NEWS
April 10, 2009 - Fire parade marshal is 'Idol' star Bo Bice
By Drew Houff
The Winchester Star
Idol chatter will be the norm at the 82nd Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival, with singer Bo Bice serving as the firefighters' marshal for the event.
Bice, a southern rocker and entertainer, was runner-up in the 2005 "American Idol" competition, finishing second to country singer Carrie Underwood.
"Idols" are becoming a festival tradition.
Bucky Covington, who reached the final eight on the Fox network program in 2006, will headline the festival's Bud Light Country Music Party May 2 in the Sprint Tent on the Winchester Medical Center campus.
Last year, the festival's grand marshal was Fantasia Barrino, who won the singing competition in 2004.
Festival President Elaine Aikens said Bice will appeal to a wide audience, teaming with Grand Marshal and TV star Erik Estrada for an enjoyable springtime celebration.
She said Thursday that "American Idol" is a show that families watch together. "I think Bo is a person who will bring families together. With Erik Estrada, he appeals to the baby-boomers ... and a lot of young people know who Bo is."
A natural at live performance, Bice has always believed in his ability to be a professional singer.
Raised by his mother after his father left the family, he showed an early interest in music, purchasing records by Jim Croce, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the Allman Brothers Band at a yard sale for $1 when he was 4.
"My mom and I used to sit around and sing," Bice said in a statement released by the festival. "She was in a gospel choir, and I did some stuff in church, too. I always had something going on with music. I would always call my day job my second job. Music was my first."
Bice, who has said he auditioned for "American Idol" as a lark, has used his television fame to build a successful singing career.
One of his fans, guitarist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Carlos Santana, tapped Bice to sing "Brown Skin Girl" on Santana's 2005 album "All That I Am."
Bice has released two albums - the gold-certified "The Real Thing" in 2005 and "See the Light" in 2007.
He has also toured extensively, including concerts for U.S. troops in Kuwait and Afghanistan in 2008. Bice acknowledged that "American Idol" offered him a major opportunity. "The gain for me was phenomenal. I got loads of exposure. People didn't know who I was before ‘Idol.' They do now."
Bice will have a busy schedule during the festival, which will be held April 24-May 3 in and around Winchester.
He will start by attending the Schenck Foods Firefighters' Reception April 30 at the Rock Harbor Tent on Merrimans Lane, then appear at a host of events:
The VFIS Fire Truck Rodeo at 8 a.m. at Millbrook High School.
The Ladies Horticultural Luncheon at 11 a.m. at the Best Western Lee-Jackson.
The Wal-Mart Bloomers' Luncheon, also scheduled for 11 a.m. in the Sprint Tent on the WMC campus.
The Coronation of Queen Shenandoah at 2 p.m. in Handley High School.
The Firefighters' Parade at 5 p.m. in downtown Winchester.
Bice is not under contract to sing at any of the events, but Aikens said festival officials are hopeful he will offer a song or two.
Bice's participation in the festival is sponsored by GCS/GearClean.
Tickets to all festival events are on sale in the Official Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival Souvenir Store at 2625 Valley Ave. in Winchester. The store's regular hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
www.thebloom.com
The Winchester Star
Idol chatter will be the norm at the 82nd Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival, with singer Bo Bice serving as the firefighters' marshal for the event.
Bice, a southern rocker and entertainer, was runner-up in the 2005 "American Idol" competition, finishing second to country singer Carrie Underwood.
"Idols" are becoming a festival tradition.
Bucky Covington, who reached the final eight on the Fox network program in 2006, will headline the festival's Bud Light Country Music Party May 2 in the Sprint Tent on the Winchester Medical Center campus.
Last year, the festival's grand marshal was Fantasia Barrino, who won the singing competition in 2004.
Festival President Elaine Aikens said Bice will appeal to a wide audience, teaming with Grand Marshal and TV star Erik Estrada for an enjoyable springtime celebration.
She said Thursday that "American Idol" is a show that families watch together. "I think Bo is a person who will bring families together. With Erik Estrada, he appeals to the baby-boomers ... and a lot of young people know who Bo is."
A natural at live performance, Bice has always believed in his ability to be a professional singer.
Raised by his mother after his father left the family, he showed an early interest in music, purchasing records by Jim Croce, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the Allman Brothers Band at a yard sale for $1 when he was 4.
"My mom and I used to sit around and sing," Bice said in a statement released by the festival. "She was in a gospel choir, and I did some stuff in church, too. I always had something going on with music. I would always call my day job my second job. Music was my first."
Bice, who has said he auditioned for "American Idol" as a lark, has used his television fame to build a successful singing career.
One of his fans, guitarist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Carlos Santana, tapped Bice to sing "Brown Skin Girl" on Santana's 2005 album "All That I Am."
Bice has released two albums - the gold-certified "The Real Thing" in 2005 and "See the Light" in 2007.
He has also toured extensively, including concerts for U.S. troops in Kuwait and Afghanistan in 2008. Bice acknowledged that "American Idol" offered him a major opportunity. "The gain for me was phenomenal. I got loads of exposure. People didn't know who I was before ‘Idol.' They do now."
Bice will have a busy schedule during the festival, which will be held April 24-May 3 in and around Winchester.
He will start by attending the Schenck Foods Firefighters' Reception April 30 at the Rock Harbor Tent on Merrimans Lane, then appear at a host of events:
The VFIS Fire Truck Rodeo at 8 a.m. at Millbrook High School.
The Ladies Horticultural Luncheon at 11 a.m. at the Best Western Lee-Jackson.
The Wal-Mart Bloomers' Luncheon, also scheduled for 11 a.m. in the Sprint Tent on the WMC campus.
The Coronation of Queen Shenandoah at 2 p.m. in Handley High School.
The Firefighters' Parade at 5 p.m. in downtown Winchester.
Bice is not under contract to sing at any of the events, but Aikens said festival officials are hopeful he will offer a song or two.
Bice's participation in the festival is sponsored by GCS/GearClean.
Tickets to all festival events are on sale in the Official Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival Souvenir Store at 2625 Valley Ave. in Winchester. The store's regular hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
www.thebloom.com
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