Happy Birthday Bo Bice, George Huff, and Jasmine Trias!

In 2005, the producers of "American Idol" changed the age guidelines for the show from 16-26 to 16-28. Fans everywhere are grateful to this day, as these new guidelines allowed Bo Bice to bring his southern rock style to the show. He became known for his cool stage presence and his amazing take on classics, such as The Allman Brothers Band's "Whipping Post." However, due to a bunch of unexpected ups and downs, Bo's post-Idol life has been bittersweet. Bo was signed to RCA Records and released his first single in June of 2005--it was his take on the AI single, "Inside Your Heaven." The single debuted at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and #1 on the Billboard Hot Single Sales chart. The B-side was his rendition of "Vehicle," which featured an appearance by famed Bon Jovi guitarist, Richie Sambora. It was certified Gold in July of 2005. Because of his success and the big impression he made while on "Idol," Bo was asked to appear with a number of huge artists, including Trey Anastasio, Willie Nelson, and Carlos Santana. On a personal note, Bo married his long-time girlfriend Caroline Fisher, and they had their first child, Aidan Michael Bice, in September of 2005. To achieve his success in the industry, Bo had his share of obstacles to overcome through the years. In July of 2005, he broke his foot during a concert but still carried on with the "American Idol" tour. In August of 2005, Bo was rushed to the hospital for emergency intestinal surgery which resulted in him missing several shows. Fortunately, however, he was able to return for the last two shows on the tour. Bo's debut album, The Real Thing, had the seventh-highest opening by an AI finalist. Along with his successful title track, Bo featured three songs on the album that he performed with his band, SugarMoney: "Cinnamon & Novocaine," "Sinner In a Sin," and "Whiskey, Women & Time." In October of 2006, Bo's health problems caught up with him again and the doctors deemed it serious enough that they would have to operate again immediately. All of his October tour dates were canceled. Fortunately for Bo, he feels well these days, and he is very proud of his sophomore album, See the Light. While he is very appreciative for the success of The Real Thing, he feels that this second album is the more authentic version of Bo. "I really feel like this is a diverse album," says Bo on his website. "On a lot of the stuff some artists release, they just put different words to the same song. People get bored. And I think people are figuring that out; they're like, 'Wow, there's three good songs here, and the rest are the same song with different lyrics.'" He also refers to the list of musicians with whom he collaborated on this album as "star-studded." A couple of fun facts about Bo: He plays four instruments and, although his real name is Harold Elwin Bice, his grandmother gave him the nickname "Bogart" when he was young--hence the name Bo. On top of his immense talent, Bo is also known for his huge heart. When one of the last shows on the "Idol" tour became a benefit to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina, he and his wife actually opened their home in Helena to a family displaced during the tragedy. Bo was also recently asked by Ben Stiller to sing the title track for Blades of Glory. To boot, Bo has recently been recording vocals for the upcoming "Church of Southern Rock CD," a compilation album that will feature a number of southern rock legends. After overcoming some fairly serious medical problems, the future is looking more than bright for the rocker everyone fell in love with on "American Idol." Check out this interview with Bo on his newfound success coming off the heels of season four! ................................................. Happy Birthday George Huff! George Huff not only impressed America with his voice enough to get him into a coveted fifth place spot, but he won the hearts of all the viewers with his endless sense of optimism. As an article in the Shelby Star notes, "Even when Simon Cowell says 'you can’t,' Huff believes that 'in the morning, the sun always shines.'" That positive outlook is also well earned, considering the amazing circumstances that got him into that fifth place spot. George was not actually among the contestants who were originally chosen for the semi-final round, but was put through when another contestant was disqualified. To boot, George was also not voted through from the semi-finals, but he got another second chance when Simon Cowell brought him back as the wildcard contestant. It's no wonder that George's local Fox Affiliate from his hometown in New Orleans held specials that featured his family cheering him on during those final episodes! Even the way he ended up auditioning for "American Idol" is an amazing story. George was pursuing his music studies at the University of Oklahoma in hopes of one day becoming a music teacher. However, at the end of his sophomore year, George's scholarship money ran out and, after completing his junior year on loans, he was forced to put off his senior year. He took a job cooking and washing dishes in the university's cafeteria and continued his work as a "non-student performer" in the musical productions. That's when the idea of auditioning presented itself to him, a thought that had never occurred to him before. He drove to Houston and, as they say, the rest is history. Since his time on "Idol," George has made a number of live appearances all around the country, in churches, stadiums, and on national television--most notably was his performance with the Billy Graham Crusade. However, his desire to help others through music has been his main focus. As an article in the McKinney Messenger points out, George has mainly performed at high schools, "trying to reach out to children with music and promote the actualization of dreams in music careers." “I just loved singing so much,” Huff said. “I was a pretty nerdy kid. We didn't have money for the`right' clothes to wear, and kids would make fun of me; but whenever I was singing none of that mattered. It has always been pure joy for me.” George released his debut album, Miracles, in October of 2005. Sadly, his home in Louisiana was affected by Hurricane Katrina, and he left New Orleans to stay with his brother in Dallas. However, those who know George realize that his positive outlook on life survives through any tragedy. George Huff fans can catch him during the month of December while he tours with fellow "Idol" contestant Mandisa for a tour called "Christmas on Main Street." Americanidol.com would like to wish George a very happy birthday--he turns 27 this Sunday, November 4th! Check out this photo of George with the rest of the season three gang! Here are a few more pics of George from his time as an AI finalist: Photo # 1 Photo # 2 Photo # 3 ............................................... Happy Birthday Jasmine Trias! Jasmine Trias became known on "Idol" for her well-rounded talent, her sweet demeanor, and the signature flower in her hair, which was a tribute to her native state of Hawaii. She received strong support from her fans and made it to an impressive spot in the final three. Since "Idol," things have only gotten better for Jasmine, as she has increased her fanbase all over the U.S. and in many foreign countries. She has made a particularly strong impact on entertainment in the Philippines, which served as home to her mother and father for many years. She has done television commercials and billboard ads for numerous companies. In fact, it's been noted that her support in the Philippines was so strong during and after her run on "Idol," the Manila Times ran a story with the headline "Everybody Wants Jasmine." Jasmine signed with Clockwork Entertainment to record and produce her debut album, and with Universal Records for the album's release in the Philippines. Her first single, "Flying Home," was an emotional song about her return to Hawaii after months of being on tour. Jasmine's self-titled debut album was released on July 12, 2005 in the U.S. and has since been certified platinum in the Philippines. She is now with Universal Records Philippines and is set to release her second album in 2008. Jasmine also spent a month and half this past spring on the Las Vegas strip performing with the Society of Seven at the Flamingo Hotel. Her role in the show was something you might not expect from the seemingly shy Jasmine, as, along with her musical performances, she had to impersonate celebrities such as Britney Spears, Beyonce, Shakira, and Janet Jackson! Interestingly enough, Jasmine was also featured in the music video for the Black Eyed Peas song "Bebot." When she's not keeping busy with her budding career, she loves to shop and surf. She's also used her status within the Hawaiian community for the greater good, by doing various commercials discouraging smoking, drinking, and drug use. Americanidol.com would like to wish Jasmine a very happy birthday--she turns 21 on Saturday, November 3rd! Check out our interview with Jasmine from this past summer, as we found out more about her music, her time on the Vegas strip, and her number one fan!