Season 5 of “American Idol” gave us plenty of great musical memories, including the vocal stylings of North Carolina native Bucky Covington. Although he finished the competition in 8th place, fans continued to follow the country singer on his post-Idol journey. Over the July 4th weekend in 2025, Covington took to Instagram to share news of an upcoming performance. From the video, it’s clear that he’s adopted a new look over the years.
Although he’s still sporting his signature long hair, he’s made one bold change to his appearance since his ‘Idol’ days. Instead of the short, neat facial hair of yesteryear, today’s Covington rocks a full beard. “Come check us out at Coppermine Farms tonight!” the singer encouraged fans in the caption. The concert was his first time performing on the North Carolina stage in three years. In addition to this show, Covington also posted photos from a concert in West Virginia from the same timeframe.
One Thing About Covington Hasn’t Changed
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Although he may not look quite the same as he did on “American Idol,” one thing about Covington hasn’t changed: his singing chops. In the clip, he sings part of Nickelback’s “Gotta Be Somebody,” and his voice sounds as smooth as ever. This is especially impressive considering new music releases from the singer have slowed to a trickle over the years.
In 2024, Covington delighted fans with a new country tune, “Slow,” which he advertised on Instagram. The song was the only single he released that year, following a pattern of sporadic offerings in the decade since his “Happy Man” EP dropped in 2015. Nevertheless, his Instagram followers were supportive of the new song. “Yay-New Bucky music! Can’t wait!” one wrote.
The Singer Has Focused on Another Career
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Many “Idol” contestants return home to careers outside of stardom, and Covington is no exception. Although music has been part of his journey ever since the show, he’s also put a lot of time into his other passion: cars. As Fender Bender reported, the singer has spent many years co-owning two automotive shops with his twin, Rocky.
As Covington explained in the interview, he believes in approaching his work in the automotive industry the same way he approaches his music fans. “I believe now, with the collision centers, I think when people drop their cars off under the Covington name, it’s about being open and honest,” he said. Car businesses are a natural choice for the Covington brothers because of their family legacy. Their grandfather opened his own repair shop over seven decades ago.
