Upon leaving Calhoun and spending one semester at the University of North Alabama in Florence, Bice turned professional and performed in shows all across the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Europe. Bice would have graduated in 1994, but in the fall of 1993, Bice dropped out of high school just before turning 18 to move back to Alabama, where he earned his GED and attended classes at Calhoun Community College from November 1996 to May 1997.Ĭareer Career beginnings and American Idol: 1997-2005 He formed his first band, Spinning Jenny, while living there. It was around this time when Bice worked with some English alternative rock musicians. In high school, he carried his guitar everywhere and played football. Bice attended London Central High School, a Department of Defense school primarily for children whose parents served in the military or worked at the U.S. In 1990 when Bice was 14 years old they moved to England, as part of his step-father's European assignment with Coca-Cola in London.īice spent his teenage years living in Gerrards Cross. They lived in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, including the metro area of Atlanta.
The Downes family moved around the South frequently. Bice has two other half-siblings, Candace and Matthew, on his biological father's side. Bice grew up with his mother and step-father, Earle Downes, a Coca-Cola manager, step-sisters Jenny and Sharan Downes, and half-brother John Cohran. Bice's parents divorced when he was very young, and his mother remarried years later. His family continued to call him Bogart, but when Bice was in kindergarten he shortened it to "Bo" because he did not think Bogart was cool. Bice was nicknamed "Bogart" as a newborn by his grandmother, "Granny Madge", because she thought he had " Humphrey Bogart eyes". His mother was a gospel singer as were his grandmother, great-grandmother, and aunts. 2.4 Sugar Money Records, See The Light and 3: 2007-2013īice was born in Hunstville, Alabama to Nancy and Harold Elwin Bice.2.3 The Real Thing and recurring medical problems: 2005-2006.2.2 Post- Idol, marriage and fatherhood: 2005.2.1 Career beginnings and American Idol: 1997-2005.