Bo Bice, 'A Cat' Who Can Jam

(CBS)  With his long hair and raw talent, Bo Bice gave "American Idol" a dose of rock 'n' roll.

And while he came up short in the end, fans have no doubt they're going to be seeing a lot more of "Idol"'s resident rocker.

"I think America did a great job," Bice tells co-anchor Russ Mitchell about the TV show's finale, in which he lost to country singer Carrie Underwood. "I was extremely ecstatic for Carrie. I think they got the person that needs to carry the crown for 'American Idol,' man."

And yet, Bice could wind up being the big winner. His first single, "Vehicle," won't be available until June 21, but it's already on Barnes & Noble's online bestsellers list.

"It was really great being in the studio with Desmond Child," Bice says about recording the album. "He does a great job as a producer. He's done loads of things throughout the years. That was wonderful. It's truly been a great experience."

Bice, who performed "Drift Away" in his appearance on The Early Show, says his album shows his versatility.

"I think people are going to see a pretty wide-open variety for me, everything from a little bit of ballad stuff, to some really upbeat rockin' stuff, to even some kind of, I guess you call, poppy rock kind of stuff. It's cool. Looking forward to it."

As for earlier plans to retire once he turns 30, the 29-year-old says, "If the cats go out and buy my CD, I'll be here for a couple more years. If not, then I'll be in the files of obscurity somewhere."

That's unlikely, as he is now in the same position as Clay Aiken, an "American Idol" from two seasons ago who is now a multi platinum-selling star.

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