Bucky Covington
William Joel "Bucky" Covington III rose to prominence on the fifth season of American Idol, charming audiences with his distinctive country sound. Though he placed eighth, his journey was just beginning, swiftly leading to a major record deal and a debut album that broke records. His story is a testament to perseverance in the ever-changing landscape of country music, from reality TV stardom to navigating label changes. Bucky Covington's appearance on American Idol launched his career, but his path to success was marked by an unusual incident involving his identical twin brother. His self-titled debut album achieved remarkable chart success, breaking records for a male debut on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. Despite career highs, Covington faced challenges, including a major label closure, yet continued to release new music and evolve as an artist.
AI Summary
William Joel "Bucky" Covington III rose to prominence on the fifth season of American Idol, charming audiences with his distinctive country sound. Though he placed eighth, his journey was just beginning, swiftly leading to a major record deal and a debut album that broke records. His story is a testament to perseverance in the ever-changing landscape of country music, from reality TV stardom to navigating label changes.
- Bucky Covington's appearance on American Idol launched his career, but his path to success was marked by an unusual incident involving his identical twin brother.
- His self-titled debut album achieved remarkable chart success, breaking records for a male debut on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.
- Despite career highs, Covington faced challenges, including a major label closure, yet continued to release new music and evolve as an artist.
From Carolina Roots to Country Dreams
Born William Joel Covington III on November 8, 1977, in Rockingham, North Carolina, Bucky shared his birthdate, and indeed his entire early life, with an identical twin brother, Robert David, affectionately known as Rocky. The nickname "Bucky" itself was a family tradition, derived from his grandfather, "Buck."
Growing up, Bucky attended Scotland High School in Laurinburg, North Carolina. Before his musical aspirations took center stage, he worked at Covington's Body Shop, a practical step that perhaps hinted at the hands-on, self-taught approach he'd later apply to music.
A Budding Musician
It wasn't until the age of 18 that Bucky picked up a guitar, teaching himself to play. This initial spark quickly ignited a passion, leading him to perform in local clubs. He wasn't just a guitarist, though—Covington also honed his skills as a bassist, drummer, and songwriter, exploring both country and rock genres.
Interestingly, his twin brother, Rocky, also pursued music, becoming the lead singer for a North Carolina band called Swamp Cat. The brothers' shared musical talent would later prove to be a unique asset, and sometimes, a bit of a predicament.
A Case of Mistaken Identity
In 1998, when Bucky and Rocky were 20, they found themselves in a minor automobile accident. What followed was a memorable — and slightly mischievous — incident: Bucky reportedly pretended to be Rocky, leading to their arrest for confusing the authorities. The case, however, was complicated by their identical appearance, making it impossible to identify which twin was driving.
The American Idol Journey
The year 2005-2006 marked a pivotal moment for the Covington brothers when they both auditioned for American Idol in Greensboro, North Carolina. While Rocky's journey ended early, Bucky advanced, showcasing his raw country talent to a national audience.
Bucky's authentic style and Southern charm resonated with viewers, carrying him to the final twelve. During his run, he performed a diverse set of songs, demonstrating his range and influence from classic rock to contemporary country.
His song choices ranged from soulful rock anthems to beloved country classics, reflecting his broad musical taste and ability to connect with different genres.
February 22, 2006: "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd March 1, 2006: "The Thunder Rolls" by Garth Brooks March 8, 2006: "Wave on Wave" by Pat Green March 14, 2006: "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder March 21, 2006: "Oh Boy" by Buddy Holly March 28, 2006: "Real Good Man" by Tim McGraw April 4, 2006: "Best I Ever Had" by Gary Allan April 11, 2006: "Fat Bottomed Girls" by Queen
Ultimately, Bucky placed eighth in the competition, eliminated after performing Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls." Despite not winning, his American Idol exposure was exactly the springboard he needed for a promising career in country music.
Life After Idol
After his Idol stint, Bucky relocated to Franklin, Tennessee, near the heart of country music, Nashville. He shared his new home with Rocky and Rocky's wife, Terra, and Rocky even joined Bucky's touring band as a drummer, continuing their musical collaboration.
In his personal life, Bucky's marriage to Crystal ended in 2007. Years later, he found love again, becoming engaged to Katherine Cook in 2011. The couple welcomed their daughter, Kennedy Taylor Covington, into the world on October 10, 2014.
A Record-Breaking Debut
Bucky quickly capitalized on his American Idol momentum, becoming the first Idol contestant from season five to embark on a major non-American Idol concert tour, the GAC Country Music Christmas tour, in late 2006. This early move signaled his readiness for the big stage.
In December 2006, he signed a recording contract with Lyric Street Records, a country label under Buena Vista Music Group. His debut single, "A Different World," hit country radio on January 16, 2007, strategically coinciding with the premiere of American Idol season six.
His self-titled debut album, Bucky Covington, was released on April 17, 2007, to positive reviews. It was an instant hit, debuting at number four on the Billboard 200 and, more impressively, soaring to number one on the Top Country Albums chart.
This achievement was monumental: Bucky's debut recorded the best opening week for a male artist's debut album on the country charts since Billy Ray Cyrus's "Some Gave All" in 1992, surpassing even Jason Michael Carroll's recent record. The album produced three top singles, solidifying his place in country music.
These songs became staples on country radio, showcasing his storytelling ability and classic country sensibilities.
A Different World: Peaked at number six It's Good to Be Us: Peaked at number eleven I'll Walk: Peaked at number ten
Navigating Career Challenges and New Music
Bucky soon began working on his sophomore album, initially titled "I'm Alright." In 2009, he released several singles intended for this album, including "I Want My Life Back," which peaked at number 32, and a country-rock cover of Nickelback's "Gotta Be Somebody."
His third single from the project, "A Father's Love (The Only Way He Knew How)," released in March 2010, reached number 23 on the charts. However, the anticipated album release in April 2010 was put on hold when Lyric Street Records announced its closure.
After a period of being unsigned, Covington found a new home with E1 Music's Entertainment One Nashville label in October 2011. He released his second studio album, "Good Guys," on September 11, 2012, featuring the previously released singles and new tracks like "I Wanna Be That Feeling."
Discography Highlights
Studio Albums
Title US Country US US Indie Bucky Covington 1 4 — Good Guys 30 177 43
Extended Plays (EPs)
Title US Country Live from Rockingham — I'm Alright 73 Reality Country — Happy Man —
Singles
Year Single US Country US Album 2007 A Different World 6 58 Bucky Covington It's Good to Be Us 11 81 2008 I'll Walk 10 70 2009 I Want My Life Back 32 — Reality Country (EP) Gotta Be Somebody 51 — 2010 A Father's Love (The Only Way He Knew How) 23 — I'm Alright (EP) 2012 I Wanna Be That Feeling 57 — Good Guys Drinking Side of Country (with Shooter Jennings) — — 2014 Buzzin' — — Happy Man (EP) 2015 I Feel Ya — —
Music Videos
Year Video Director 2007 A Different World Trey Fanjoy It's Good to Be Us 2009 Gotta Be Somebody Devin Pense 2012 I Wanna Be That Feeling Kristin Barlowe Drinking Side of Country (with Shooter Jennings) Blake Judd 2015 Redneck Country Song (with Lenny Cooper)
Filmography
Year Film Role Notes 2009 Hannah Montana: The Movie Himself Played guitar in Robby Stewart's (Billy Ray Cyrus) band Fisher's ATV World Himself 2011 Billy Ray Cyrus: I'm American Himself TV movie
Article
Bucky Covington
William Joel "Bucky" Covington III (born November 8, 1977) is an American country music singer. He placed eighth on the 5th season of the Fox Network's talent competition series American Idol. In December 2006, he signed a recording contract with Lyric Street Records. His self-titled debut album, produced by Dale Oliver and Mark Miller of the band Sawyer Brown, was released on April 17, 2007. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, and produced three hit singles on the Hot Country Songs charts: "A Different World" at number six, "It's Good to Be Us" at number eleven, and "I'll Walk" at number ten. Three more singles: "I Want My Life Back", "Gotta Be Somebody", and "A Father's Love (The Only Way He Knew How)", were released for an unreleased second album, titled I'm Alright, and later included on his 2012 album, Good Guys.
Biography
Personal life
William Joel “Bucky” Covington was born in Rockingham, North Carolina, to Gene Covington and Deborah Gates on November 8, 1977 - along with his identical twin brother, Robert David "Rocky" Covington. Bucky is the nickname derived from his grandfather "Buck". He graduated in the class of 1996 from Scotland High School in Laurinburg, North Carolina. He worked at Covington's Body Shop in Rockingham, North Carolina.
At the age of 18, Covington taught himself how to play the guitar and began performing at clubs. He is also a bassist, drummer, and songwriter. Over the years, Covington has expanded his talents, both country and rock. After some time, he elected to perform both original and cover material in a cross-genre vein. Rocky is also a musician and is the former lead singer of the North Carolina band Swamp Cat.
In 1998, when the Covington twins were 20 years old, they were in a minor automobile mishap. Bucky allegedly pretended to be Rocky. They were arrested for confusing the authorities. The plaintiff failed to identify which twin was driving, since the twins were identical.
After Idol, Bucky bought a house in Franklin, Tennessee, near Nashville, which he shared with Rocky and his wife Terra. Rocky also joined Bucky's band as a drummer. On February 13, 2007, he and his wife Crystal separated after more than seven years of marriage. Covington became engaged to Katherine Cook in 2011.
On October 10, 2014, Covington's fiancee, Katherine Cook, gave birth to their daughter, Kennedy Taylor Covington.
American Idol
In the 2005-06 season, the Covington twins auditioned for American Idol in Greensboro, North Carolina, individually. Of the two, Bucky advanced to the final twelve. On March 22, Bucky remained in the bottom three, along with Lisa Tucker and Kevin Covais. On April 12, when Covington was in the bottom three with Ace Young and Elliott Yamin, the votes went to the latter two. In the Top 8 results show of season six of American Idol, he appeared in one of the front rows.
• February 22, 2006: "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd • March 1, 2006: "The Thunder Rolls" by Garth Brooks • March 8, 2006: "Wave on Wave" by Pat Green
• March 14, 2006: "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder • March 21, 2006: "Oh Boy" by Buddy Holly (Bottom 2) • March 28, 2006: "Real Good Man" by Tim McGraw • April 4, 2006: "Best I Ever Had" by Gary Allan • April 11, 2006: "Fat Bottomed Girls" by Queen (Bottom 3, Eliminated)
Debut album: Bucky Covington
In November and December 2006, Bucky Covington performed on the GAC Country Music Christmas tour, making him the first Idol from the 5th season to be part of a major non-American Idol concert tour.
Covington negotiated with Buena Vista Music Group's country label, Lyric Street Records. His debut single, "A Different World", was released to country radio on January 16, 2007, coinciding with the premiere of American Idol (season 6). Its initial debut on radio was on Sirius Satellite Radio's New Country channel in late December 2006.
His debut album, Bucky Covington, was released on April 17, 2007, to positive reviews. It debuted on the Billboard 200 at number four selling 61,000 copies. It also debuted at number one on the Top Country Albums chart, making the album the best opening week for a debut album by a male on the chart since Billy Ray Cyrus' 1992 debut with Some Gave All. Covington's debut surpassed the previous record held by Jason Michael Carroll's Waitin' in the Country. He performed selections from his album during a nationwide tour in 2007, and the track "Empty Handed" appeared in NASCAR 08 as part of the in-game soundtrack. Overall, Bucky Covington accounted for three singles. "A Different World" peaked at number six, followed by "It's Good to Be Us" at number eleven and "I'll Walk" at number ten.
Unreleased second album: I'm Alright and Good Guys
In January 2009, Lyric Street noted that Covington has been in the studio recording his second album, I'm Alright. The lead-off single, "I Want My Life Back" was released to radio in April 2009 and it peaked at number 32. In early October 2009, Covington released a cover version of Nickelback's hit single "Gotta Be Somebody" which peaked at number 51 in December 2009 after spending only three weeks on the chart. The album's third single, "A Father's Love (The Only Way He Knew How)", was released in March 2010, and peaked at number 23.
The album was expected for release on April 27, 2010. However, in April 2010, it was announced Lyric Street Records would be closing, but Covington would be transferred to another label owned by Disney Music Group. However, Covington remained unsigned until October 2011 when it was announced that he had signed as the "premier artist" for E1 Music's Entertainment One Nashville label. Covington released his second studio album, Good Guys, on September 11, 2012. Two singles—"I Wanna Be That Feeling" and "Drinking Side of Country"—were released by E1 Music in promotion of the album.
Discography
Studio albums
<table><thead><tr><th>Title</th><th>Album details</th><th>Peak chart positions</th><th>Sales</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>US Country</td><td>US</td><td>US Indie</td></tr><tr><td>Bucky Covington</td><td></td><td>1</td><td>4</td><td>—</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Good Guys</td><td></td><td>30</td><td>177</td><td>43</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>"—" denotes releases that did not chart</td></tr></tbody></table>
Extended plays
<table><thead><tr><th>Title</th><th>EP details</th><th>Peak positions</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>US Country</td></tr><tr><td>Live from Rockingham</td><td></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>I'm Alright</td><td></td><td>73</td></tr><tr><td>Reality Country</td><td></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Happy Man</td><td></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>"—" denotes releases that did not chart</td></tr></tbody></table>
Singles
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Single</th><th>Peak chart positions</th><th>Album</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>US Country</td><td>US</td></tr><tr><td>2007</td><td>"A Different World"</td><td>6</td><td>58</td><td>Bucky Covington</td></tr><tr><td>"It's Good to Be Us"</td><td>11</td><td>81</td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>"I'll Walk"</td><td>10</td><td>70</td></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td>"I Want My Life Back"</td><td>32</td><td>—</td><td>Reality Country (EP)</td></tr><tr><td>"Gotta Be Somebody"</td><td>51</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>"A Father's Love (The Only Way He Knew How)"</td><td>23</td><td>—[A]</td><td>I'm Alright (EP)</td></tr><tr><td>2012</td><td>"I Wanna Be That Feeling"</td><td>57</td><td>—</td><td>Good Guys</td></tr><tr><td>"Drinking Side of Country" (with Shooter Jennings)</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><td>"Buzzin'"</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>Happy Man (EP)</td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><td>"I Feel Ya"</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>"—" denotes releases that did not chart</td></tr></tbody></table>
Guest singles
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Single</th><th>Artist</th><th>Album</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>2014</td><td>"Redneck Country Song"</td><td>Lenny Cooper</td><td>The Grind</td></tr></tbody></table>
Music videos
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Video</th><th>Director</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>2007</td><td>"A Different World"</td><td>Trey Fanjoy</td></tr><tr><td>"It's Good to Be Us"</td></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td>"Gotta Be Somebody"</td><td>Devin Pense</td></tr><tr><td>2012</td><td>"I Wanna Be That Feeling"</td><td>Kristin Barlowe</td></tr><tr><td>"Drinking Side of Country" (with Shooter Jennings)</td><td>Blake Judd</td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><td>"Redneck Country Song" (with Lenny Cooper)</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>
Other appearances
• "Superstition" from American Idol Season 5: Encores (2006)
Filmography
Bucky Covington
<table><thead><tr><th>Film</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Year</td><td>Film</td><td>Role</td><td>Notes</td></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td>Hannah Montana: The Movie</td><td>Himself</td><td>Played guitar in Robby Stewart's (Billy Ray Cyrus) band</td></tr><tr><td>Fisher's ATV World</td><td>Himself</td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td>Billy Ray Cyrus: I'm American</td><td>Himself</td><td>TV movie</td></tr></tbody></table>