Carrie Underwood Illness

Bo Bice, the former American Idol contestant known as the long-haired southern rocker who placed second to Carrie Underwood in the show's fourth season, will be performing a free concert in Streetsboro City Park July 31 at 8 p.m. as part of Streetsboro Family Days.

Sharing an order of Zucchini fritters at Maggiano's restaurant in Nashville, Bo Bice spoke to Streetsboro Family Days Entertainment Director Deborah Carothers about what's been happening in his life since his success on Idol five years ago. He got married, moved to Nashville from Alabama, had three children, overcame a life-threatening illness, toured around the country, visited the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and released three albums.

Most recently, he's been busy making national media appearances on Fox and Friends, the Emeril Lagassi show, and the Game Show network to promote his new album entitled "3" which is a blend of Americana, Southern Rock and country material Bo co-wrote.

"I'm excited about this album," Bice said, "because the sound is my sound, not the sound of a record company."

After his contract with RCA records ended, Bice formed his own record company called SugarMoney Records.

"Ever since I worked as a manager for a music store, I learned to be business savvy, so starting and running my own record company was something I felt I was capable of doing," he said.

Bice's pre-Idol job as a music store manager is also what led him to become acquainted with a woman who worked in the same shopping center where the music store was located, a woman who would eventually become his wife and the mother of his three sons.

"My wife Caroline is definitely the rock of our family," Bice said, "Without her I would have nothing."

It was shortly after he found himself in the national spotlight on American Idol that Bo learned he would become a father for the first time.

"I was at a point where I was able to do a lot of 'cool' things like hang out with Skynrd," Bo said [referring to the band "Lynrd Skynrd"]. "Somehow being a dad didn't quite fit into the 'rock and roll' picture" he said, "but I quickly learned that being a good father is so much more important."

On the subject of fatherhood, Bo continued: "When I was growing up, my father wanted to make a better life for me than what he had. And that's what I want to do for my sons -- make their lives even better than mine."

Bice said he appreciates all that he's been given and being able to play music for a living is "the icing on the cake."

"But music is just the icing," he said, "it's not the cake. My family is the cake."

Bice recalled the time he brought his little boy to a recording session: "My son's eyes lit up when he saw the drum set. He asked me if he could play the drums and it didn't matter that I was renting the studio by the hour. Everything had to stop because it was time for my son's drum solo.

"That ended up being the most expensive drum solo I ever heard. But it was worth it! "

When asked what advice he would give to young people trying to make it in the music business, Bice said: "Practice, practice, practice and when you think you have it right, practice some more."

Does Bice still keep in touch with former American Idol contestants?

"Yes, I still keep in contact with Constantine [Maroulis] and others. We're all like alumni of the same school", Bo said, "Carrie Underwood just texted me yesterday about my new haircut and Melinda Doolittle [from season 6] sang on my new album."

Bice said that some of the people he used to hang out with say success has changed him, as though the change is a bad thing.

"Yes, I've changed," Bice freely admitted, "but the problem is, they haven't. I've tried to do something better with my life. I don't do the [foolish] things I used to do. I have responsibilities now."

Bice spoke openly about his faith: "Christ has always been in my life. I attend church. I try to avoid talking about religion or politics but sometimes I can't help myself and I end up opening my mouth."

He also finds time for charity work and has been involved with charities that support American troops such as Wounded Warriors. When lunch had ended and there was no longer any evidence of the tasty zucchini fritters that had once filled the plate, Bo said he was looking forward to seeing all the people in Streetsboro in July.