He released the album The Real Thing after American Idol to minor success before being dropped by RCA Records.

Among his credits were opening for Blackfoot and Warrant as well as performing live and recording with Johnny Neel, formerly of The Allman Brothers Band.

Bice had recorded other albums prior to his stint on American Idol, which included Ex Gratia (1999) with his band Purge, and Recipe for Flavor (2000) with SugarMoney.

In August 2004, Bice’s mother and several other family members encouraged him to go try out, since he was within the eligible age limit (he would turn 29 in November 2004).

Along with Constantine Maroulis and Taylor Hicks (winner of Season 5), Bice was one of the oldest contestants to audition and participate on American Idol.

[6] His performance in the audition stage of The Allman Brothers Band's song "Whipping Post" drew raves from the judges.

In June 2005, Bice was quoted in Rolling Stone magazine that his last thought during the Idol finale was, "Please, God, don't let me win this thing.

"[7] In comments during a subsequent appearance on The Today Show, Bice backed off this stance a bit, saying that he thanked all those who had voted for him.

In addition to playing that concert, he opened his home in Helena, Alabama to a family displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

On December 18, Bice started coughing up blood while rehearsing for a performance on the 2005 Radio Music Awards, and had to miss the show.

During the ensuing year of promotional appearances and touring, Bice continued to suffer with the recurring intestinal condition which had not been repaired by the August 2005 surgery.

On September 12, 2006, Bice released a cover of The Chambers Brothers 1968 smash hit, "Time Has Come Today", which was the theme song for a new Monopoly commercial.

On October 5, 2006, Bice underwent emergency surgery in Nashville, Tennessee to correct his recurring intestinal problem.

In the spring and summer of 2006, Bice began to talk of his hopes for a second CD, saying that "[he]'d like to go more rootsy, more country, more southern rock Bo.

"[16] Bice encouraged his fans to start a petition asking Clive Davis for Bo's original southern rock songs on a subsequent CD.

Bice introduced many of his newly written songs on a short acoustic tour which began in May 2007 and ended a few weeks later with his hospitalization for flu and bronchitis.

In October 2007, Bice made an appearance on the TV show American Chopper: The Series in an episode which featured a custom-built Peavey Bike with a built-in guitar, microphone, and amp.

He simultaneously spent a few weeks participating in a special tour called It Was Forty Years Ago Today with Todd Rundgren, Denny Laine, Lou Gramm, and Christopher Cross.

Bice sang two tracks on the Brothers of the Southland CD,[17] a compilation spearheaded by The Marshall Tucker Band's George McCorkle who had died from cancer just days prior to the recording sessions.

Bice was honored with the prestigious Lifetime Presidential Volunteer Service Award for volunteering more than 4,000 hours of his time for worthy causes, such as Habitat for Humanity, Katrina assistance, muscular dystrophy, organ transplants, two concert tours for the military troops in Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan, Safe House, and many others.

In addition to the hours for which he received recognition, he has donated instruments, music equipment, meaningful personal memorabilia, and some of his own paintings to be auctioned off for charities.

[citation needed] On October 12, 2010, Bice guest-starred on the syndicated game show Don't Forget the Lyrics!

Bice was the first celebrity contestant to win the grand prize by correctly singing the lyrics to all the songs in his round.