Hey, guys!

Just wanted to drop y'all a line and say Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, God Bless, and you guys rock! Thank you all so much for being the excellent fans that you are, I couldn't do a thing without you all.

If you're looking for the perfect way to celebrate the 25 Days of Christmas this year, look no further! The best way to spread some Bucky cheer this year is to call into your local radio stations every day this holiday season and request some Bucky Covington! That would be the best Christmas gift I could ever ask for, y'all!

Thanks again for being the best fans a guy could ask for! Hope you all have a safe and happy Holiday!

BUCKY COVINGTON TO RELEASE "LIVE FROM ROCKINGHAM" DIGITAL EP

Available Exclusively Online Nov. 17



Nashville, TN – Lyric Street’s Bucky Covington is gearing up to release Live From Rockingham, a 5-song digital exclusive EP recorded at his recent hometown concert in Rockingham, NC. Hitting the virtual realm on November 17, the release features live versions of Bucky’s Top 10 hits “A Different World,” “It’s Good To Be Us” and “I’ll Walk” plus his brand new single “Gotta Be Somebody” as well as a special preview of “Mexicoma” from his much anticipated sophomore album. Also packaged with these tracks is Bucky’s latest music video for “Gotta Be Somebody,” spotlighting the crowd of over 6,000 fans, friends and Rockingham locals who attended Bucky’s homecoming festivities. The video made its premiere splash on CMT.com where it quickly rose to top streaming status and debuted at No. 1 on the elite, all fan voted CMT Pure 12-Pack Countdown last week.

Recently, Bucky Covington released to radio his brand new single “Gotta Be Somebody,” his country style version of Nickelback’s No. 1 hit, written by band members Chad Kroeger and Ryan Peake, along with co-producer Joey Moi. Currently climbing the country charts, this song is from his much anticipated sophomore album, I’m Alright, to hit streets in spring 2010.

Watch the new music video below! "Gotta Be Somebody" (Live from Rockingham, NC).


Bucky Covington   More CMT Music   More CMT Music Videos

Is Bucky Covington smarter than a 5th grader? See how he tackles grade-school topics like math, social studies and art. Real 5th grade classmates are standing by in case Covington needs to "cheat." Covington will donate his prize money to the Arthritis Foundation. http://bit.ly/yq2bK

BUCKY COVINGTON RETURNS TO ROCKINGHAM, NC TO GIVE BACK TO HIS HOMETOWN COMMUNITY

Nashville, TN – After earning national recognition as a finalist on “American Idol” and firmly establishing himself as one of country music’s most genuine and exciting entertainers with three consecutive Top 10 hit singles and the best-selling country debut release of the 2007 class, Bucky Covington is returning to his roots for his first hometown concert in Rockingham, NC.

“When I was on American Idol the whole town pulled together – all of the business, churches - everyone. They all went above and beyond to help out and show me their support,” remembers Bucky. “Now it’s my time to give back.”

For Covington this homecoming is a way of giving back to the community that has supported him over the years, and to show his deep appreciation he will be hosting an unprecedented party in the city’s Harrington Square featuring a free concert on September 26, 2009 at 7:00pm. In addition to the concert, Covington’s planned activities include taking part in the local BackPack Pals outreach program, which provides nutritional weekend meals and snacks to children whose primary source of food is the local school cafeteria. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring a canned good or other non-perishable food item to help support the community’s BackPack Pals program and Our Daily Bread Christian Food Ministry.

“One of the best places to play is at home,” says Bucky. “We’ve had the incredible privilege of playing shows in Europe, Alaska and all across the States, but there’s nothing like going home and performing. Every time you look out at the crowd, you see people you know. And to be able to help out BackPack Pals, which is such a great organization and worthy cause, tops off this homecoming.” ABOUT BUCKY COVINGTON

Bucky Covington’s self-titled debut CD opened at #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart in April 2007 with the biggest first week sales for any debut country artist that year. He's the best selling debut artist of the 2007 class and is one of only three male country artists since 2005 to have three consecutive top 10 singles from his debut album. In addition to competing on the fifth season of “American Idol,” Bucky’s national television appearances have included Live with Regis and Kelly, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Good Morning America, CBS Early Show and Fox & Friends. To learn more about Bucky Covington, log on to: www.buckycovington.com or www.myspace.com/buckycovington

ABOUT BACKPACK PALS

BackPack Pals, an outreach program of Helping Hands of Hamlet, began in 2007. The program is designed to provide nutritious food to children identified by school staff who have little or nothing to eat over the weekend. In October 2007 the Mineral Springs School was added feeding 45 students on the weekends. The School year for 2008 - 2009 the program feed 320 students every week-end.

ABOUT OUR DAILY BREAD CHRISTIAN FOOD MINISTRY

Our Daily Bread Christian Food Ministry, Inc. has been serving the needy of Richmond County since 2004. They help with food packages that enable families to stretch their meager resources a little farther. Over 1400 people are served by this agency each month. Many are elderly, or disabled and over a third are children 18 and under. All non-perishable food items, particularly canned tomatoes, beans, and vegetables, are needed and appreciated.

ABOUT LYRIC STREET RECORDS

Lyric Street Records is a part of the Disney Music Group. The Disney Music Group is the recorded music and music publishing arm of the Walt Disney Studios.

### FOR BUCKY COVINGTON

Cindy Heath
Jensen Sussman
Lyric Street Records/Carolwood
Sweet Talk Publicity
615-963-4865
615-320-9616
cindy.heath@disney.com
jensen@sweettalkpublicity.com

FOR BACKPACK PALS
Pastor Steve Crews
BackPack Pals
910-334-1009
Jcrews7@carolina.rr.com

FOR OUR DAILY BREAD
Debbie Rohleder
Food Ministry Director
910-895-3536

FOR THE CITY OF ROCKINGHAM, NC
Kim Williams
Events Coordinator
910-997-5547
kim@gorockingham.com

Bucky Covington is coming home.

The American Idol finalist and Richmond County native will return to Rockingham next week to help out a program to help the hungry. And while he’s here, he’ll perform center stage at Harrington Square on Sept. 26 at 7 p.m.

The concert is open to the public, and free, but Covington asks those attending to bring canned goods and other non perishables to help out BackPack Pals and Our Daily Bread food ministry.

Rockingham Mayor Gene McLaurin said this concert has been in the works for nearly a year.

“I went to see Bucky perform at the state fair last year and had dinner with him, and his brother Rocky, before the show,” McLaurin said. “Bucky was very eager to schedule this. He was very eager to come back.”

McLaurin said this will be a treat to Covington fans and Rockingham residents because the last time Covington was home for his “Welcome Home Bucky Day” he was unable to perform because of contractual obligations with American Idol.

“It’s an exciting time for all of us,” McLaurin said. “We look forward to having him downtown. We need to have a big crowd in town that night to welcome Bucky home. This is a worthwhile local organization that will receive help because of his performance. BackPack Pals is a wonderful program.”

Pastor Steve Crews with BackPack Pals said Convington’s visit will be a big help to the organization.

Last year the program provided 325 backpacks of food each week to students in Richmond County’s elementary and primary schools. The program is dedicated to providing food for children who likely don’t receive much food during the weekend. These are often the same students who receive free or reduced-price breakfast and lunches at school.

Crews said this year, it looks like those numbers will go up. Since it began in 2007, BackPack Pals has increased its numbers every year. When the program began they served only 38 children.

The Friday Covington arrives in town, he’ll assist BackPack Pals volunteers in loading up the students’ backpacks.

Crews said food items the program could use include things like fruit cups, pudding cups, Campbell’s soup, fruit roll-ups, little boxes of cereal, pop top cans of Beanie Weenies, cups of apple sauce and granola bars.

“Any of that would be good,” Crews said.

Crews said he’s hopeful the concert downtown will bring in lots of food donations, and added that the exposure from Covington’s visit will hopefully bring in some funding for the organization as well.

Our Daily Bread is equally excited to have Covington home.

“I think it’s wonderful he’s coming back to support Richmond County,” said Debbie Rohleder, director of Our Daily Bread. “We are going through a hard time and it’s nice to know a native son is still thinking about us. He comes from a fine family, and we’re all very proud of him.

Rohleder said the food bank is in need of any non perishable foods, especially vegetables.

Since becoming an American Idol finalist in 2006, Covington has released one record, gone on tour, and is in the process of recording his second album. To find out more about what Covington has been up to since reaching stardom, visit his Web site at www.buckycovington.com.

Story by: Eren Tataragasi / Richmond County Daily Journal