This season of American Idol Rewind features recaps from season three and season four of American Idol. Fans can reminisce about their favorite contestants and memorable Idol moments each week on Fox.Season four runner up, Bo Bice, recently took some time to chat with me about his own Idol memories as well as what he has been up to since finishing in second place on the popular television show.You’re promoting the new season of American Idol Rewind. How much of that are you a part of?I sat in and did some interview stuff. I wouldn't say I'm promoting it. Trust me, they don't need little Bo Bice's help promoting. All those Idol folks are doing alright. I'm excited. When they asked me to be part of Idol Rewind, it was really cool. So I jumped at the chance. I spent a little bit of time downtown hanging out with them for a few hours. How much is American Idol still a part of your life?Well, I have my American Idol fans that come to my shows every day. So it's still very much a part of my life. It's a very loyal fan base, the Idol folks. I think some of them are just fans of my music, some of the southern rock music that I play. And so yeah, Idol's a big part of it still. I go back and see them every year, and just pop my head in the door and say 'Hello.' They're like family to me.You were a working musician before Idol, what made you decide to audition?It was a bet between my mom and I. She had asked me the year before to try out for the show. And at the time I was a working musician, had been for many years. I checked into it and I was too old. The age limit was 25. Then the following year, I was watching the news and they said they had upped the age limit to 28. And just out of heckling my mom, I called and said, 'They upped the age limit to 28.' [She said] 'Oh you gotta go, you gotta go.' Long story short, I went down - she went down with me - and the rest is history.With your southern rock style, did you feel really comfortable with the show? Was it different than you expected?It was a lot different than I expected. Because it was a very pop-oriented show, I didn't expect to go far. I didn't expect anything. Being a pessimist, I was trying to be as optimistic as ever. And you know, all that was blown out of the water when America stepped in and voted me second. What are your favorite performances or memories from when you were on?My favorite memory of a performance on the show is when I got to perform with Lynyrd Skynyrd. That was a childhood dream come true. I was just in Jacksonville, and got to hang out with Johnny [Van Zant]. He came to hang out on the tour bus with us, at the Jaguars' stadium. We were doing the halftime show. If you told me five years ago that I'd be hanging out with Johnny Van Zant, in Jacksonville, before my halftime show performance, I would've laughed in your face. So that alone would be my favorite performance. That whole American Idol experience is really lumped together as - aside from my sons being born, and my wife and I experiencing that together - the greatest experience of my life. How did you like doing the show's themes each week? Did you ever wish you could've just kept with your own style?Obviously everybody would like to keep with their own thing and do what they want. But I think part of it was more stepping outside of the box and saying, 'Okay, this is part of what I signed up here to do. Now I gotta do these commercials, now I gotta dress up.'
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Article comments
1 - Eden
Hmmm! David Archuleta and Brooke White are the only ones I can remember from the top 12 during last season to play the piano. I wonder which one he felt was hiding behind the piano?
2 - Buck
I think he probably meant Brooke White was the one hiding behind the piano.
3 - rainbow
Good article. Interesting that Bo lost his contract cos he was sick. I don't believe I've ever heard him say that before. Still, things have a way of working out and now Bo has his own studio and can do what he wants. Yay Bo! You rock!