Bo Bice

From Helena, Alabama came husky-voiced Harold “Bo” Bice, whose Southern outlook colored his run on season four of Fox’s long-running talent contest. Each week he squared off against fellow rocker Constantine Maroulis, his flowing hair, bell-bottoms, and drug-rug tunics contrasting sharply with Maroulis’s biker jacket and New York City swagger. Bice ultimately prevailed, to the surprise of some viewers, and reached the finale only to finish as runner-up to corn-silk Oklahoman Carrie Underwood.

That summer he joined the customary post-Idol tour alongside the other contestants while facing renewed attention to earlier episodes in his life that had included brushes with drug possession. As a result, the scheduled release of his debut album was postponed. Real Thing finally appeared in December 2005. Produced by Clive Davis, the record included contributions from Chad Kroeger of Nickelback and Richie Sambora as well as songwriting work by John Shanks and Max Martin. Although the album earned gold certification, RCA soon removed Bice from its roster.

He launched his own imprint, Sugar Money Records, and delivered See the Light on that label in 2007, then followed it with Different Shades of Blue in 2010.