up with StratArt for that project). The album was co-produced by Bo and Frank Liddell.
Now the world can finally get to hear what the real Bo Bice is all about. "See the Light" is a fresh and soulful take on Bo's Southern Rock roots. Coming from that perspective, the songs (all written by Bo, some in collaboration with friends) reflect a diverse spectrum--from all-out southern rock, country, funk, to emotional ballads--all sung with passion, from his heart. Several of the instruments heard on the album were played by Bo himself. Bo purposely and courageously went after a more natural vintage sound in the recording process, rather than the sterile, slick, many-layered studio manipulations you so often hear these days. The mixing in this process lets Bo's magnificent voice shine through pure--the way it was meant to sound--instead of being disguised by layers of studio processing.
"See The Light" CD exclusive at Walmart stores.
Downloads available everywhere online.
But Bo was not done facing obstacles yet! Bo proudly released his new album, only to find that his management company had let him down in many different ways... the worst being that they had no plans in place for promotion of the album! Bo was devastated and blamed himself for solely focusing on the music and putting complete trust in that company. But as soon as he realized what was happening, he took action and put his ship in order. He fired the ineffective company and hired a wonderful new team that has a successful track record handling Southern Rock and Indie artists like Bo.
Bo is not a guy who lets hopes, dreams, and opportunity pass him by. He doesn't let critical illness, near death, or bad managers be an excuse to give up. A couple of clichés are in order here: He takes the ball and runs with it. When life hands him lemons, he makes lemonade! Throughout his long ordeal, Bo has maintained his sense of humor, gratitude, his optimistic outlook on life, and most of all, his deep faith. Bo is making his own dreams come true and is inspiring us all in the process! That's why I decided to tell his story of triumph over adversity here. Bo now reports that he is finally feeling great. We wish him Godspeed--good health, good fortune, and a successful journey!
BO SUPPORTS OUR U.S. TROOPS
In February 2008, Bo traveled to Kuwait and Afghanistan to perform for U.S. troops deployed in the region, and to thank them for their service. He will go back to the region in Fall 2008. Bo wrote "American Blood" in support of our troops. Whenever he performs the song at concerts, he asks us to remember our brave ones who have sacrificed their lives to keep us free, and those who are now putting their lives on the line so that we can enjoy our freedom here at home. He often performs free concerts at military bases and military hospitals in this country, too.
I was standing next to the person shooting THIS video when Bo first introduced the newly-written "American Blood" (Exit/In, Nashville, Feb. '07). He told us that it is not meant as a political song, but it is meant to be a common-thread song. It was very emotional for us and for Bo. He often becomes tearful when he sings this song--especially since his return from Afghanistan. It meant the world to him to have the opportunity to sing for our troops there, and to be able to put his hand in theirs to thank them. He had long wanted to do it, and it was a dream come true for him. Bo continues to inspire us all the keep our brave ones in the forefront of our minds and hearts.
RECENT PAST 2008
Share the Beat
On September 13th, Bo participated in a benefit for the Georgia Transplant Foundation and the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness. James and Robert Redford were the hosts. A fan captured this video of Bo's moving and gorgeous performance of "American Blood" that night at the Atlanta Tabernacle. Bo also sang another beautiful song he wrote called "Sinner In A Sin." Click HERE to learn more about how to donate life and/or make an online donation.
River Falls, Wisconsin, September 5, 2008
I had not been able to see Bo live since May 2007, so this was very special to me. There's nothing like seeing Bo Bice perform live! No TV or video can possibly capture that feeling of being immersed in that powerful, magnificent, full, rich voice ringing out over the grounds... and laying eyes on that impossibly gorgeous vision of a man only a few feet away from you on that stage. That day, not only was Bo wearing "Teh Hat," but he was wearing the famous buttery-soft leather jacket he wore when he sang "Vehicle" on American Idol. My little old camera was malfunctioning all night, but by shear willpower, I managed to get a few decent shots. Seeing Bo live always seems too wonderful to be true, and I have to stare at my photos afterwards to prove to myself that I was really there and it wasn't just a dream. Following are a few of the pictures I took that day at River Falls(click to view larger):
Bo on the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon!
If you missed Bo's appearance on the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon (Labor Day weekend 2008), you can watch the video below of his gorgeous rendition of a song he wrote called "Sinner in a Sin"( from his album "See The Light").
To make a donation to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, click here.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Tribute Tour
On Aug 29, 2008, Bo finished the Sgt Pepper’s tour with Todd Rundgren, Denny Laine, Lou Gramm and Christopher Cross. The tour paid tribute to the Beatles' ground-breaking album "Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band" (released on June 1, 1967). The innovations on the album changed music forever. It was a real treat to Bo's fans to see him extend his talent in this genre, and Bo had a lot of fun with it. (Click to view larger.)
I can never get enough flying hair, so I just couldn't resist creating the following looping animation of a Bo jump from the Sgt. Pepper's Tour. Watch out... you might get hypnotized if you watch it for too long!
CURRENT TOUR
Bo is currently wrapping up his tour to promote his album "See the Light." Check out Bo's MySpace page to see if he is coming near you. Nestled in between his fall 2008 gigs, Bo will head over to the war zone to entertain our troops for a week.
Note: The multi-talented Thomas Lee (aka Swapmeet Louie) accompanied Bo throughout 2008, but has recently left Bo's band to pursue a completely different direction in his life. We wish him all the best!
COMING UP!
BO ON BROTHERS OF THE SOUTHLAND ALBUM! Album And Bo Video Coming Soon!
Zoho Music has posted information on their site about the "Brothers of the Southland" album which is estimated to be due for worldwide release on February 10, 2009.
The Zoho Music site describes the album: “ 'Brothers of the Southland', recorded in 2007 in Nashville, aims at nothing less than revitalizing Southern Rock by presenting the genre’s greatest musicians of several generations in a collaborative All-Stars format, including singers Bo Bice (ex American Idol 2005), Jimmy Hall (ex Wet Willie, Jeff Beck, Hank Williams Jr.) and Henry Paul (The Outlaws, BlackHawk). ...Steeped in Southern Rock, Bo here gives commanding performances on the classics 'Can't You See' and 'Dreams'."
You can visit Brothers of the Southland’s MySpace page to preview some of the tracks from their upcoming CD. You can also find purchase information there, as well a gift certificate for the album. You can also pre-order the album at any of the following:
BonaFideBice blogged, "It seems as if there are plans to push Bo's fantastic cover of Can't You See as a single - the tracklist includes a radio edit of the song, and a
