Bucky Covington was a finalist in the 5th season of American Idol, where he went on to win the heartsof the American public, finishing 8th on the show. Originally from Rockingham, North Carolina, Bucky's long journey to national attention began where he and his identical twin Rocky were born. Drawn early to country music, Covington was a fan of Tim McGraw, George Strait, and Travis Tritt, among others. After getting his first guitar at age 19, he claimed local fame with the country/southern rock cover band Southern Thunder. He says his style of music is "country, with as much rock in it as I can get away with."