Hall of Fame Moment: Bo Bice’s “Unplugged” Performance of “In a Dream”

Every season on American Idol there have been one or two breakout performances that have taken viewers by surprise, and ultimately, may well have changed the course of the competition. Kelly did it with “Stuff Like That There,” Clay’s “Solitaire” catapulted him into contention for the title, and Fantasia’s “Summertime” still ranks as one of the best Idol performances to date. But despite the fact that season four featured what is arguably the most talented group of contestants to date, as the competition drew to a close, viewers were still waiting for that one “moment.”

That changed on May 17, when during the final three performance show, Bo Bice took an enormous risk and performed his second song without the benefit of a band or backup singers. No one in the history of the show had ever attempted to sing a cappella at this stage in the competition, and yet Bo was ready to bare his soul (and his vocals) and take this gamble.

That night, Bo was coming off a strong first performance. His rendition of “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” had impressed Clive Davis and earned him rave reviews from Randy, Paula, and Simon. At this point, Bo’s placement in the top two seemed all but guaranteed, and all he really had to do was come out and sing with energy and conviction. But Bo had something to prove to those who had criticized him for being a "one trick pony," and he had decided this was the time to do it.

For his second performance, Bo chose an obscure song recorded by 1990s metal band, Badlands. The song, “In a Dream,” was written by the group’s vocalist, the late Ray Gillen, and released in 1991 on the group’s second CD, Voodoo Highway. Certainly, this is not a song with which most people are familiar. But Bo was a fan of this group, and recognized the potential of the simple arrangement and powerful lyrics.

When Bo stepped out on stage in the semi-darkness, something magical happened. Idol fans took a collective breath; it was almost palpable. Initially, the lack of background “noise” seemed unusual. We had become accustomed to watching Bo play off the band each week, swapping energy with Ricky Miner and his excellent group of musicians. But this night, Bo was alone out there, putting his vocal skills to the ultimate test.

Bo, unplugged, was absolutely masterful. His voice was rich and clear, and the words to the song were almost too intense. His enunciation brought the lyrics to life, and he seemed to be speaking directly to us all, asking for some comfort and peace. The emotion was raw – almost painful. He sang:

With a white spotlight illuminating the top of his head, Bo continued to sing directly into the camera. His eyes were riveting, and the lyrics continued to flow through him. The performance was pitch-perfect, well executed, and heartfelt. He finished this dazzling presentation with an incredible, almost classical run that stunned the live audience, and shook TV viewers to the core. There was simply nothing left for Bo to do. He’d done it all.

Obviously, this performance could have been a complete disaster. One wrong note or missed lyric and it would have been all over. He had given himself no place to hide. But he pulled it off, and almost immediately, media outlets began lauding this performance as the performance of the season – maybe even of all four seasons. MSNBC called it “ballsy,” and MTV declared him the one to beat. In less than two minutes, Bo Bice had stepped across the line that separates ordinary from extraordinary, and changed his life forever. Nothing will ever be the same for Bo after this, and whether he wins or loses the competition, this humble, inventive, creative man is destined for a long, successful performing career.

This groundbreaking Idol performance will be certainly be talked about for years to come, and will definitely rank among the top ten all-time Idol performances no matter how many more seasons air. It is for this reason, then, that we are recognizing Bo Bice and his spectacular performance of “In a Dream” as a true Reality TV Hall of Fame Moment.

Donna Reynolds is an Assistant Editor for the RealityNewsOnline family of websites and a freelance writer based in Syracuse, NY. She is also the creator of “That’s Entertainment,” a weblog on syracuse.com. Whether you agree or disagree, Donna welcomes your comments, and you can email her at foxydonna@earthlink.net.

Be sure to sign up for the RealityNewsOnline/Reality TV Hall of Fame e-mail update so you can stay informed about new articles on these sites! And take a look at the rest of the site. You can find all of the shows in the Hall of Fame listed here, all of the people who have been inducted can be found here, and click here for the Hall of Fame Moments.

We encourage you to visit our sister site:

For more news about reality TV, be sure to check out RealityNewsOnline and SirLinksALot: American Idol and Reality TV Fever!