"I feel like 3 is my strongest record to date," Bo Bice said recently. "It's a plethora of sounds that show who I really am. There's something for everyone; country, soul, rock'n' roll...it's like your favorite pair of jeans, it just feels right."
But 3 is more than just an album title for Bice. He and his wife Caroline welcomed their third child, Ean Jacob, this past January. After a few health scares, Bo's had a clean bill of health for three years. And, of course, 3 is his third album, a record filled with soulful, gospel-tinged country rock that represents the maturation of a songwriter and performer.
(Did we say maturation? "Don't forget, it's also Dale Earnhardt's number," says Bice, laughing. "That's another good reason to call it 3. Besides, you can't name your fifth album 3 - people will wonder if you can count.")
For the amount of time he's been in the public eye (records, TV, movies, a chart-topping single), 3 finally showcases "who the real Bo Bice is." The album, recorded in his adopted hometown of Nashville, features an array of influences, from Jim Croce, Van Morrison, James Taylor, Gram Parsons to the Black Crowes and Lenny Kravitz (most notably on "Get on and Ride," the record's most rockin' track). And those sounds aren't on accident - performers on the album include Crowes drummer Steve Gorman and keyboardist A.J. Croce, the son of Jim Croce. The album was entirely written or co-written by Bice, with additional production by D. Scott Miller (who's worked on hits by Trace Adkins, Patty Loveless and Asleep at the Wheel, among others).