Bo Bice

Infobox musical artist 2
Background = solo_singer
Name = Bo Bice

---

Birth_name = Harold Elwin Bice, Jr.
Born = birth date and age|1975|11|1 Huntsville, Alabama
URL = [http://www.bobice.com www.BoBice.com]
Years_active = 2005–present
Instrument = Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar, Lap Steel Guitar, Mandolin, Harmonica, Piano, Saxophone, vocals
Voice_type = Baritone
Genre = Southern rock, Pop rock, Hard rock, Blues, Country rock, Christian music
Label = RCA (2005–2006), $ugarmoney (2006-Present)
Associated_acts = SugarMoney

Harold Elwin "Bo" Bice, Jr. (born November 1, 1975 in Huntsville, Alabama) is an American singer and musician who became a runner-up in the fourth season of "American Idol".

Biography

Early years

Bice was born in Huntsville, Alabama on November 1, 1975 to Nancy and Harold Elwin Bice. Music is in his bloodlines. His mother was a gospel singer (as were his grandmother, great grandmother, and aunts). His father played guitar.

Bice's birth name was Harold Elwin Bice, Jr., but he was nicknamed "Bogart" as a newborn by his grandmother ("Granny Madge") because she thought he had "Humphrey Bogart eyes." His family continued to call him Bogart, but when Bice was in kindergarten he shortened it to "Bo" because he didn't think Bogart was cool.

Bice's parents divorced when he was very young, and his mother remarried years later. Bice grew up with his mother and stepfather, Nancy and Earle Downes (a Coca Cola executive), sisters, Jenny and Sharan Downes, Ben, and brother, Jon Cochran (Bice has two other half-siblings--Candice and Matthew--on his biological father's side). The Downes family moved around the South frequently. They lived in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, including the metro area of Atlanta. He first made his mark at the age of 13, when he won a local school competition. In 1990 when Bice was 15 years old they moved to England, as part of his father's European assignment with Coca-Cola in London. Bice spent his teenage years living in the suburbs of Gerrards Cross and Seer Green. The family were neighbors of Ozzy Osbourne.

Bice attended London Central High School, a Department of Defense school primarily for children whose parents served in the military or worked at the U.S. Embassy. In high school, he was found carrying his guitar everywhere, played football, attended proms, and had several girlfriends. It was around this time when Bice worked with some English alternative rock musicians. He formed his first band, Spinning Jenny, while living there.

Bice would have graduated in 1994, but in the fall of 1993, Bice dropped out of high school just before turning 18 to move back to Alabama, where he earned his GED and attended classes at Calhoun Community College from November 1996 to May 1997. Upon graduating Calhoun and spending a semester at the University of North Alabama in Florence, Bice turned professional and performed in shows all across the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Europe. He is a veteran of the nightclub circuit, and also an experienced songwriter, releasing his first CD in 1995 with his band Purge. [ [http://www.songfacts.com/int/2008/08/bo-bice.html Songfacts interview with Bo Bice] from Songfacts] His other pre-Idol bands include Blue Sued Nickel (sic) and SugarMoney. Among his credits are opening for Blackfoot and Warrant as well as performing live and recording with Johnny Neal, formerly of The Allman Brothers Band. Bice had recorded other albums prior to his stint on "American Idol", which included "Ex Gratia" (1999) with his band Purge, and "Recipe for Flavor" (2000) by Bo Bice & SugarMoney.

Personal life

In 2001, Bice was charged with purchasing cocaine at a strip club. In 2003, Bice was arrested for possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia and public intoxication. He avoided jail time, however, by agreeing to enter a drug program. [ [http://www.popcrunch.com/busted-100-celebrities-arrested-for-drug-possession/Busted! 100 Celebrities Arrested For Drug Possession] from PopCrunch.com] [ [http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0427051_bo_bice_american_idol_1.html "Idol" Finalist Dodged Cocaine, Pot Raps] from "The Smoking Gun"] [ [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1500954/20050428/id_0.jhtml 'Idol' Singer Bo Bice Has Drug Rap Sheet, Court Papers Show] from MTV.com]

While working as manager of a guitar store, Bice met Caroline Fisher who was working her way through college as a waitress in a nearby diner (in Hoover, Alabama). During that same period of time, Bice became a very active and devoted member of New Hope Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama.

After two years of dating, Bice married Caroline Merrin Fisher (born 1980) on June 15, 2005 in Helena, Alabama. [http://top40.about.com/od/americanidol/a/bobicewedding.htm Bice married Fisher] Son Aidan Michael Bice was born on September 24, 2005. [http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1131843,00.html] Second son Caleb James was born on born August 5, 2008. [http://www.usmagazine.com/american-idol-bo-bice-and-wife-welcome-baby-boy Caleb James] They reside in Nashville.

"American Idol"

For the 2005 season, "Idol" producers raised their required age limit from 16-26 to 16-28. In August 2004, Bice’s mother dared him to go try out, since he was within the eligible age limit (he would turn 29 in November 2004). He dared his mother to come along, and she took him up on that dare.

Along with Constantine Maroulis, Bice was one of the oldest contestants to audition and participate on "American Idol", as well as being the oldest contestant to have progressed the farthest in the singing competition. Bice and Maroulis are also notable for being among the first contestants to compete using the rock idiom.

A Southern rocker in musical approach and appearance, Bice did not fit into the normal "American Idol" mold. However, his early performance of The Allman Brothers Band's "Whipping Post" drew raves from the judges and established him as one of the favorites in the competition.

During the final three performance show, Bice took the enormous risk of performing without the benefit of a band or backup singers. This was the first time in the history of the show that anybody had ever attempted to sing a cappella at this stage in the competition. He sang "In a Dream", an obscure song recorded by 1990s metal band, Badlands. Throughout the season, Bice had been known for his sweeping command of the stage. This time, however, he stood alone and motionless, his long hair glowing under a single spotlight. His masterful performance was pitch-perfect, and was highly praised by the judges, including Clive Davis who spoke of looking forward to making an album with Bice.

In June 2005 Bice was quoted in "Rolling Stone" magazine that his last thought during the "Idol" finale was, "Please, God, don't let me win this thing." [ [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050617/ap_en_tv/people_bice] Dead link|date=March 2008] In comments during a subsequent appearance on "The Today Show", Bice backed off this stance a bit, saying that he thanked all those who had voted for him. He then played solo acoustic guitar and harmonica to one of his own compositions, in addition to singing his "Idol" songs with a band.

In Alabama, May 24 was declared "Bo Bice Day" by Governor Bob Riley. In fact, Bice's pride in being an Alabama native resulted in the adoption of Lynyrd Skynyrd's hit "Sweet Home Alabama" as his "theme" during his tenure on "American Idol." Two members of the group Lynyrd Skynyrd surprised Bice during his trip home from Idol and performed "Sweet Home Alabama" with him in his home town of Helena, Alabama. Bice and the entire Lynyrd Skynyrd group performed a rousing rendition of the song together during American Idol finals, bringing nearly the entire audience to their feet.

Idol performances

;Notes
*A^"Vehicle" was released a double A-side to "Inside Your Heaven"
*B^Failed to chart.

References

External links

* [http://www.bobice.com BoBice.com] 'official' site from [http://www.superstarmedia.com/ Superstar Media]
*MySpace-music|bobice|Bo Bice (MySpace managed by Bobice.com, Superstar Media)
* [http://www.famousinterview.ca/interviews/bo_bice.htm Interview with Bo Bice]
*AI contestant|4|bo_bice|Bo Bice
* [http://www.governorpress.alabama.gov/pr/pr-2005-05-23-02-bobice.asp Bo Bice Day] declaration
*Thomas, Ronnie (2005-03-29) " [http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/050329/bice2.shtml Stepdad Downes recalls years Idol contender spent overseas] ". "Decatur Daily".

Persondata
NAME=Bice, Bo
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Bice, Harold John Elwin
SHORT DESCRIPTION=American singer
DATE OF BIRTH=November 1, 1975
PLACE OF BIRTH=Huntsville, Alabama, United States
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=