Crystal Bowersox Blog

Crystal Bowersox and B.B. King in New Diabetes Campaign

2011-04-16T07:31:00.000-07:00

American Idol Season 10 runner-up Crystal Bowersox and Blues legend B.B. King star together in a campaign for a diabetes product that measures blood-sugar levels called “One Touch.”

The ads, filmed in Las Vegas, debuted on national and regional television and will be followed by online and print ads over the next several months.

Crystal was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was just 6 years old. B.B. King ~ The King of the Blues ~ has been living with Type 2 since 1991.

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"Piece of My Heart"~ Crystal Bowersox & her musical influences, Janis Joplin & Melissa Etheridge

2011-04-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

"Piece of My Heart"~ Crystal Bowersox & her musical influences, Janis Joplin & Melissa Etheridge
by MS Chloe

American Idol Season 9 favorite Crystal Bowersox joins the pantheon of female rock legends singing "Piece of My Heart."

Here are three very different, but equally incredible versions of "Piece of My Heart" sung by Crystal Bowersox and two of her musical influences, Melissa Etheridge and Janis Joplin. You can hear Janis' legacy in Crystal's and Melissa's performance - a complete abandonment to the music, the moment and the audience. Janis let the women singers who followed her know that it is okay to loose yourself in the song and give your audience everything you've got - no holds barred!

Crystal Bowersox, who's been called "A New Artist With an Old Soul", and Frank May singing "Piece of My Heart" at The Village Idiot in Maumee, Ohio.

See Crystal Bowersox in Concert! Get American Idol Live tickets Here!

Melissa Etheridge, "The Quintessential Lady of Rock and Roll" at The Grammy's Janis Joplin Tribute, with Joss Stone.

Why would Melissa Etheridge be such a huge influence to a young female singer growing up with Type 1 Diabetes? It may just be that wild dash of courage added to her musical brilliance. "In October 2004, Melissa Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer. At the 2005 Grammy Awards, she made a return to the stage and, although bald from chemotherapy, performed a tribute to Janis Joplin with the song "Piece of My Heart". Etheridge was praised for her performance, which was considered one of the highlights of the show. Etheridge's bravery was lauded in song in India.Arie's "I Am Not My Hair.""

Janis Joplin sings "Piece of My Heart" live at Woodstock.

And why would both Crystal and Melissa count Janis Joplin as an influence? It could be that Janis, known to her friends as "Pearl", was rock and roll's first female superstar, literally the first woman to create a band she would front. "Long before she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, Joplin had become a legend for her musical legacy, influence on popular culture and a persona that captured the spirit of the 1960s. Music journalist Ellen Willis believes “Joplin belonged to that select group of pop figures who mattered as much for themselves as for their music. Among American rock performers, she was second only to Bob Dylan in importance as a creator-recorder-embodiment of her generation’s mythology. She was also the only woman to achieve that kind of stature in what was basically a male club, the only ‘60s culture hero to make visible and public, women’s experience of the quest for liberation, which was very different from mens.”"

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SOURCES: Wikipedia, case.edu - "Legacy of Janis Joplin"

Crystal Bowersox's Debut CD "Farmer's Daughter" Reviewed! Great Christmas Gift!

2010-12-19T10:26:00.000-08:00

America Idol's Crystal Bowersox's Debut Album: 4 out of 5 Stars!

Crystal Bowersox was never your typical American Idol contestant. As expected, her debut album Farmer's Daughter is not a typical post-American Idol release. With Bowersox shouldering a majority of the songwriting on the disc, it becomes a personal musical journey akin to her personal struggles in real life. With pop culture often being so shallow and surface, it's refreshing to see a new artist diving deep into themselves to produce material of substance. With this release Bowersox steps out of the shadows of busking and onto the biggest stage of her life so far, and does it with such grace and style you'd think she's been through all this public limelight before. As a seasoned performer in her own right, with years of practice behind her in the bars and streets of Ohio and Illinois, make no mistake that Crystal has been ready for this moment for some time, grooming her style and perfecting her artist within.

The opening tune "Riding With The Radio" is a Rockabilly flavored radio-friendly track that questions “Whatever happened to good old rock and roll ?” and in an almost defiant sentimental tone, Crystal hints that the song is a return to roots, rhythm and days long gone. With a lyrical nod to "Turn On Your Lovelight", it alludes to the 1960's era of music that has in so many ways transformed our musical culture forever. It's a song that Bowersox will get a ton of mileage from, and it's a great lead in to the only cover song on the disc, Buffalo Springfield's 1967 mega-hit, "For What It's Worth". In typical Bowersox fashion, the Stephen Stills classic gets Crystallized, and while the underlying structure remains,the subtlety is now replaced with urgency, perhaps a sign of the times we live in, and no doubt a deliberate move on behalf of Team Bowersox.

The tone of the disc changes rapidly on the title track "Farmer's Daughter," and Crystal bares her soul for the world in a daring move. It's a song that will transcend itself and hit home for many, hopefully healing wounds in the process. By shedding the title of "Farmer's Daughter," Crystal declares her independence and her transformation to a new life. Perhaps the most disturbing lyrics of the track, "When you broke my bones I told the school I fell down the stairs," are about an ugly subject not many artists talk about in a public forum, and I commend Crystal for the courage it takes to have this conversation. It's a standout song that will hopefully not become the entire focus of the release, because Bowersox is about more than this singular track.

"Holy Toledo" continues the journey and autobiographical nature of the disc as Crystal wonders
out loud "How do I get to heaven from here ?" while she leaves her home in hopes of discovering herself as she discovers the rest of the world beyond her hometown. After a song like "Farmer's Daughter" it's really no wonder Crystal left in search of a brighter future, and little can be said other than it was the right choice considering the last year of her life.

"Lonely Won't Come Around" pulls the mood in a different direction, and the upbeat song serves as a turning point to the flow of the disc. It's a pop-laden track full of spunk and heavy rhythm. As it's co-written with David Ryan Harris and Alexandra Tamposi, it's also the least typical Bowersox flavored song on the disc. The song can be seen as a pivotal juncture in many ways, perhaps most obvious the period of time where Crystal emerged on the national scene through her American Idol audition. American Idol changed Crystal's life forever, and it was the turning point for her finding the true happiness she's always been seeking. It's a track that offers a much needed moment of lightheartedness on the disc, and it's placement between "Holy Toledo" and "Hold On" makes perfect sense. The chorus is catchy and Crystal's voice shines through, but it's a stretch to say that this is a song Crystal would have produced on her own.

The Kara DioGuardi and Chad Kroeger penned "Hold On" is a finely tuned and crafted vehicle for Bowersox to showcase her powerful vocals, but as an outsider's attempt to mesh into Crystal's style, it still ends up feeling like a cover song at times. Crystal's vocals are big enough to keep the listener's interest on this track, but the lyrics feel cold in comparison to a track like "Farmer's Daughter", and one is left hoping for more substance. Moving quickly to the second half of the musical journey, Bowersox seems to jump back on the tracks, having been only temporarily derailed by her American Idol contractual obligations. Crystal clearly takes control back as engineer of the train, and the disc is better for it.

Starting off the virtual side two of the effort, "On The Run" is a bluesy and passion filled burst of energy. It paints a picture of a younger Bowersox full of life and attitude, carving her way through the world on her own terms and her own rules. It's a declaration of her free spirit and intentions to find out what life has in store for her. The groove is catchy and once again it's a great opportunity for Crystal to stretch her powerful and nuanced vocals.

Turning the vibe to a funkier tone, "Kiss Ya" is an unabashed message to a lover. While it's not the strongest lyrical offering Crystal has to make on the disc, you can't discount the conviction she offers on the song, noting that "I don't give a shit who's around," when said kissing takes place. This is a song that will most likely resonate more with her female audience, but that is the clever part of "Farmer's Daughter" as a whole, it really does offer a bit of everything for a wide range of old and new fans alike.

Slowing down the pace for a moment is the ballad "Speak Now", which is a bit of a tearjerker. The underlying story is about Crystal and Brian Walker, and a break-up they went through years ago. Of course the story ended up with a fairy tale ending as they were recently married, but Crystal paints the picture of her retreat back to Ohio as a bleak moment in time, with a touch of promise and regret thrown in for good measure. It's a bluesy number that offers a soulful guitar solo and equally impressive vocals. It's a stand out song on the disc and a testament to hope in the darkest hour.

"Mine All Mine" is a strong contender for country radio airplay, and the inclusion of pedal steel guitar solidifies the country love song sound reminiscent of the jukebox-era country I grew up on in the 1970's. It's once again a song that showcases Crystal's feminine side and plays into the romantic musings of her female fans. The lyrics are appropriately girly and echo the thoughts that every woman wonders from time to time, "Are you mine, all mine ?", and in a nod to Johnny Cash, Crystal declares that she'd "Walk the line." It's perhaps a risky song in some ways because it doesn't play as much to her entire fan base, but great artists take risks from time to time, and play their cards as they see fit. This song has a built-in audience that will adore it, and it's wonderfully crafted.

The highlight of Crystal's debut CD is "Mason", a song co-written by husband Brian Walker. It's an excellent example of the sort of music that I hope Crystal explores in the future. It's a heartwarming tune that has as many metaphors as you can fit into a 3 minute and 19 second song. While in the midst of clawing her way to the American Idol finale this song was busy gathering over a hundred thousand hits on Youtube as her budding fan base desperately sought to hear more than the cover songs Crystal was allowed to perform. The tune features pitch perfect harmonies between Bowersox and Walker, and a dream-like tone supporting the melody. It's a song that plays into all of Crystal's strengths as an artist and I hope that Team Bowersox contemplates releasing this as one of the remaining singles from the album.

With the closing track "Arlene" Bowersox offers as her curtain call a song that paints the story of a truck driving woman named Arlene who has an independent do-it-yourself view of life. The track features bassist Frankie May and harmonica player Ryan Suzuka, and feels like a cozy campfire song - a scene I can almost picture in my head. The slow and deceptively simple song is a perfect cap on a solid debut CD that plays to the core audience that propelled Bowersox to the final of American Idol without pandering to the lowest common denominator. It's a sly and sophisticated song that leaves the listener on a high note and pondering what's next for Crystal Bowersox. I would rate the album as a whole 4 out of 5 stars. There's no doubt as Crystal ventures out further on her own and distances herself from American Idol that she'll go far.

©2010 John Schulze

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Watch Crystal Bowersox's People Magazine Interview & get "Farmer's Daughter" for just $6.99, delivered by Christmas!!

2010-12-18T10:59:00.000-08:00

CRYSTAL BOWERSOX: 'I WANT MORE BABIES'

American Idol star Crystal Bowersox sits down with People Magazine and boasts about her new album "Farmer's Daughter" and the possibility of adding to her family.

http://www.people.com/people/videos/0,,20449251,00.html

Order Crystal Bowersox's debut CD "Farmer's Daughter" ON SALE NOW for just $6.99 (that's 42% off the regular price of $11.98!). Order today for guaranteed delivery for Christmas!

Need more gifts for the American Idol fanatic? How about Idol winner Lee DeWyze's new CD "Live It Up" or the American Idol Season 9 album, featuring song by 2010's Top 10?

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Watch Crystal Bowersox's NEW VIDEO "Farmer's Daughter" and GIVE THE GIFT OF HER MUSIC for only $6.99!

2010-12-17T10:23:00.000-08:00

American Idol's Crystal Bowersox releases her first video, the title track from her new, debut CD, the critically acclaimed "Farmer's Daughter." This autobiographical song was written years ago, and I for one am happy it made the cut and was put on the new album along with other heart-felt, emotional songs Crystal wrote in the past, about her past ~ such as "Holy Toledo" (the only contestant-written song EVER to be performed on American Idol).

ORDER "FARMER'S DAUGHTER" NOW FOR DELIVERY BY CHRISTMAS! GIVE THE GIFT OF CRYSTAL'S MUSIC FOR THE SPECIAL LOW PRICE OF $6.99!!

Also Available, American Idol winner Lee DeWyze's new CD "Live It Up"!

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Preview Crystal Bowersox's new CD "Farmer's Daughter" and Pre-order your copy!

2010-12-10T09:53:00.000-08:00

Listen to a preview of American Idol's Crystal Bowersox's debut CD "Farmer's Daughter." This video contains a snippet of all 12 tracks. "Farmer's Daughter" will be released on December 14th by Jive Records.

CLICK CD ALBUM COVER to PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY of CRYSTAL BOWERSOX'S "FARMER'S DAUGHTER" and HAVE IT DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR THE DAY OF RELEASE!!!

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Pre-Order the Crystal Bowersox CD, and have it DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR THE DAY IT'S RELEASED!!!

2010-12-06T07:52:00.000-08:00

Crystal Bowersox, the American Idol Season 9 runner-up, will release her eagerly anticipated first album, "Farmer's Daughter" on December 14th, 2010. Just click the album cover to the left and follow the easy instructions to be one of the first fans to have Crystal's new album "Farmer's Daughter"! When you pre-order now, the CD will arrive at your shipping address on the DAY of RELEASE (DECEMBER 14th) by 7pm!

CRYSTAL BOWERSOX BIOGRAPHY
"It all started in a small Ohio town. Her humble beginnings and passion for music have driven the 25-year old Crystal Bowersox to become one of the most recognized young voices and up and coming singer/songwriters in America, and soon, beyond.

Crystal's emotive folk-rock-country style was catapulted from the cramped coffeehouses and cavernous subway tunnels of Chicago to millions of homes across America when she placed second on last year’s season of American Idol. Along with her old soul of a voice, her care-free style and "don't mess with me" attitude set her apart from the other contestants and eventually landed the self-taught songstress performances with the likes of the legendary Joe Cocker, Harry Connick Jr., and Alanis Morrissette.

However, the story behind the voice, the acoustic guitar, blue eyes and blonde dreadlocks is much more than skin deep. Produced by David Bendeth, Farmer’s Daughter, Crystal's first studio release (19 Entertainment/Jive Records) chronicles her personal experience of dealing with a dark childhood, to finding love and happiness as a young woman, and everything in between. “It’s my life story," Crystal says. "And that includes the good and bad chapters. I hope that people can appreciate the honesty in the lyrics and get to know me as a person through my music. I'm an open book and this is my diary."

Page one of her journal starts back in rural Ohio, where Crystal lived with her mother and two brothers on a farm. Her parents divorced when she was 2, and there began a constant chaos for years to come. Messy emotions, poverty, and issues stemming from these factors were the catalyst that led Crystal to music. Somewhere in between gathering eggs, feeding the horses, and attempts to maintain peace, her mother tried to instill in her only daughter the love of music. “We got a good deal from our Pastor's wife on piano lessons when I was about 6, and I faked my way through three years of it,” she laughs. “I couldn’t read a lick of music, but I could play what I heard. It was actually Jewel’s first album, Pieces of You, that made me want to better myself and learn to play guitar, not to mention it's hard to lug around a piano. When I was 10 or so, I was snooping for Christmas presents, and happened to find an old acoustic that belonged to my mother. I didn’t even know that she ever played."

And so began the career of singer-songwriter Crystal Bowersox. She startled and impressed listeners by writing profound songs about mature subjects, things that 10-year olds aren't normally thinking about. Crystal’s mom began taking her to karaoke bars in the area, and by 11, her father became a roadie hauling PA's and guitars, and Crystal was playing Janis Joplin covers at roadside bars with seasoned local musicians (Gray Haired Rocks Stars, she calls them…). “I just knew that all I wanted to do was play music,” says Crystal. “It’s been an unwavering goal ever since I picked up that guitar. I was a wild horse wearing blinders, I could only see my goal in front of me.”

But her home life was anything but idyllic. Crystal and her brothers bounced back and forth from family to dysfunctional family. Crystal remembers raging fights, screaming, drinking and worse, abuse. As a result, much of the chaos she experienced as a child fueled the lyrics to her title track “Farmer’s Daughter.”

"I remember back in High School
My brother's and me
Willy put his head through the door
to find Clarity
you'd come home with bourbon breath
Jack in the air
And When you broke my bones I told the school I fell down the stairs."

"The second verse is about a night she came home drunk, swung a chair, and I blocked with my foot, which then fractured. It’s all true. But I don’t see it as a sad song. It’s a healing song, and that’s because it’s out of me now.”

Turmoil was constantly brewing between households, and always boiling over. Even when there was calm, there was still unrest. “We had a wood burning stove in the kitchen, and some winters we burned garbage or anything we could find. We basically lived in the kitchen because that’s where the heat was,” she says of her Mother's old farmhouse. “We’d just lay a mattress on the floor. I remember one winter, one of our cows came down sick and we had to bring him in the house. We had a cow in the kitchen. Yep, that’s how I grew up.”
At the age of 17, Crystal moved up and out of her little hometown, and out of Ohio. It was then she wrote “Holy Toledo,” referring to the nearby city where she'd spent much of her time. "Holy Toledo," was the only original work by an Idol contestant that ever made it onto the show, and now, it’s on Crystal’s new record. “It’s about holding out for something better,” says Crystal. “I always knew there was something bigger out there for me. That the songs were meant to be heard. Although I was sad to leave, I could never forget what and where I come from.”

Chicago was her destination and during these years is where Crystal claims she really learned to live. She worked random odd jobs, bar-tended by night, and busked in the train stations by day. “I played in the subway out of the love for music and necessity. I was definitely a starving artist,” she says. “But I mostly loved to study everyday people, especially body language and facial expressions. It gave me a chance to try out new material, and see how people react. And when the trains go by, it's just a roar… you have a choice to stop or sing through it. I chose to sing. It’s really where I learned to project my voice. And it will toughen you up real quick. My mom and the subway's where I learned that.”

She eventually became a favorite in the acoustic folk circuit, where she met fellow singer/songwriters and musicians such as the late Mark Brink (who the album is dedicated to), Ryan Suzuka, and her now-husband Brian Walker. However at the time, the father of Crystal's son had split the scene when she was only 6 weeks pregnant. “That’s about the time I wrote ‘Speak Now,’" she says of the ninth track on Farmer’s Daughter. "I was a single mom, but not alone. My friends were amazing helping me out, and Brian Walker and I became close. We’d had always had more than a friendly tension between us. But we were both broke, open-mike musicians, and because of our fears of inadequacy, I was forced to move back to Ohio to rely on help from my family, with the baby and all…so we never took it to the next step, at least then. I was hurt by it. The song is about all the emotions I felt at the time.”

Crystal moved back to Ohio, and went back to playing roadside bars, with her friend and bassist Frankie May (who appears on the albums closing track, "Arlene"). “People had been telling me for years that I should try out for American Idol,” she says. “But I wasn't much of a fan, and hadn't had a TV in years. In my mind, it was a karaoke contest. You get up on stage, you sing covers, and then you’re a pop star. That was never the path I intended to take.”

Crystal traveled back and forth to Chicago, halfway living there for what she thought was a new management and record deal opportunity, but again, it ended up being another dead end. Still struggling to provide for her son, a friend mentioned that there were American Idol tryouts the next day, and she’d certainly baby-sit if Crystal wanted to give it a go. Several auditions and weeks later, Crystal and her guitar finally took their place in front of the ultimate judges panel. “One of the first comments Simon made to me was ‘You don’t look like this is something you would do.’ But life is about survival, and you want to be able to give your children the world,” says Crystal. The show helped catapult her from obscurity to mega-fame overnight, and though Crystal is grateful for the exposure, she’s more focused now on what she gained from the competition as an artist and performer. “I've always known what kind of artist I am,” she says. "But I now know what I'm capable of."
During the American Idols Live tour, the song "Mason," became an actualization. "Mason was born really in the simplest way. You see someone and for whatever reason the chemistry takes your mind to a place in the future and wanting to build a life together, and ‘Mason’ was the thing that stuck out to me. I knew I loved Crystal when I met her," says Walker. It’s a snapshot of where she is today—post-Idol, subway station and wood burning stove. “My husband originally wrote it for me,” Crystal says of the track, who during the recording process, lent lyrics to an additional bridge, then making the song a 'co-wrote' with her spouse. “The words are ‘I wanna be your mason, baby. I want to build a life with you.’ And that is where I’m at right now, I’ve got my son and my husband and we’re never repeating the cycles I went through as a kid. That’s why this album means so much. It’s a way to get it out of me, and to connect with listeners at the same time. It’s a perfect reflection of me, of who I am and where I plan to go.” And clearly, the journey’s just begun.

The tour ended, and the new couple set up camp in Elmwood Park, New Jersey, at a studio where she and producer David Bendeth worked tirelessly. Pianist Jeff Kazee recalls the first day of the studio session, “In came this girl with dreads, looking all ‘earth mama,’ holding a baby rabbit under her arm. She said it hopped right up to her hands in the parking lot… and I was like, ‘Who is this lady???’”

It’s a question a lot of people ask when they first see Crystal, and then hear her amazing voice. Farmer’s Daughter may not unlock every secret behind the anomaly that is Crystal Bowersox, but it does give us a look into where she’s been, and what’s made her into the complex artist she is today. Several weeks and a labor of love later, a devoted group of talented people and musicians have breathed life into the songs that are the definition of Crystal Bowersox. Farmer's Daughter is a piece of the person that she chooses to share with her listeners, and as the pages of Crystal's life unfold, so will her honest and true songs."
This biography was provided by the artist or their representative.

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Crystal "Light"

2010-09-01T07:01:00.000-07:00

Crystal "light" ~ Q&A with Vicki L. Kroll of The Toledo Free Press

How long has your hair been in dreadlocks?

“Five years.”

Who is your favorite Beatle?

“That’s impossible; I love them all.”

Guilty pleasure song on your iPod?

“I don’t have an iPod [laughs].”

Guilty pleasure song you like?

“‘Kiss’ by Prince — I love that song.”

Do you have a pet?

“I have four cats, Oliver, Murray, Kate and Dopey, but I haven’t seen them in a long time.”

Favorite cartoon character?

“Right now it’s SpongeBob; my son’s into SpongeBob.”

Have you ever thought of rewriting and recording Glenn Campbell’s “Galveston” as a tribute to Elliston?

“I had not thought of that [laughs].”

Place you want to visit:

“I want to go to India; I think that would be cool.”

Favorite color:

“Red.”

Best bowling score?

“I haven’t been bowling for years. I don’t remember any, but I used to go as a kid with my dad.”

What do you like to cook or bake?

“I like to make cookies at Christmastime.”

Favorite holiday TV special?

“I’d have to say the Grinch.”

Someone you’d like to collaborate with someday:

“I’ve been pushing for Willie Nelson; let’s see if we can get him to read this.”

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Crystal Bowersox Honors her Hometown! Sings "HOLY TOLEDO" at Idols LIVE!!

2010-08-30T09:11:00.000-07:00

American Idol Season 9 runner-up (and the winner in the eyes of her hometown crowd!) Crystal Bowersox had a surprise in store for all her fans who showed up when the Idols LIVE! Tour came to Crystal's native Toledo, Ohio to play the Huntington Center on August 29th, 2010. Crystal sang an original song ~ a very emotional rendition of "Holy Toledo" to her hometown Fans, and dedicated it to a friend who just passed, Mark Brink, the writer of "The Saddest Song That I Never Wrote." "Holy Toledo" replaced Patty Griffin's "Up to the Mountain" in Crystal's set, and was the first time, ever, that an Idol performed an original song on the Idols LIVE! Tour. The Fans seemingly loved it, and to use an apt metaphor, "The crowd went wild!" Or as one man tweeted, "all 40 year old males are going berserk!!"

ONLY 2 SHOWS LEFT!!! See Crystal Bowersox in Concert! Get American Idol Live tickets - Click Here!

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Crystal Bowersox @ Staples Center singing to her son

2010-08-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

American Idol's Crystal Bowersox sings Melissa Etheridge's "Come to My Window" to her son Tony, who was being held by a friend, right behind the videographer.

LAST 3 NIGHTS!!! See Crystal Bowersox in Concert! Get American Idol Live tickets - Click Here!

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TONIGHT!!! CRYSTAL BOWERSOX Fundraiser, WIN 2 TICKETS TO IDOLS LIVE 8/29, singalong welcome for Elliston ‘Idol’

2010-08-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

Fans plan fundraiser, singalong welcome for Elliston ‘Idol’
Written by Kristen Rapin | |toledofreepress.com

MamaSox Nation and MamaSox Village Idiots are hosting an Aug. 28 pre-“American Idol” Live gathering in honor of Crystal Bowersox’s return to Northwest Ohio.

“We wanted to do this grass-roots for her. We thought it would be a great thing to do because this is really her homecoming and it’s not just the show itself,” said Jeff Bridge, of Tucson, Ariz., a member of the Village Idiots’ “Boared” who will be at the event.

The gathering will be the final day of the Sun Flower Project, an online fundraiser to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF) in Bowersox’s name. All funds raised during the evening will benefit JDRF.

Bowersox

“I definitely approve, but I’m not running it … I think it’s all good intentions and I’m all for it,” Bowersox said in a message to Toledo Free Press about the project.

Bowersox and the “American Idol Live!” tour come to the Huntington Center on Aug. 29.

Members of MamaSox Nation started the Sun Flower Project to raise money from June until Bowersox’s Toledo tour date. The Village Idiots, whose goal is to function as a fan partnership with Bowersox, assisting her causes and charitable endeavors, paired with MamaSox Nation for the evening to help raise money for the project.

“We want to help them raise as much money as we can that night, help them reach their original goal,” Bridge said. “We really want to help the Sun Flower Project finish strong.”

Approximately $1,200 has been raised for the Sun Flower Project and the groups hope to raise more money during the pre-show event, according to Michelle Reed, one individual in charge of the project.

The groups will raffle off signed Bowersox T-shirts, as well as a signed Bowersox pendant, Bridge said. The evening will also be live streamed online for those who cannot attend, he said. As part of the pre-show party Toledo Free Press will give away two tickets to the Aug. 29 “American Idol” Live! Tour for Aug. 29 to see Bowersox in concert.

“The fan club asked if they could meet here and we said yes,” said Tom Sullivan, executive chef at the Village Idiot. “Crystal played here for about a year before she was on the show. She considered this a place she started out.”

The Village Idiot will donate a portion of pizza sales to the JDRF at the end of the evening, Sullivan said. In addition to pre-show events, Andrew Ellis and the Setting Suns will play at the Village Idiot at 10 p.m.

The pre-show gathering starts at 7 p.m. Aug. 28. For more information, visit the website

www.mamasoxvillageidiots.com.

‘Holy Toledo’ singalong

MamaSox Village Idiots are using social media to get individuals to come out and sing “Holy Toledo” for Crystal Bowersox as she exits the “American Idol Live!” tour bus Aug. 29.

“We want to show that we care for her and give thanks to her,” said Sydney Conover, chief graphic designer and “Boared” member for MamaSox Village Idiots. “Holy Toledo’ was a song she wrote when she was 17 before she left town. It was a song she was able to sing when she came back to Toledo and it was the first original song they allowed played on ‘Idol’.”

The group hopes to have more than 100 people commit to coming out and singing “Holy Toledo” to Bowersox as she leaves the tour bus.

The Village Idiots are asking individuals to tweet “#holytoledo It’s time to give back to Mamasox. Need 100 people to sing Holy Toledo as Crystal leaves their tour bus. LET’S GIVE BACK TO MAMA,” to get the word out about the event.

The group is still working on tentative times for everyone to come sing for Bowersox, but will let everyone know through its website and through Twitter. Words to “Holy Toledo” can be found at the MamaSox Village Idiots website forum.

See Crystal Bowersox in Concert! Get American Idol Live tickets - Click Here!

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Crystal Bowersox to play "Power to the Peaceful" September 11th with Michael Franti!

2010-08-26T14:05:00.000-07:00

American Idol Season 9 runner-up Crystal Bowersox with play at this year's 12th annual "Power to the Peaceful" Concert in San Francisco with Michael Franti and Spearhead, Rebelution, Rupa & the April Fishes and many others for "3 days of Music, Art and Action"!

POWER TO THE PEACEFUL FESTIVAL is an international destination located in the heart of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park - One of the largest FREE annual, music, art and action events brings together over 50,000 attendees, 200 exhibitors, environmental and humanitarian orgs, vendors, DJs, athletes, artists and speakers.

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A Chat with Crystal Bowersox

2010-08-25T08:51:00.000-07:00

OnMedia: A Chat with Crystal Bowersox
By Tim Cuprisin, Media Columnist

This year's crop of "American Idol" finalists stop at Summerfest during their post-show tour, Idols LIVE.

And the woman who almost won, second-place finisher Crystal Bowersox, tells me she's looking forward to the outdoor venue on a hot summer night, as well as connecting with some Milwaukee friends.

"I'm a summertime girl," she says. "I like the sunshine, I like bein' all sweaty and gross."

It's the kind of answer you'd expect from the 24-year-old Bowersox, who finished just behind Lee DeWyze, the suburban Chicago singer who picked up the ninth "Idol" crown last month. From her audition and through the process that ended just two weeks ago, she's always seemed comfortable with who she is.

"I kind of agree with that statement," she tells me in a phone conversation during a break in rehearsals for the coming tour. "I've been comfortable in my skin for a long time, I know who I am as a human, as a person and a musician."

I follow up with my theory that it's, in fact, better that she finished second. Without an "Idol" recording contract, she'll have more freedom to do her music.

"I don't think by Lee winning that he has any less freedom," she says. Bowersox clearly sees a kindred spirit in the 24-year-old DeWyze.

"We're from the same school of music, singer-songwriter," she says. "I think our voices fit really well together. "

The pair did a memorable duet near the end of the competition, and while she says both are concentrating on their solo careers, she could see performing with him.

For now, she's in the very beginning stages of putting together her own solo album after signing a contract with Jive.

"We've started talks about what songs are gonna be used, what kind of vibe we want," she said.

While she was clearly comfortable on the "Idol" stage, she says her own music might be a little different.

"My original music is more lower-key, a more folky vibe," she explains. The songs are "autobiographical," and her voice is "sweeter" than the raspy tone she did in the big songs she did on the show.

While she was comfortable in those performances, it appeared that she was uncomfortable at times with the competitive nature of "American Idol."

"I would say that's a true statement. To me, music's more about expression. The idea of a competition about music is strange to me."

But she knew what she what the competition was all about when she auditioned. "It's the nature of the beast," she says.

Bowersox's advice for the next crop of "Idol" singers: "Be prepared for a lot of changes in your life. You can't just hang, with a sun-up to sun-down schedule."

Her suggestions for improving "Idol" are few. She would have liked the chance to do her own songs, and "move the band down from the risers and have them on the stage."

Other than that, she admits it's a "well-oiled machine."

After her chat, it was back to rehearsals, including those group numbers. Bowersox always looked uncomfortable in those, but says she actually enjoys them.

"Nobody believes me when I say it," she admits.

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source:onmilwaukee.com

Crystal Bowersox lead Idols into Huntington Center for Toledo, Ohio Concert!

2010-08-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

Written by Vicki L. Kroll, toledofreepress.com

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Crystal Bowersox celebrated her 25th birthday earlier this month in Tampa, Fla., another stop on the American Idols Live! Tour. There was just one gift she wanted: A visit from her 18-month-old son, Tony.

“I had my son flown to Florida so he was there with me on my birthday, and it was his first time seeing me on the big stage,” she said. “When the television show was on, he was always back in the VIP room; he never saw me perform. So it was really, really cool — had the little ear protectors on him.

“He enjoyed the whole thing, looked at the Jumbotron, looked at mommy on stage. He couldn’t quite figure it out, but he clapped for me.”

Toledo — and Tony — will get another visit with Bowersox when the Idols Tour stops at the Huntington Center on Aug. 29.

This time when her legions of fans gather at the arena, there’ll be clapping. In May, a stunned packed house watched the “American Idol” finale and saw Lee DeWyze named the winner.

“It’s going to be really cool when we get to Toledo and see familiar faces,” Bowersox said during a call before a show in San Diego. “I think [the concert is] a good thing for the whole family. There’s such a variety of music from each of the different contestants.”

Set to take the stage with Bowersox and DeWyze are the rest of the top 10 performers from season nine: Didi Benami, Andrew Garcia, Casey James, Aaron Kelly, Michael Lynche, Siobhan Magnus, Katie Stevens and Tim Urban. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show range from $38.50 to $68.50.

“No guarantees, but something might happen there; I might do something different for the hometown,” Bowersox teased.

Don’t expect to see her signature microphone stand.

“My mic stand is currently retired for now, for the summer. I traded it in for a headset so I could walk around the stage and get as close to the audience as I possibly can,” the Elliston native said.

“It’s really great to get to meet the fans and come to them,” she said. “We’re learning a lot [on the tour], but we’re having fun.”

Trying to learn about the star’s debut disc was tough. Bowersox said she didn’t want to give too much away.

“It will definitely be all-original, if not original, it’ll be co-written. I want to take part in every aspect of the album. I want to co-produce,” she said. “It’s my baby, it’s my art, so I want to be involved. It’s supposed to represent me, so I’m going to try to do that the best I can.”

Bowersox confirmed that local bassist Frankie May will record with her.

When asked if “Holy Toledo” will be on the disc, she replied, “We haven’t decided on songs yet, but songs that are most important to me will be on the album.”

The singer-songwriter then shared the story behind that track: “I was 17 sitting on a friend’s front porch, thinking about moving and wondering what else is out there. I was at a turning point in my life; I was going from, you know, teenager to a woman, and that’s when I moved to Chicago and just kind of started fulfilling my dreams and not really letting anything get in the way. I think it’s a song of hope for something better.”

And yes, she knows how to drive a stick. “When I wrote that song, I actually had a 1972 Volkswagen bus,” she said.

After the tour wraps up Aug. 31, MamaSox will return to Northwest Ohio for a few days and her favorite gig — singing to her son.

“I sing to him whenever I can,” Bowersox said. “He sings, too. He’s picking up on ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,’ and he understands the difference between a low note and a higher note. He’s into it; he’s been around music since he was in the womb.”

She added, “He’s a very, very Zen baby; he’s calm, cool and collected.”

Must get that from his mom, who seems so down-to-earth.

“I grew up lower income, middle class, you know. I’ve lived a long time without much, and I realize that’s not the important stuff in life anyway, really; it’s health and happiness, and I’ve got that so I’m alright.”

ONE WEEK LEFT to see CRYSTAL LIVE!! See Crystal Bowersox in Concert! Get American Idol Live tickets - Click Here!

Crystal Bowersox interview with AJ in the Morning, Star 94.1

2010-08-22T09:59:00.000-07:00

American Idol runner-up Crystal Bowersox talks with Aj in the morning, before the Idols LIVE Tour stop in San Diego, CA. Listen below:

Part 1:

Part 2:

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Thanks to MJsBigBlog.com for the Audio

Crystal Bowersox Answers Fan's Twitter Questions via Video!

2010-08-21T06:58:00.000-07:00

American Idol's Crystal Bowersox answers fan-submitted Twitter questions, during a break from the Idols LIVE concert tour, courtesy of AI Now.

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Crystal Bowersox letting off steam with a Water Balloon Fight!

2010-08-20T07:44:00.000-07:00

American Idol runner-up Crystal Bowersox lets off steam and has some laughs with members of The Village Idiots. Crystal and Big Mike take a little well-needed break before the Idols LIVE concert in Sacramento, CA show by having a water balloon fight!

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On the road beyond 'Idol,' Crystal Bowersox still searches for a place to spread her roots

2010-08-18T07:19:00.000-07:00

By Kevin Joy, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Long before the final vote, Crystal Bowersox was a winner to millions, an idol in their hearts.

She connected deeply with a wide swath of viewers: single mothers, small-town dwellers, struggling barroom entertainers and music fans. All saw the refreshing appeal of a scrappy, soulful contender - a Midwestern gal who wrote her own tunes, played an instrument with gusto (alongside a makeshift microphone stand made from an old lamp, no less) and refused to alter her salt-of-the-earth persona.

She breezed through most weeks on the latest season of American Idol, rising above country and teen-pop wannabes to land praise from the show's judging panel, including the notoriously snide Simon Cowell. He called the 24-year-old singer-guitarist "outstanding" and "the one everyone has to beat."

After advancing in May via audience-driven text and telephone votes into Idol's remaining three, she returned to Toledo a rock star. A homecoming concert dubbed "Bowerstock" attracted thousands, while an appearance before a Toledo Mud Hens game - at which she sang The Star-Spangled Banner while cradling her toddler, Tony - drew a record-breaking crowd.

She even found a fan in Gov. Ted Strickland, who, on May25, issued a news release urging Ohioans to vote for Bowersox before the Idol finale, where she performed like a natural alongside Alanis Morissette and Joe Cocker.

When the Elliston, Ohio, native came in second to soft-spoken Chicago paint salesman Lee DeWyze, she may have been the only one unfazed.

"I woke up that morning, I had a gut feeling, and I was OK with it," Bowersox said. "It was a mix between statistics and an innate feeling."

On the road through Aug.31 with the "American Idols Live!" tour (Get American Idol Live tickets Here!), she spoke by phone last week from Hershey, Pa.,

Even in defeat, Bowersox has been consistently positive. She has referred to DeWyze as a brother and a friend, a nice guy who deserves the glory.

She is excited to work on a solo album that has attracted interest from Melissa Etheridge, Linda Perry and Michael Franti.

And the woman who once had to beg for insulin at a pharmacy as a cash-strapped teenage diabetic can now provide for her own child.

"There's stability," said Bowersox, whose family is watching her son during the tour. "He's surrounded with nothing but love and support. He's having life experiences I couldn't have dreamed of having."

In her youth, Bowersox sang in taverns and blue-collar bars before sparse crowds, trying to find a place in the Toledo School for the Arts before she dropped out.

She remembers sitting on the front porch of a friend's house in Elliston, a microscopic town of about 75 residents, where she wrote Holy Toledo - a wistful ballad that has since found steady airplay on several Toledo radio stations and will likely appear on her album.

"Things weren't so well in my childhood," said Bowersox, whose parents divorced when she was 2. "I was young. I was plotting my journey to Chicago. The song was about hope for what else was out there."

She fled to the Windy City at 17, hitting the subway platforms at 4a.m. to secure a spot where musicians could legally play.

Her mix of cover songs and original fare connected with commuters. Some missed their trains to catch a few more minutes, and others would return the next day wondering, "What was that song you played?"

After becoming pregnant by a man who has since left the country, Bowersox returned to Ohio about a year ago, attending an Idol casting call in Chicago on a whim.

The judges, along with guest panelist Shania Twain, issued unanimous approval, and she was off to Hollywood.

On television, she blossomed.

"I still don't get nervous," Bowersox said. "When I walk onstage, it's time to play."

She took Cowell's criticism gracefully and worked with mentors ranging from Harry Connick Jr. to Alicia Keys.

Her matriarchal "Mama Sox" nickname became vernacular.

The only slip came April 20, when Bowersox burst into tears at the end of covering the Impressions' People Get Ready - the result of seeing her father, Bill, in the audience for the first time.

Cowell didn't flinch, deeming the performance "in a completely different class" from the night's competitors. Bowersox fast became a sensation in Toledo - and tabloid fodder.

Her rumored early departure hit TMZ.com after she expressed homesickness to Idol host Ryan Seacrest. She was briefly hospitalized in March following what was believed to be complications from diabetes. And, shortly before her final performances, her relationship with Ohio boyfriend Tony Kusian ended.

Gossip magazines scoured Elliston for dirt, later claiming she was pregnant or engaged. Internet forums lit up with chatter about her dreadlocks (inspired by her readings about Buddhist and biblical studies) and, more recently, a dental procedure to close a gap between her teeth.

Bowersox is flattered by the attention but finds such energy misspent. "People get their teeth done every day - why are mine any more special?" she said. "The gulf's on fire and full of black sludge, and people are talking about my teeth. It's silly."

She plans to involve longtime bassist Frankie May in upcoming recording sessions, after the tour.

She hasn't decided whether to live in Los Angeles, but she said the tour has given her peeks at plenty of potential places to settle down. Wherever Bowersox lands, home won't fade.

"Nothing comes easy in northwest Ohio," she said. "People work hard and appreciate the things they have. It's a lot of honest people just trying to make their way in life - that's what I want to take with me.

"I'm seeing some really cool cities and cool people, but I'm just a country girl."

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Crystal Bowersox and Her Toledo Roots, Part 2

2010-08-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

Many people around Toledo knew that someday, someone would discover the girl with old-soul talent. And they were right! Check out American Idols runner-up in Part 2!

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Crystal Bowersox Sings "No One Needs To Know"

2010-08-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

American Idol Season 9 runner-up Crystal Bowersox Sings "No One Needs To Know" with a Charlie Brown & Snoopy video. Very cute, and fitting!

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Crystal Bowersox and Her Toledo Roots, Part I

2010-08-14T07:52:00.000-07:00

Many people around Toledo knew that someday, someone would discover the girl with old-soul talent. And they were right! Make sure to come back for Part 2!

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Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze talk about their future plans with YoungHollywood

2010-08-13T11:14:00.000-07:00

American Idol Lee DeWyze and runner-up Crystal Bowersox talk about their future and how this is just the beginning for them (Get tickets Here!). Lee tells YH his secret on what he was feeling when he got crowned American Idol as Crystal tells us her musical influences and inspirations ~ like Micheal Franti and Spearhead, Aretha Franklin and Melissa Etheridge. Hosted by Tatiana Diana.

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Crystal Bowersox talks about her upcoming album and the American Idol Tour

2010-08-11T07:36:00.000-07:00

Crystal Bowersox talks about her upcoming album and the American Idol Tour.

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Crystal Bowersox's Secret Songs

2010-08-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

Before going on Fox's American Idol, the Crystal Bowersox cut tracks at Englewood studio
BY THOMAS CONNER AND MIKE THOMAS Staff Reporters/Chicago Sun Times

Ron Prince got a phone call earlier this year from a friend telling him to turn on the TV. Like, right now.

"He said, 'Ron! Ron! That's your girl on TV! On 'American Idol'!"

When Prince clicked on Fox, he saw Crystal Bowersox, the young woman who used to come by his Englewood home studio, sit on the floor and play her guitar. Prince had been intrigued enough by what he heard that he'd recorded some of her songs -- nine of them, and she said she had 40 ready to go -- and wondered what could be done with them.

That was late in the summer of 2008. Then Bowersox blew town.

"She got pregnant, and she said the kid was going to be her only priority," Prince said Monday at his studio. "So she went back to Toledo. And the next thing I heard, she's on TV."

So Prince now owns an album's worth of recordings by someone who could be the biggest name in music. Like, tomorrow.

On a purely sonic level, he thinks the country, folk and rock tunes have huge potential -- especially now that Bowersox has garnered global acclaim.

But because Bowersox disappeared to another life so quickly and now has been essentially quarantined for several months by "Idol" producers, not to mention crazy busy thanks to rehearsals and a flurry of personal appearances, she hasn't even heard these finished recordings. And Prince hasn't been able to get in touch.

Until she reaches out, he says, these tracks of hers will stay safely tucked away.

"I would like to speak to her first and try to see where her head is at before I start distributing her music," says the 53-year-old Prince, long affiliated with the Gary-rooted blues-funk-reggae band the Kinsey Report as well as his own blues band Ron Prince and Hard Time. "Because I really care about Crystal and it's not just about the money, it's about her trusting me to do this together. Although I footed the whole bill on this, I still want to give her a chance to have some say."

Bowersox couldn't be reached, but her friend Brian Walker, a Chicago musician, confirmed she had worked with Prince. Fox declined comment.

Word of the recordings follows the national release of two locally made CDs of songs by Bowersox's "Idol" rival, Lee DeWyze of Mount Prospect. "So I'm Told" and "Slumberland," by the Lee DeWyze Band, were recorded in Oak Park by the independent WuLi Records.

Prince says he worked with Bowersox "at a time in her life when she was really opening up with her expressiveness, and I just really kind of tapped into something with her."

That something, he adds, was "probably the desperation that she was experiencing here in trying to make it as a musician. I know the story myself. I could just see it in her."

Although Bowersox recorded the songs accompanied only by her acoustic guitar, Prince put "a whole band behind her" during the ensuing production process, bringing in session players to add saxophone, mandolin, piano, strings, horns and backing vocals.

"She likes her music really raw. ... If she had it her way, she would like all of her music to be mostly her and her guitar," Prince says with a laugh. "But I think since she's been on 'Idol' and had a bigger production behind her, she's probably grown a newer perspective. I would hope so."

Asked if he'll ultimately try to sell the songs to a bigger label than his own Ron House Recordings, Prince again defers to Bowersox.

"I would like for Crystal to take a look at them and see if we could, because I think it's really worthy material. It's probably some of her best stuff. I probably heard every song that she'd come up with, and we kind of picked out the cream of the crop."

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Crystal Bowersox Sings her Original Song "Slut"

2010-08-09T10:57:00.000-07:00

This video was recorded at The Village idiot in Maumee, Ohio on 12/28/2009 by Martin Alves. Videographer Tim Ide, who recorded the other Village Idiot Exclusive videos found on this blog, is 'eating' fire here.

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