October means rest for Bo, antseyness for us

Bo is taking some time off this month for some well-deserved rest and recuperation from some health issues. Of course we've all been worried about him and fretted and looked to Sharon from Fan ClubHouse to keep us up-to-date on his progress. I'm sure he's also been spoiled with lots of cards and get-well gifts, too. We just love him, that's all!

Some new dates are popping up and that's a great sign that he is feeling better and plans to be out on the road again shortly.

Jimmy and I went over to Georgia to see him in September and he put on a fantastic show. But of course, he always does! I felt really sorry for him and the rest of the guys, especially Patrick, for having to drive 10 hours overnight from GA to OH for a show.

My fingers are crossed that the show will happen November 11th in Decatur, AL! That's only an hour and a half from me. I'm anxious to see his face. :)

I'm behind and I'll never catch up.

I have been very neglectful of this blog. Too much has been going on or else I'm just too lazy to write down my Bo experiences. No, I haven't given up on the man or changed anything in that regard. It's just writing stuff down and telling about it has been put on the backburner.

Today I am here because I'm kind of melancholy. I've seen Bo quite a bit this year, but I've also had to miss some important things this year, too. Makes my heart hurt. Yes, that may seem dumb to those who don't understand how it is to be so emotionally connected to this man.

In order to change my mood I'm going to list some things that I've done this year and maybe those things will cheer me up.

Dog Fashion Show for Nashville Humane Association
Atlanta
Macon
Pigeon Forge
Mercy Lounge
Grand Ole Opry
Rocking through the Rain
Phenix City
CMA Week activities
Rooster's
12th & Porter
Winchester and all the surprises and winning the guitar
Chattanooga

Man. That looks sparse (for me). But something that makes me smile is that I got to talk to him at every show except a few. That's a good thing.

My problem is that I just don't have the money nor the time off from work to hit all the shows/benefits/events that I want to. Last night he had a benefit at The Tin Roof in Nashville. I have been sick since Thursday and didn't feel like driving up there. Plus I had to be at work this morning, so I didn't go. Now I am wishing that I had. He also has something Tuesday night, but it's smack dab in the middle of the week so I won't be going there, either. Jimmy is going with me to Georgia next weekend. The show is at a fair so there probably won't be any face time. Too many people. Then I'll see him October 2 at a picnic fundraiser for Honor Flight. That's all for now except Christmas. I need to double up on my B12, hit the lottery and hit the road!!

Rockin' through the Rain

This benefit was held at The Limelight in Nashville. Debbie and I drove up, met Jen, and got to the venue around 6. There was a lot of merchandise up for auction and I bid on a signed Nascar poster for Seth. I was the only bidder, and I won it! It was a huge poster, so I told the girls that I was going to go out and put it in the Yukon.

Much to my surprise, as I walked out into the parking lot, Bo had just arrived and was getting his guitar out of his back seat. He said, "Well hey, Lisa", and came over and we chatted for a few minutes. He thought the poster was cool. It was Earnhardt, and that's his favorite you know. ;)

Back inside, I enjoyed listening to the other entertainment, including Vinny from Trailer Choir. He is so funny and is super talented. They had an auction to see how much they could earn to have him do the worm. He raised quite a bit and it was during this bidding time that I found out Bo was going to be in Winchester, TN the 21st of August! Happy Happy! Joy Joy!

Bo performed several songs and was his customary funny, sweet self. He charms everyone in the room wherever he is at. This was one trip that was definitely worth making. I had a fantastic time.

I Spent Tax Day at Rounders in Tuscaloosa ;)

Wow, April 15 was a whirlwind of a day. Jimmy had knee surgery early that afternoon in Huntsville. When he was out and in recovery, I headed down I65 to Birmingham to meet Debbie. Rachel and Seth took Jimmy home and looked after him until I got home the following day. Debbie and I had planned this trip prior to Jimmy scheduling the surgery, so we worked it out.

We headed out to Tuscaloosa in my vehicle, Debbie driving. I was pooped. Jane Bell and one of her friends rode with us. We arrived down there in plenty of time to get a park right in front of the bar! We went in, got a drink and sat. And waited. And waited. And waited. He was supposed to start at 9 or 10 and I don't think he got onstage until 11:30ish. I'm too old for that crap, but once Bo came out, I forgot how tired I was!

He did a fantastic show and he sang one of my favorite covers, "Shaky Ground". The college boys loved us older ladies and they were apt to come up, throw their arm around our shoulder and sway to the music at any time. I was very surprised to see that the bar is owned by some young guys from my hometown. Small world.

No meet and greet that night, but I did send Bo a little photo album full of pictures of him at Tin Pan South. I figured he might like to have them for keepsakes.

It was a good night. I'm sorry I cannot remember too many particulars; it's been a while and a lot has happened since then!!

Man, I've been a neglectful Peep!

I never came back and finished Tin Pan South and I have a concert at Rounders, Rockin' Through the Rain benefit, and an entire week of CMA Fest to write about now! Briefly, I'll summarize what happened the other two days at Tin Pan South.

On Friday, day three, we went to The Rutledge and saw some great songwriters. Bo was in the audience and he was recognized and called onstage by Jamie Houston to sing "Brown Skin Girl". Greg Barnhill called him up to sing "Lonely, Broke and Wasted". Jim Peterik was also there and I sat right beside him on the front row. He cracked me up warming up his voice. That man is killer! (He asked that I email him pictures, which I did, and he promptly sent a thank you email to me.) Bo was called onstage to sing "Vehicle" with Jim that night, too. All of the songwriters were so nice. While chatting after the show, Bo recommended that we see Jeffrey Steele Saturday night.

Well, Debbie and I had planned on going home Saturday to be home for Easter, but I concocted a plan. We could stay and see Jeffrey, drive to Madison and spend the night, and the next morning Debbie could drive home and get there in time for Easter celebrations. Since I would be right there in Madison, I could easily meet my family for church. Decision made! We were staying!

Saturday night we saw Mr. Steele. Holy crap, he never disappoints! The man played over THREE hours without a break. THREE. He enjoys performing better than anyone I've ever seen. Debbie was in heaven.

Tin Pan South was an exceptional experience. The songwriters are so talented and I have so much respect for them. It was great seeing Bo out and about, mingling with his peers, relaxed and having a good time.

Now I've got to get busy with Rounders, Rockin' and CMA!!

Tin Pan South: Day 2

After putting in a late night, Debbie and I lazed around like two princesses all day Thursday. We got up and dressed and headed into town for the blues show with Marc Broussard and for The Ides of March show at the Hard Rock.

We got in line early and had a good time goofing off until they let us in. We had to dash up a long set of stairs and we ended up on the second row. We ordered appetizers to snack on and then we enjoyed a show which featured Marc Broussard, Drew Ramsey, Shannon Sanders, and Tommy Sims. I've always loved Marc Broussard and I especially love his song Home. He has a fantastic voice!! The other men have penned many famous songs. I believe I heard them say that Tommy Sims wrote Change the World sung by Eric Clapton. They all put on a supurb show, and soon we had to go back downstairs to wait for The Ides of March.

You know, we Peeps get really creative when it comes to getting good seats and such. One girl went downstairs and waited in line for us before the first show let out so that we would have good seats for The Ides of March. Once again, we ran up the stairs, only to discover that the seats had been removed and it was standing room only down on the floor. We made it to the front and I'll admit, I'm spoiled to it. There's nothing like being so close to the musicians, the instruments and to occasionally make eye contact with the ones performing is cool. You can let them know with a look or a smile or raising your hands over your head and clapping just how much you're enjoying the show.

The Ides of March have been around a long time! They came out and did a rocking show. I glanced over to my right and there stood Bo, sipping on a cup of beer and nodding and grooving along with the music. Oh, what we had hoped to happen just might be happening!! On the set list we had seen that the last song was Vehicle, and sure enough, Jim Peterik called Bo onto the stage and they did a to-die-for version of it! They were all smiling from ear to ear. They absolutely brought down the house!

Other celebrities were there that night including Jeff Carlisi from .38 Special and Phil Collen from Def Leppard. Afterwards, the musicians were freely mingling with the guests, and I was blown away by how casual and relaxed it all was. They would shake your hand, ask you your name, where you're from, etc. Very, very nice. Not a big ego in the bunch that I saw. Bo, of course, was sweet as could be. I stood back and didn't bother him as he was mingling with the industry people and new fans. But he made time for us, coming over to greet us and offer pictures. He's a sweetie. It made me happy to see so many people asking for his autograph and getting pictures with him. He is so deserving!

After the show we went to Paradise Park and had burgers. On the way there we ran into one of the guys from the Ides of March and he stopped and chatted with us. I adore Nashville!

For some crazy reason I did not take my camera with me to the Hard Rock. Thankfully Reba snapped a picture of me with Bo and she took some amazing video!

Here is the link to Reba's video of Vehicle. Go there. You won't be sorry!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKUipMC6xgY

Tin Pan South: Music, Music, and More Music- Day 1

Bo, Darryl Burgess, A.J. Masters and Greg Crowe- The Front Men

The Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival is something I had only vaguely heard about before this year. Of course when it was brought to my attention that Bo was doing a writer's round at this year's festival, I knew I had to go! You can buy a fast access pass and can get into any of the numerous shows going on the entire week, so that's what I did and it's one of the best things I've ever done!

Debbie and I headed out to Nashville last Wednesday, all excited at the prospect of seeing Bo in this setting. After settling down in our hotel room, we got dressed and headed over to the Douglas Corner Cafe where The Front Men, Darryl Burgess, Greg Crowe, A.J. Masters, and Bo Bice, were doing the second show. We arrived early and like good little Peeps, were first in the pass line. Bo came by on his way in and spoke to everyone. We only waited a couple of hours, then we were admitted. Some folks were already in there and although I had a seat at the table surrounding the writers, I could not see Bo. So I decided to take a seat at the booth directly behind the table with a straight line of vision to him.

The men were set up in a circle in the middle of a U of tables. There was a large hanging lamp directly over them but they were mostly in the darkness. Unfortunately, that meant I had to use the flash with my camera, but I don't think it bothered them because it wasn't flashing in their eyes.

The guys started the round and it was a laid-back, easy feeling, like we were witnessing them jamming in somebody's garage or living room. Bo sang several songs and I loved to watch the men start singing along and playing their guitars. Bo had brought some percussion instruments and his harmonica and he would pull them out and play them when the other guys were having their turn. Bo sang Wild Roses (*sigh*), Good Hearted Woman, American Blood, a FANTASTIC one I had never heard called You Better Run, and I can't remember right the moment what the rest of them were. Everyone was having such a good time that each time a round ended they'd ask, "One more round?" and everyone would yell "Yeah!!" They played for three hours! It was so great for me to see the other songwriters closing their eyes, listening intently to Bo as he sang, and nodding their heads. They called him "The Voice", which Bo misunderstood as "One Voice" and they all started joking about that.

Caroline was there and she was just as sweet as always. Bo too was very sweet and all the men hung around and chatted and posed for pictures. I love it that Bo's a fan like we are. It was so cool that he got all of the men to sign his set list! It was a wonderful keepsake of his first Tin Pan participation.

We left, all revved up and excited about the next night's performance of The Ides of March.

Talladega, Alabama: Aidan Michael Bice's Singing Debut!

I've been extremely neglectful of this blog! So sorry!

Let's talk about my trip down to Talladega to see Bo at The Ritz Theater March 26. I headed out around lunchtime that day and after asking directions from some nice guy who looked like my brother-in-law, I made it to the Holiday Inn and my friends.

Six of us were celebrating our birthdays and Debbie had outdone herself with decorations, a cake, and I got some nice gifts. Such awesome friends I have...all thanks to Bo. I love them and I love him. Ok- on to the show!

We got dressed and headed over to a wine and cheese party that the city was hosting. We tasted wines from the local vinyards and enjoyed some good cheeses, then headed on over to The Ritz.

As Debbie and I parked, this car parked by us and it was Bo's parents. His mom immediately came over and gave us a hug and his dad said, "Hey girlfriends!" They are such nice people! We had a gift for Bo and also a birthday gift for Bo's bulldog Sally in the back of the car. Nancy said that if Bo didn't have a meet and greet she promised she'd send Patrick out to get them. So we all walked toward the theater and found our seats.

Front row ain't bad, ya'll! The place was full, including the balcony, and I was itching for the show to start. It had been since Thanksgiving weekend since I had heard a full band show and I was SO ready!

Bo came out singing U Make Me Better, then sang See The Light, Different Shades of Blue, This Train (I hadn't heard him do that one in a while!), Keep On Rolling, I'm Gone, Can't Take The Country Out of Me, Wild Roses (*sigh*), Good Hearted Woman, I Ain't Gonna Die, Who Know What, The Real Thing (during which time he came down into the audience and went up and down the aisles connecting with people), Witness (with the yummy talkbox), and then Sweet Home Alabama, the highlight of the evening. It was the highlight because Bo had his 4 year old son Aidan Michael join him onstage to make his singing debut! Aidan was adorable, shy at first, but then warming up and dancing like a whirling dervish! He was SO excited! Then the concert ended with Whiskey, Women and Time.

After the show, Aidan was giving people high fives and was riding high on his performance! It was so cute to see!

Bo had a meet and greet, and as usual, I got at the back of the line. I had shown the gift that Debbie and I were giving him to Caroline and his mom and they wanted to be there when he got it. Bo of course was cracking jokes and having a big time. He's so much fun to be around!

We all made our way back to the hotel and had birthday cake and snacks. It was a wonderful day!

The Haircut!!

Bo finally did it. He cut off his luxurious locks, changing his image to one of a more "country" nature to go along with his new CD (Different Shades of Blue, release date 5/25/10). Well, let me tell you something. He looks fabulous!!

The first we saw of the haircut was when he put a picture up on his Zannel on the front page of bb.com. http://www.bobice.com/ Then we saw pictures from his Tin Pan South Festival Preview Party appearance March 9, and we saw more pictures from the 4th Annual Toyota Skinner Round Up For Charity he attended March 11 & 12 in Daytona, Florida. I must say, he looks great. He has blonde highlights around his face and the cut is perfect for him, just brushing his shoulders. But it already looks like it's grown an inch or so since the first picture!! His hair grows SO fast!

Upcoming news is that Bo has a show in Talladega, AL at The Ritz Theater next Friday, March 26th. Tickets are available at http://talladegaritz.com/. Then on March 31 he will be performing as part of the Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival in Nashville. His show is at Douglas Corner at 9 p.m. Admission is $12 at the door or you may get in with your Fast Access Pass, sold at http://www.tinpansouth.com/ .

Another exciting appearance is going to be on Emeril's new show! Bo taped the show Saturday, March 13 in New York but I don't know when it is going to be aired. Emeril's new show is on the ION network, so keep your eye out for it! As soon as I know when it's going to be on I'll post the date here.

The lovely collage that is at the top is courtesy of my friend NYNancy, who made it from pictures taken of Bo at the Tin Pan South party.

Salisbury, our third and final stop

Peep Plane

Lunchtime!

Our limo!

Saturday morning we got up at the crack of dawn and headed to the Baltimore airport. We had a Peep Plane to catch! Me, Miss Terrorist, was chosen randomly to be body scanned. I just smiled, stepped into the little area with the yellow footprints and held my hands up like I was surrendering while the machine moved around me. Then my hands were swabbed to see if I had been building a bomb. Nope, I was clean! I was free to continue on into the terminal.

We all gathered and lined up at the Southwest gate, anxious to get a seat and be on our way. It was a lot of fun riding with the peeps. Reba and Jayne were laughing so hard in the seat a few rows back that they made me laugh and I didn't even know what was going on!

When we arrived in Boston, our pilot graciously agreed to have his picture taken with us. We got off the plane and lined up in the hallway and I know the rest of the people thought we were loony! The people just kept coming and kept coming! I didn't know those planes held that many people!

Mr. Pilot asked us who we were going to see and we all said BO BICE and he kiddingly said, "I remember him, but Carrie's still the best!" He was heartily booed, but it was all in good fun. We even enlisted another airport worker to be in the photo, too. We were making memories!

Next came the car rental. I must say that Enterprise treats you like royalty! We were given water while we waited, then we divided into two groups. Our group was in a ? with Sue driving. We were crammed in like sardines, but we didn't have far to ride...I didn't think!

Let me tell you, Boston is one confusing place! We missed our exit right away and ended up in Cambridge. We stopped and I was able to pick up somebody's Wi-Fi and I got us a Mapquest map. Optimistically, we headed out and immediately, we were lost again! I told Sue to pull into a service station and thankfully, a cab driver was there and he led the way for us and we finally arrived at the hotel! His name was Sully and he waved us goodbye. I had even sung a song of thanks to him on the way to the hotel. We'd probably STILL be riding around if Sully hadn't come along!

By that time, we were all hungry. We met up with the other group and walked across the parking lot to a restaurant for lunch.

We were immediately seated and we ordered drinks. Our little waiter, Napoleon (I'm not kidding, that was his name!), seemed overwhelmed by all of us. Long story short, we were there For-Ever!!!

Back at the hotel, we decided that we weren't going to attempt the drive over to Salisbury, so we got a limo! I was so excited- I was the only bumpkin who had never ridden in one!!

At six o'clock a big, white stretch limo arrived and Paul Jones, our dashing chauffeur, helped all ten of us load into the limo, he opened our champagne, and soon we were sipping our drinks and rolling on our way to see Bo!

We laughed, sang along with the radio, and before we knew it, we arrived at Tupelo Music Hall!

The venue was right on the beach but it was so dark that I couldn't see anything. We went inside and made our way to our table, stopping along the way to hug necks and briefly visit with Peeps we haven't seen in a while.

My table was in the middle on the second row. It was an excellent seat and a great vantage point for taking photographs.

The crowd was loud and boisterous and I think it distracted the opening act, Adam Ezra, somewhat. I was just hoping and praying that it would quieten down once Bo got onstage.

Soon it was time for Bo and here he came, looking all spiffy in a brown jacket, tee, jeans and some sharp brown leather boots. Bo basically did the same set list he had done the previous two shows, so I won't name each and every song. He did a good job of ignoring the rude people in the room who continuously jabbered and laughed while he was performing. The lady sitting next to me asked if that was the peeps and I said, "NO!". Before the show started I told her she was really going to enjoy Bo (she had only seen him on the Idol tour) and she said, "I'll enjoy just looking at him." ;) Peep-in-the-making, wouldn't you say? LOL

Bo seemed quite hot during this performance and he and Bart had a little fun with a towel. Bart placed it on the end of his guitar and poked it at Bo! They have such great chemistry together onstage. Bo chatted about the great hospitality there, the great food, and of course he gave props to Patrick and Don. He kidded around with a little girl at a front table about how much she liked the show and he said, "Just for lying to me, I'm going to give you this pick!"

Bo sang my favorite song of his, Sinner in a Sin. He said it was one of his favorite tunes; he didn't know why he hadn't played it in a while. He asked Bart to play dobro on it because he said he thought it suited this song. "Out of all the songs I've written, I think this one I've always kind of looked at as being my own little autobiography kind of thing."

He ended the show with Whiskey, Women and Time, and I sure did hate to see him leave the stage. We hung around a little bit and no meet and greet was mentioned, so we said our goodbyes and headed out to the limo where Paul was waiting.

The trip back wasn't quite as lively as the one going down. The end of a run is always sad, but it puts me into the mood of looking toward the future to the next shows.

Next up on my agenda...TALLADEGA!!

Bo Show Take Two: Vienna

Friday afternoon Jackie, Deb, Debbie and I left early to head to Vienna. We wanted to make sure that we knew where we were going in the daylight. The traffic was bumper-to-bumper and I tell you what, this country girl doesn't think she could drive in that mess! Jackie's husband was on the phone with her, telling her the best route to take to avoid the worst traffic as he watched a traffic report on his computer. As it was it was creep and stop, creep and stop for a while, then it evened out and we made our way on to Vienna.

We drove around once we got to Wolf Trap, looking for The Barns. Snow was everywhere and we saw Bo's bus and could just picture him out in the snow playing around. He's a Southerner like me; we think snow is wonderful!!

We finally made our way to The Barns and picked up Sue who had driven in by herself. Poor old Deb was car sick and I know she felt as if the trip would never end!! The roads were curvy and we stopped to give Deb a break. She walked up and down a sidewalk breathing in the fresh air and in the meanwhile, asked a person where we could get some dinner.

After riding into town, we decided on this little mom and pop diner. We were all starving (besides Deb, who had toast and Sierra Mist) and had omelettes. Soon it was getting time for the show!

The Barns is a lovely venue. I really like the atmosphere there. People were gathered in the bar, having drinks, snacks and chatting. We stood around a while and then decided to find our seats, which were in the fifth row smack dab in the center. Of course I would love to be on the front row always, but this time it was full of Wolf Trap patrons and it gave Bo a break from our faces! LOL

Last year The Barns allowed NO photography of any sort. So, we all left our cameras back in Baltimore. Well. This year they allowed non-flash photography. But I was happy to just sit back because I KNEW this show would be magical!

The place was about full, including the balcony. The lights dimmed, the announcer asked everyone to turn off cell phones, and Bo was introduced!

Oh, what a sight to behold! Bo always takes my breath away. He is a vision with that beautiful hair, pretty skin, infectious smile, twinkling eyes and then...that incredible voice on top of that pretty package ties it all together. Man. He had on a tee, a brown jacket, some great jeans and boots.

The advantage of not taking pictures is that I get to really concentrate on the music, on each note, and absorb it all fully without any distractions.

He started off the show with his Country song which was received with much hooting, hollering and applause. Long, Long Road was next, followed by the funkalicious Who Knows What. Bo did a lot of bantering and laughing during this show. He was at his best! Good Hearted Woman was up next, a song he said he wrote after the birth of Aidan, his oldest son. He slowed things down with You Take Yourself With You, a personal favorite of mine.

Bart Walker is an amazing asset to Bo's show. His instrumentation is phenomenal, not to mention his awesome voice. I watched him as he sang harmony with Bo. He would back away from his microphone and then sometimes go closer to get louder. The dynamics were perfection.

Bo rocked it on He Got You, threw in the lovely Different Shades of Blue, then kicked it back up with I Love The Road. Oh! And then he sang Lonely, Broke and Wasted. That song is a HIT, I tell you, a HIT! It deserves to be heard and given acclaim. Oh, I hope when Bo's CD is released that this is one that will resonate over the airwaves.

Bo started talking about this group from Georgia who had this rather unattractive lead singer and said "he had him licked!" No kidding. Anyway, he did a rousing rendition of Keep Your Hands To Yourself. What fun! The audience was clapping and swaying and singing along.

The next song Bo said he wrote and it was for all the beautiful ladies he saw on the road. He said he had to leave his family and the fans were an extension of his family. And he said he could say they were beautiful, dammit, he was married, but they were beautiful. Wild Roses, the song that just pierces my heart, echoed through The Barns warming every peep in attendance. He ended the song by singing "I love them Wild Roses". Well, the Wild Roses adore you, Mr. Bice.

Bart and Bo showed out on a funky cool jazzy version of Witness. Bo had people testifying all over the building! One man in the second row that I remember from last year was raising his hand "witnessing" and at one point he was slinging his hat around.

They left the stage and we clapped, stomped and called his name until he returned to sing Cinnamon and Novocaine. Then the last song was Whiskey, Women and Time.

This show was as close to perfect as they come. The crowd was on fire, Bo was on fire, Bart was on fire and it was magical. I wish I could relive it every day!

Since I took no photos, here is the link to a video of Wild Roses, courtesy of sjwbo. Sorry, I couldn't make the embedding code work for me!

WILD ROSES

February Bo Shows: Show One, Virginia Beach

Wow, it’s been a long time since I’ve blogged! I got back a week ago from my highly anticipated Bo trip to Virginia and Massachusetts. Unfortunately, as soon as I got home, almost literally, I was struck with the cold/crud and felt hideous all week long.

This weekend has been busy, but I did want to start recapping my trip!

On Wednesday, February 17, Debbie and I left Birmingham and flew to Norfolk, VA with a layover in Baltimore. We arrived at noon, called the shuttle from the hotel, and checked in. Right as we got there, Jackie arrived, and the wild women that we are, we decided to take a nap!!

After sleeping a couple of hours, we were up and anticipating the show at the Sandler Center. We were meeting some others for dinner and ended up in an Irish pub/restaurant called Keagan’s. We were in such a hurry that we asked what we could order that would get to us the fastest, and we ended up with a few various appetizers.

Right across the way was The Sandler Center, a huge facility and we were on the front row! I was piddling with my camera, hoping and praying to get some decent shots. The man photographs beautifully and I wanted to make the best of it. We were only there a few moments when Bo was introduced!

It was so good to see him again! He looked wonderful, hair all shiny and he was wearing a striped jacket, jeans, and a tee with his black boots. He started the show off with Long Road Back and followed up with his new one, Who Knows What. Then came Good Hearted Woman and Bart was tearing up that mandolin! Bo joked around about watching the Olympics and how he likes curling! LOL Bo then sang his heartbroken song, He Got You. I think he's over it as he said at a show earlier this year. ;) He joked around as he tried to get his capo in the correct position for his new song Take Yourself With You. He said he messed up three times! I love that song. I heard him sing it when he was at the Oasis Church. Different Shades of Blue, one of my absolute favorite new songs, came next. I tell you what, Bo has some fantastic new music. If you haven't heard any of it, please do yourself a favor and look it up on youtube. You will NOT be disappointed. He followed this one with I Love The Road and the hauntingly beautiful Lonely, Broke and Wasted. His voice just soared in the hall and I wanted to absorb every note. He played homage to his heroes in Can't take the Country Out of Me, brought back an oldie but goodie, Cinnamon and Novocaine, called Bart "the male Martha Stewart" when he had both his mandolin and guitar around his neck on the tune Wild Roses; Bo also decided that he would bring "fabulous" back after bantering with a fan. Bo and Bart then got funky with Witness, which was his last song. After a lot of clapping and screaming his name, he came back onstage and triggered many tears with Time in a Bottle, which he dedicated to his wife and kids. It was indescribably beautiful. I think it was so sweet and touching that he sang it for them. He also drank a toast to his new son, Ean. Bo finished up the show with Whiskey, Women and Time. All too soon it was over. *Sigh* Man, I had missed Bo something fierce!

And so, show number one of the tour was gone and I was looking ahead to The Barns at Wolf Trap. I'll recap it tomorrow!

Daddy X 3!!!

I've been gone all weekend on a mini-vacation, but before I left, I heard the good news...Caroline had delivered a healthy boy, Ean Jacob Bice, on Friday morning, January 22.

Bo tweeted this to announce his birth: EAN JACOB BICE, 10:30am, 8.5lbs. Welcome To Life My Son, U Make Us Proud. 11:23 AM Jan 22nd from mobile web

Bo also posted a picture on Zannel of himself holding Ean with this caption: EAN JACOB BICE.jpg Happy Birthday My Beautiful Son. The Bice Brothers Band Has A New Bass Player.
You can see the Zannel picture of Bo holding Ean at this link.
http://www.bobice.com/

Someone tweeted yesterday that they saw Bo at Babies R Us. Wonder what he was getting for the baby? There's no telling, but I'll bet Bo had a big old grin all over his face!

This morning, Bo tweeted this message: Welcome Home Ean!! Thank U To All Our Friends And Fans For Your Tweets And Messages. We R Very Blessed about 13 hours ago from mobile web

I hope Ean's first night in his new home is full of sweet dreams. Congratulations, Bo and Caroline. You have a beautiful family!

I'm a Survivor!!

I survived it. I survived being at home while it felt like the whole entire world (except me and Debbie!) were at Bo shows.

Thursday night was fantastic, as you can read about in my prior post. Friday I was so excited over the new music and I played it all day long! But...as the day progressed and nighttime approached and in the back of my mind I knew that an audience was filing in, all excited and buzzing and Bo was about to take the stage, my heart started sinking.

I didn't call into the cellcert Friday night. Too painful. Nor Saturday. Nor Sunday. Oh, I gobbled up the videos and music that people graciously shared online. But my heart was down somewhere around my knees and I could NOT bring myself to listen live to what I was missing.

I've got the best friends in the world. They sent texts, emails, and PMs; they called me and helped to make me feel included! They told me that sweet Bo wore the angel wing cross that Debbie and I gave him in August all four nights. A minister blessed it, asking God to protect whomever was wearing it, keeping them safe in their travels. Lord knows I pray for his safety while he's on the road and the safety of all my friends. Thankfully, everyone got home safely from this run.

But mark my words, right here, right now at 7:51 p.m. on January 20th, 2010: I will never, ever pass up a 4-in-a-row concert experience again. He was magnificent in videos; I can just imagine how breathtakingly unbelievable he was live singing those new songs. Next time, Good Lord willing, I'll be there!

Cellcert: not the real thing, but it'll do in a pinch

Listening to Bo sing I'm Gone from Sellersville, PA right now, courtesy of a cellcert. Usually cellcerts sound like aliens due to all speakers and electric guitars, but this is an acoustic show, so it's just a plain and clear as a bell.

Sellersville is a neat venue. I was there last February on the front row. In fact, I propped my feet up on the edge of the stage. Bo wore a vest with no shirt underneath. It was awesome. And I'm bummed because I'm not sitting right there right now. Suppose he misses me? Yeah, right. But I can pretend. ;) He thanked all the Peeps for coming out tonight to see him.

So far he's sung: Country Song, I Ain't Gonna Die, I Love The Road, and I'm Gone.

I'll fill in more as he sings them. He loves to chatter and I love to listen to him. He was talking about Sally the bulldog and how she's seen more than a lot of humans in her little life~nobody tell her she's a dog!

Now he's singing Good Hearted Woman. Bart's mandolin playing is amazing. He's a talented guy. He and Bo have a great chemistry.

Now he's chattering about the holidays, traveling around, and enjoying hanging out with Bart. He's mentioning Don and Patrick, also, thanking them all for coming out with him.

He's playing an old song that he "loves"...Looking Out My Back Door. I love the way he's singing "doo doo doo"! Really countrified- I adore it!

New Song Coming Up!!! A collaboration with Darryl Burgess..."a funky little ditty called Who Knows What". It is funky!

Another New Song!!! He was up with NY Governor Tucker and he debuted this song there. Talked about seeing a kid from Alabama in Kuwait and Iraq when he visited there. He's dedicating this song to "Private Bama". Long Road Back... This is one of my favorites and it's so catchy if it is played on the radio it is SURE to be a hit!

A song he recorded with a country artist is next, Joe Diffie. Bo's saying what a wealth of knowledge he is, even making wine, good flavors of wine..LOL. Willin'

"Wanna hear another new song? Bob Marley tribute to a woman that broke my heart. That's a shame. Can you tell I'm over it?" Lots of laughter...He Got You.

"My wife likes that song!" LOL

Witness

Screaming for an encore...

He's back! He's talking about the meet and greet, asking cooperation with his crew, said he brushed his hair...

Take the Money and Run

Whiskey, Women and Time

Show's over. :( But it was great sharing it on the phone. Thank you, cellcerters!!

ETA: Deb said he said to tell me HEY at the meet and greet. I love him.

I'm a Big Fat LIAR

Ok. I was going to approach the upcoming shows with a good attitude about not going. I kept telling myself that I cannot go to all of his shows. I tell myself that I can't take the time off work and that I cannot spare the money. But now that it's HERE, I'm getting upset. Listening to the audio from Wolf Trap last year isn't helping the matter. YES, I'm stupid. YES, I'm going to three shows next month. But I still will miss Bo and my friends something terrible this weekend. If I ever needed to see Bo four nights in a row, it's now. This has been a rough time for me personally in many ways and he soothes me. Well, not HIM, but his music, his presence, you know what I mean if you're a Peep. Bo has this gift, this wonderful ability to calm people, to minister our very souls through his music, his sweet personality and smile makes your troubles fade if even for a short while; he just has a beautiful countenance and I truly believe it's God-given.

Don't ever, ever, ever believe me anymore when I say it doesn't bother me to miss a show. I'm a BIG FAT LIAR.

2010 is starting off with a Bang! ;)

Bo's had a busy new year so far. On New Year's Eve he sang at his friend Todd Bodine's wedding reception in Florida. Twitter reports said that he sang the night away! He posted a beautiful picture of the beach from his hotel.

He watched the Alabama-Texas game in his Nashville home, cheering on Alabama to their National Championship win while preparing to go hunting with sportsman Tommy Wilcox and singer John Stone, a fellow Alabama boy. Well, so is Tommy Wilcox; he played for the University of Alabama.

Today he posted a video of himself duck hunting in Arkansas. Someone has posted a couple of videos on youtube of Bo singing Good Hearted Woman and American Blood while at Wildlife Farms in Casscoe Arkansas on the Tommy Wilcox Outdoor Show.

Lastly, Bo starts an acoustic concert run this week in Sellersville, PA. I was there last year. This year I'll just have to live vicariously.

OH! And OK Magazine posted this fantastic article today about Bo, his music, his boys, Caroline and what's coming up in the life of Bo Bice.

Partying with the Peeps...and BO!!!

This past weekend Bo threw a party for his fan club members. He also participated in a Christmas 4 Kids Bus Tour in Hendersonville which I attended. Here's my recap!

I met Debbie at the Cracker Barrel in Huntsville and off we flew to Nashville! After dropping off our things at the hotel and changing clothes, we were off to the party.

We parked across the street and as we approached we started seeing familiar faces! Standing in line, we got hugs and spent some time catching up with one another.Sharon Eaves, from Fan Clubhouse, was handing out name tags and had us enter The Rutledge in order.

We went inside and were seated at small round tables. They had a buffet of ham, green beans, au gratin potatoes, brownies and other sweets set out for us, along with sweet tea or water. The food was delicious, and after we ate we browsed among the items Bo had brought for auction. There was a painting, a plaque, autographed pictures, an Idol poster and a few other things. Caroline was sitting at the bar, looking absolutely glowing. I didn't ever look like that pregnant!!

Soon it was time for Bo, and he came strolling onto the stage with Bart and we just didn't realize what a treat we were going to receive! He chatted, and then started off with Little Drummer Boy. Oh my. His voice is so gorgeous! The second song he sang was Silent Night, and I don't think there were many dry eyes in the house. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop and his voice just filled the place. So beautiful.

He continued on, telling stories and singing funny songs like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. He gave out some journals as door prizes and then he finished up with Very Merry Christmas. Bo called us all down front and we had a great time singing along with him and I got a wink when he sang the line "Sugar Plum Fairy Dreams"!

Next it was meet and greet time. They called us by number. I got to chat with Caroline some while I was standing in line. Bo had ornaments for everyone and Patrick was going down the line letting everyone choose one. He had signed each of them and I chose a pretty green sparkly one.My turn came and he was sweet and funny. I asked him if he was going to have a stone-laying ceremony at the AL Music Hall of Fame. He said he'd love to, and I told him, "It's there" and he said, "Oh, is it?" and I said yes he said he needs to talk to Don and get on top of it. He made sure I had my ornament, Christmas card and sharpie, and he said he really needed to get us some good ornaments. He talked about ordering some with his logo and that they didn't turn out like he wanted. He was just so sweet!

I visited with people after I had my time with Bo and we watched him with others, too. As he passed me on his way out the door he took hold of my hand and said goodbye.

A bunch of us went to the Opryland Hotel to see the lights and have dinner. We all met in the lobby, I believe there were 26 of us, and we tried to find a restaurant that would accommodate all of us! We headed to the buffet, but it was closed, so we ended up dividing our group and some went to a sports bar and we ate at a steakhouse. Afterwards we went outside to see the gorgeous lights. The Nativity scene was breathtaking and they were narrating the Christmas Story from the Bible. It brought tears to our eyes it was so lovely.

After posting for more pictures, we said our goodbyes to the ones who were leaving the next morning and promised to meet the others the next day for lunch.

At noon Monday, several of us met at Cracker Barrel near the airport because some were leaving that afternoon and it was convenient. We had a nice relaxing lunch and I enjoyed visiting with friends that I haven't seen in a very long time. We made our way outside and made even more pictures together and then sadly, said goodbye. Everyone started to cry and it was Lisa's fault, she started it! LOL Seriously, it was hard to leave everybody.

Debbie, Jen and I left from there and headed to Hendersonville to the Bus Tour. The GPS took us to the old Wal-Mart location, but I asked a lady walking her dogs where it was and she gave us perfect directions.

There were a few people in line when we got there and soon Peggy joined us. The rest of the Peeps were further back in line, but we met up with them at Bo's bus as soon as they let us in the gate.Bo hadn't arrived yet, but Keith Anderson had and his bus was right there so we visited with him. He was such a nice guy! Then we went back to Bo's bus and stood in line. Our little security guy, who was a firefighter, was a hoot! People came by and asked whose bus it was and he said, "Bo Bice from American Idol". We immediately told him how it was…"Bo Bice, upcoming Country Star!" and he caught on quickly! He told the other people who came by that it was "Bo Bice, upcoming Country Star and Future Hall of Famer"! LOL, I loved that little guy!

Bo finally got there (the security guy said he had called and they had gotten held up by an accident). He came strolling by, we cheered for him and I said I hadn't seen him in a long time! He laughed, pointed at me and said, "It's been a while!"He greeted us on the bus and he signed my picture I had made with him the night before. (We had made a quick stop by Kinko's on our way!) I told him I hoped it was the first of many that we'd have, and he said we were going to have one next year and he hoped he could coordinate it with the Bus Tour. We also talked about the Hall of Fame stone again and he said he's hoping we can do something in the spring. I was the last one off the bus and he kiddingly said to me, "I just might put it in my office". I was headed down the steps, so I leaned back, looked at him, and joked, "Do you want one for your office??!!" and both he and Patrick said, "NO!!" and laughed. LOL!!!

We went around and saw as many stars as we could get to…Joey and Rory, the Roys, Cowboy Troy, Darryl Worley, Crystal Hunt, Jamie Johnson…and some others.We left around 9:30 from Wal-Mart, went to Waffle House for a bite, then dropped Jen off at the hotel and Debbie and I headed home. I got home at 2:30 and Debbie got home at 3:10. It was so much fun~I can't wait to do it all over again!

Biloxi, Bo and the Beach

What more could a woman ask for? ;)

Debbie and I pulled into Biloxi around 5ish and Jen had already checked in. We got to the casino around 7.

The stage was set up right inside the front door and across from the slot machines. There was a big, round bar, kind of like a gazebo, across from the stage, too, and we sat there and had a drink and talked until time for the show. Oh, and I lost 5 dollars in a slot machine. I'm just not a gambler!! There was a good-sized crowd there for Bo. People were standing for an hour before he went on, and they were sitting all the way up the staircase between the escalators and standing at the railing on the second story and the bar was full.

He came out wearing a pretty gray shirt, patched jeans, and Ed Hardy's. He opened the show with Vehicle and moved on down the setlist:

Vehicle

I'm Gone

See The Light

Take The Country Outta Me

Long Road Back

Whipping Post

The Real Thing

Witness

U Make Me Better

Good Hearted Woman

I Love the Road

American Blood

Whiskey, Woman, and Time

I don't know what song was my favorite. Whipping Post is SO much fun to watch. I was all shaken up as I told you and taped it sideways, but I flipped it. It's posted in the concert picture thread. There was not as much chatter as he sometimes does and the songs segued smoothly from one to another. I especially loved The Real Thing last night. He came right over to me, reached down and took my hand and squeezed it, like he was saying, "Glad to see you, Lisa!" Man, if that didn't make my night!! That and the two winks... :)

Bo worked the crowd, made lots of eye contact and was his wonderful charming self. His voice was clear and pure and as I always am, I was struck by the power of it. It filled that casino! He decided that he wasn't going to waste time going off and having us yell BO BO BO for an encore, that it didn't make him feel any better and besides he'd rather sing a couple of extra songs rather than do that!

He added American Blood to the set list and thanked all the military, fire, police, emergency responders, etc. He got a good response from the crowd. And he also added I Love the Road and the crowd ate it up. He ended with WWT and I was NOT ready for it to be over! But it was, we were happy, Bo was happy, and the guys seemed happy.

He had Patrick selling merchandise and he was all chatty and friendly. I introduced myself to Matt since he lives near me, and I talked to Bart about how wonderful he looks. He's lost about 30 pounds and looks fabulous! Of course I had to see his pretty new jewelry. That man loves his bling!

It was a great night, well worth the time and effort of getting down there. I love BB. It had been too long. I can't wait until Bear Hollow and the Peep Party!!

I'm Invited!!!!!

Opened my email tonight to find this:


Hey Peeps!!! It's Party Time Again!! Thats right, we will be @ the Rutledge for the 2nd time jammin some tunes for our website members. This "Peep Party" will kick off the holidays for our fans and get us ready for the rockin New Year. I look forward to spending the afternoon with our "Hardcore Holiday Friends" so Let's Rock It Peeps!!! Also If you would like to help out the "Safe Haven Mission" our local family shelter, you can bring a can of food, blanket or a toy to help make a family's holiday season a bit brighter. Can't Wait 2 C U All There!!!BB *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Tickets will go on sale at BoBice.com 11/17 at 10am Central. Ticket prices will be $40 for members and $45 for non-member guests. Ticket will include food, non-alcoholic drinks, a surprise souvenir, meet & greet, silent auction and a special performance by Bo! Make it a Bo Bice weekend and join Bo on Saturday in Monteagle, TN, just an hour south of Nashville! Click here for details! Check out the new 2010 tour dates at BoBice.com! *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Be sure to check out Bo's new merchandise, just in time for your Christmas shopping!

Details Are Trickling In!

Today Sharon posted that the Peep Christmas Party will be held from 2-6 p.m. CST. Four hours. FOUR HOURS!!! Bo knows his Peeps, doesn't he? Bo Time, what a fantastic gift! Oh, I cannot wait, I cannot wait!! Sharon said to be looking for an e-vite and ticket info next week. EEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

Peep Christmas Party Time! Sunday, December 13!!!

Sharon, Bo's webchick, posted yesterday that the Peep Christmas Party will be held in Nashville on Sunday, December 13. That is perfect for so many people because the show at Monteagle is the night before. I <3>

I can't wait to hear Bo sing carols and sing his own Very Merry Christmas! And call me politically incorrect if you will, but I'm glad it's a Christmas party instead of a Holiday party. Things have gotten crazy in this world and some think we shouldn't be allowed to celebrate our Savior's birth! Hey, I'm not telling anyone they can't celebrate Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, whatever; just let us have ours, too!!

Life in BoLand is Always Surprising

Bo keeps us on our toes, that's for sure. Yesterday someone found an article where Bo was interviewed and he said he wanted to do Bar/Bat Mitzvahs for kids. Ohhhh-kay. Nobody has said much in the forum, but behind the scenes emails and PMs are flying with speculations. This is one I just cannot figure out. Or anybody else, for that matter! Oh well. Have at it, Bo. I just hope wedding receptions aren't next. He's just too talented for things like that IMHO.

Bo celebrated his 34th birthday this weekend at Talladega. He was hanging out with his friend, Todd Bodine (The Onion) and he seemed to be having a blast in the Zannel video he put up. I asked my guys if they saw him down there and I just got these weird looks! Talladega is like a small city. Seeing Bo there wouldn't be very likely! But my husband and sons had a blast, too. They always want me to go with them, but I stay at home for a "me" day. I've been before and I liked it, but I prefer some alone time. That's a rare thing around my house!

Rumors have been circulating that Bo is going to have a Christmas party for the Peeps. Well, it's not really a rumor since it came from a reputable source. That's exciting to me and sounds like a lot of fun. Nothing could be better than to spend a few hours with Bo, listening to him talk, and have him sing Christmas carols to us. That makes me smile just thinking about it. I hope plans are finalized soon. People who travel need to make plans!

Bo is doing a Christmas Tree lighting at a Tanger Outlet in Connecticut November 21. I'd love to go there and be a part of it, but it's too far and expensive for me. I'll see him the next weekend in Biloxi. Maybe he'll throw in a Christmas song or two. I'd especially love to hear Very Merry Christmas live!

That's about all the news I have for now. Maybe party plans will be posted soon!

New Music!!!

Bo sings a song that is on the soundtrack for the movie "Noble Things" which comes to movie theaters tomorrow. The song is called "Old Spanish Trail" and no, it doesn't sound like a Roy Rogers song! It's a rockin' country song that has growly, sexy-voiced Bo singing. It amazes me how his voice can sound so sweet and pure on his ballads and so, uh, rawwwrrhhhh on others! LOL

Check it out at iTunes. I think you'll agree with me that it's awesome!

Self-Pity and Pining!!

I’m pining for a Bo show. The reports from California and Arizona were off the hook, so it just makes me want one even more. This weekend are the two North Carolina shows that I SHOULD be attending, but I’m not. All the VIP dinner tickets are sold out for Charlotte and the Ace Speedway is going to be a madhouse, so I guess I’ll have to be satisfied just getting pictures and video. What I will miss is the company of friends.

The Charlotte meet and greet scheduled for Wal-Mart has been cancelled, but from all accounts the one on Sunday in Burlington is still a go. Lucky peeps and people. (If you detect a note of self-pity you would be correct.)

I’m not too upset about missing his concerts with REO Speedwagon and Styx. I love to see Bo in a small, intimate setting, like the ones that are scheduled for December 12 at Bear Hollow Resort. I’m going to both shows and just this week I reserved a cottage, complete with a hot tub on the deck! Peep party! Even though I’m kind of bummed about not seeing him right now, my time is coming! In addition to these December shows, I’m seeing him Thanksgiving weekend in Biloxi and the next week when he is the Grand Marshal of the Helena Christmas Parade. :)

Until then I will get by with pictures and video, like this one taken by suedel out in San Bernadino, CA. It’s Bo at his best in my opinion!

California, here he comes!

Bo is doing a run of shows in California starting tomorrow night. Man, I'd LOVE to be there but going to shows that far away involves way too much time away from work because of the travel time. I'm so glad that the girls out west are getting their turn for some Bo shows. I cannot imagine going without one for so long.

I'll admit it, I'm spoiled. If I go longer than 2 months I go a tad bit stir-crazy. Going to these shows has become a part of my life. A regular, normal part and when that normality gets messed up, well, I'm messed up. I feel restless.

Thankfully I haven't had to go too very long without a show since I started seeing him in 2005. You know, the man probably thinks that I, and perhaps some of the other regulars, have no life whatsoever! Oh, but I do. I have a loving husband of 30 years, a grown daughter and two grown sons, my mom, and three dogs, a cat and a bird in my life!! Librarianship is my chosen profession and I've been at it for fifteen years. I read voraciously, enjoy cooking, and play Scrabble on my iphone until my eyes cross! See, I'm normal, Bo! Perfectly normal except for the fact that I've let you into my life and heart, too. Bo is a person who is really only an acquaintance, but I think of him as one of my family. I rejoice when he has good things happen to him and I grieve when he's sick or hurt or disappointed. Strange? Maybe. But I wouldn't change it for anything.

I sure wish I could be at those California shows. The show in Florida last Saturday night was on fire according to the girls who were there. He looked so very happy in his pictures and videos and that makes me happy.

There are two shows in North Carolina in a couple of weeks that I really, really want to go to but I just can't seem to find the funds at this time. It's disappointing to say the least because some of my closest friends are going to be there. Maybe there'll be a miraculous happening and I'll somehow get to go. I doubt it, but a girl can hope, can't she?

In the meanwhile, I'll have to be happy with the new tee shirt I ordered this morning with an absolutely beautiful graphic on it. That's it at the top of the blog. And I'll have to be happy with the pictures and videos that other lucky ones will post for the rest of us at bobice.com.

Nothing more to say today except that I love Bo Bice. That's all. Catch you guys later!

No Cherokee for me :(

Things change. My friend has a lot of hoo-ha going on at her work and her boss strongly encouraged her not to take off. And today she's running a fever, so I guess things work out for the best, even though my heart is kind of sad.

I'm good with it though. I think the thing that made me the happiest about the entire situation was the fact that my husband, who gets off work every day at 12:30, had checked to see if he could be off Thursday and work Saturday so he could take me. But, wouldn't you know it, his boss and the other plant accountant were going to the plant in South Alabama, so he couldn't leave. But I appreciate the fact that he wanted me to be happy and see Bo, even though I saw him last weekend. Jimmy knows I'm hopeless when it comes to my Bo addiction, and he doesn't care to feed it for me. Isn't that sweet?

Next stop for me will be Thanksgiving weekend in Biloxi. It seems like a LONG time, but I guess it'll get here before I can turn around.

Cherokee, North Carolina

This is a picture I found online of the Cherokee Fairgrounds, where Bo is going to perform.

Cherokee, N.C. is only a few days away. I'm looking forward to going even if it's going to be a whirlwind of a trip. Seeing a concert on an Indian Reservation will be cool. I suppose Bo made friends with the Chief when they were fishing together at the Porter Wagoner fishing tournament this summer. I know that it's going to be a lot of fun. There are not too many Peeps going; I suppose it's because it's in the middle of the week. He put up a picture today of himself at rehearsal on his Zannel. I hope he throws in a new song or two to the setlist.

We did get a new song added to Bandbox today. It's Send that Elevator Back Down, a song he wrote for Billy Powell and Larry Childers. It's simple and pure and just beautiful. You can hear a sample of it and purchase the download for 99 cents at bobice.com .

Jammin' at the Junction~a weekend in Helena

I cannot believe that it's Wednesday night and I haven't blogged about my weekend in Helena! I am just going to put the recap here that I did for bb.com. That pretty much says it all.

I arrived in Helena about 7:15 Friday evening and joined the others at La Reunion Coffee Shop. We made our way outside to sit at a table and along the stone wall to catch up with one another. Bo had sent a text to Joy that she showed us where he answered her post about Peeps being there with AWESOME and asked her to tell everyone hello. We kind of hoped he'd stop by, but she said he ended up dining with family at an Italian restaurant and spending the evening with them.

We went to the hotel where Debbie had set up FOOD and DRINKS for us. Debbie, you amaze me with your amazing organizational skills and thoughtfulness! Our room was the gathering spot to have a White Russian, Coconut rum, Hard Lemonade or some other refreshment and snack while we gabbed. It was a lot of fun.

We left and had breakfast at IHOP. We crammed about thirteen people around the table and had a great time! Then we went into town and looked around in the shops. They have so many unique things! It began to pour and once again we found ourselves at La Reunion hanging out on their sofas. Bo's mom and dad were there and Nancy came over and sat with us for a good while. She told the cutest stories about Bo running away from home when he was a little boy and also the time he put his potty on his head, and it wasn't empty!! The statement was made that he had always liked hats! As Debbie said earlier, she asked us to pray for Granny Madge and her husband who are not well.

When the skies opened up and we realized that the riders were stuck at one of their stops. We waited until the rain lighened up some and we went to Bead Biz where we ordered those beautiful copper wrap crosses to benefit Safe House. Some of the other girls bought other pretty jewelry, too, and our Sherry (ALGal) won the Alabama earrings that she had bid on! We headed back to the hotel to dress for the show.

Arriving at the amphitheater, we lucked up on a park right beside the railroad track. We made our way down into the park and saw a huge tent set up with tables and chairs. They had lovely fall arrangements in the middle of each of them, and a serving line was at the end with delicious barbecue from Jim & Nick's. At each of our seats was a plastic bag in which they had placed a Jammin' in the Junction poster and a tee shirt. The ground was muddy and there were planks laid out to walk on as we entered. They had spread hay around on the ground to help it not be quite so muddy.

After we ate we went and found our seats in the VIP section. We were about five rows back. The trail into the seating section was like slogging through a hog pen! We literally had to hang onto the rail or onto Bo's big silver truck which was backed up to the stage with a trailer attached to it in order to stand up in the muck!

We sat and listened to a wonderful blues band and in a little while Patrick came and said, "Peeps follow me." Well, like the good little Peeps we are we jumped to our feet and followed him! He led us to the dinner tent where he had us wait for a few minutes until Bo arrived. Miss Joy was walking with us up there and she had no idea what was going on! When Bo arrived, he gathered Joy up under his arm and Reba read the lovely presentation to her. People were moved to tears, including Bo, and both Joy and Bo were very appreciative for the memorial donation. Just an aside...Bo's nose gets so cute and red when he cries...anyway, back to the story! After Bo chatted for just a minute, we headed back to our seats in preparation for the Bo show to begin! The Mitchell Brothers did a fine job, as did Rock Candy, but it was Bo we were dying to see!

When the emcee started reading off all these things in introduction of Bo, I think Bo was dying to get on stage because he shouted out, "And I'm also a Scorpio!" and strolled out onto the stage to thunderous applause! The band Rock Candy was Bo's band that night and he started out with Remedy, which got the crowd going! Bo wasn't using a guitar, so what we had was stage-prowling Bo at his very best! Following Remedy, he sang I Don't Wanna Be, Vehicle, Whipping Post (!!!), They Call Me The Breeze (which he dedicated to his dad, Earle), and brought out his acoustic guitar for The Kid, Good Hearted Woman, If I Told You I Love You (with Patrick Mitchell singing harmony), and Mr. Larry's Song, a touching tribute to Mr. Childers. During the end of the song, the Explorers filed by and paid their respects to Miss Joy and the family. Rock Candy then rejoined Bo onstage for Witness. For the finale, Bo invited Miss Joy, the family, all Helena employees and volunteers to join him onstage for Sweet Home Alabama. Bo's joy was palpable as he ran back and forth putting the microphone out for different people to sing, including a few on the front row.

I hated to see it end, but we all had huge smiles on our faces. It was a fantastic show! We made our way out of the seating area and milled around for awhile, talking to each other, the Mitchell Brothers, and speculating as to whether Bo would come out. Lo and behold, here he came and signed autographs and had pictures with everyone who wanted one.

He was so funny. Debbie was using my camera and she asked if I was using the flash. I told her I was because it was so dark. She said she hated to flash it in his face and told him when she was about to take our picture that it was my camera and my fault that it was flashing. He jokingly told me to quit flashing him. I cracked up, but if I had thought fast on my feet I would have told him, "Honey, I would never flash you. I would scar you for life!"

We slogged our way back to the car, hit the hotel and hung out looking at pictures and raving about the show.

The weekend ended with a wonderful Chinese lunch on Sunday. Then sadly, we said our goodbyes…but only until next time!

"U Only Get One Ride, Make It Count."~BB~

This weekend the Bo world lost a dear person, Judi Gaines. I did not know Judi personally, but I had met her at the Evans show. It was such a shock when I woke up yesterday morning, got online as usual and read the news. Bo put up a very nice post in the forum and talked back and forth with us for a while. Judi was an artist, and she did two beautiful works of Bo. He has the one of him playing the electric guitar hanging above his fireplace. Judi gave it to him last year after a show.

Today has been a happier day. I stayed home from work, recovering from a nasty cold. I had gotten online and got a notice that Bo was live on Stickam. He stayed online and chatted with us for over an hour. He had Caleb blowing us kisses and Aidan ran in there, but mom was close on his heels and took him away. Bo's microphone wasn't on and he typed his answers to questions. Here is part of what he said.

Bo said he had 3 projects going and he was waiting to release the cd when he was sure that it didn’t conflict with the other two. New merchandise is coming, in fact that’s who he was talking on the phone with while he paced about and looked so serious for awhile during the chat. He’s hoping it doesn’t rain for the ride this weekend and said he will not ride if it’s raining. He is tying twitter, zannel and stickam together and they are going to redo bb.com. He said to look for changes coming around the first of the month. He talked about auctioning off his stuff; Granny Madge didn’t make the shirt he just auctioned, he bought it in L.A. during Idol. He left to eat a late lunch after saying goodbye to us.

He is an awfully patient man to sit and answer our questions. I appreciate everything he does for us. He proved once again this weekend that he's definitely a keeper. I'll be his fan for life.

Ean Jacob Bice

That is the name that Bo and Caroline have chosen for son #3. It is in tribute to the late Ean Evans from Lynyrd Skynyrd. To quote Bo's tweet:

Today Would Have Been My Brother Ean Evans B'day. We Miss Him And Love Him. We Honor His Life By Passing The Love On!!

Bo actually told everyone the name by posting a picture of Caroline's sonogram on Zannel with this below:

Caroline and I decided to name our new baby boy Ean Jacob. After my friend Ean Evans. We R Blessed Beyond Belief!! Can't Till January!

Congratulations, Bo, Caroline, Aidan, and Caleb on the upcoming birth of son and baby brother Ean Jacob! God bless you all!