Daily Herald: ‘Idol’ finalist Danny Gokey leads off grandstand lineup

If you think about it, there might be no better crowd pleaser at this week’s DuPage County Fair than “American Idol” finalist Danny Gokey.
We caught up with Gokey last week to find out about life after “Idol,” a less glamorous summer fair experience, and what’s in store for the Wheaton audience.
Q. You recently released a new single, “I Will Not Say Goodbye,” which is a very personal song. (Gokey’s wife and high school sweetheart, Sophia, died during routine surgery for congenital heart disease just before he auditioned for “Idol,” a show she loved.) What has the reception been so far?
A. It’s been really great. It’s a real song and I think a lot of people are responding to it, since it debuted at 53 and jumped the next week to 42 on the Billboard Country Music Charts. To move 11 spots, that’s huge. I sing the song from my situation, but I think it also tells other people’s stories of experiencing loss and not understanding why. The song gives someone permission to cry, it gives someone permission to grieve. It says “Yes, I’ll move on in life and do what I have to do, but I am never going to say goodbye to that memory.”
Q. Before your music career launched, you worked as a truck driver for two years while living in Milwaukee. Did that job ever take you to county fairs like this?
A. As a matter of fact, I just played Summerfest in Milwaukee and I was thinking “Wow, I made a delivery here once and I never thought I’d play on this stage.” It’s funny how things work out.

Enjoy the full interview at http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=395221