PerezHilton.com: A Surprise Hit!

Danny on Perez?  Didn’t see that one coming!

Who says you need to win American Idol to get big?! (Really all you need is to appeal to middle America!)

Season 8 American Idol contestant Danny Gokey released his new album last week and already it is soaring up the music charts. He has sold over 65,000 copies of his CD, My Best Days, which has landed him at the #4 spot on the Billboard 200 and #3 country album-sales chart.

Crazy!

Somewhere out there, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert are asking themselves, “WHY?!”

via A Surprise Hit! | PerezHilton.com.

Jan and Toni’s Recap: Danny Gokey at Turner Hall (Milwaukee, WI)

Jan and Toni’s Recap DG’s Milwaukee Turner Hall Concert

CD Release Concert

Saturday, March 6^th, 2010

JAN’S VERSION:

The Plan and Pre Concert

Because Toni was flying in from New York, we knew that we would not forgive ourselves if we were too late to get into the concert or not able to see Danny because we were so far in the back.  So our plan was to be there between 9 and 10 AM.  Well, Toni woke up at 5:15 and was showered by the time I woke up at 6AM.  By 8:30 we were only about 8 people from the very front of the line at Turner Hall!  Hard core Danny fans were already waiting.  The first few had come from Michigan, Tennessee and Minnesota, as well as Wisconsin to experience Danny’s CD release party.  It was probably about 30 degrees F and the front of the building (west) was in deep shadows.  It was pretty chilly.  We set up some chairs and learned who was who on twitter.  Read more

USA Today: Songwriters spread the wealth

The members of Lady Antebellum haven’t just been busy writing hits like Need You Now. Other artists also have been recording their material. “Anybody who wants to write, anytime, we love it,” says Dave Haywood, who with Charles Kelley had a hand in writing the following songs on recent Nashville releases:

Do I, Luke Bryan
“With that song, we were just writing, because we knew it could go possibly for Luke and possibly for us,” Kelley says. “That is one of the beauties of writing with another artist: You’ve got two chances to make a record.”

Love Song, Miranda Lambert
“We’ve become good friends with Miranda and Blake Shelton,” Haywood says. “They invited us to their farm in Oklahoma. We were there a week and wrote four or five songs — one for Miranda, one for Blake and some duets.”

It’s Only, Danny Gokey
“When I sent that over to a friend of mine at Sony, she immediately thought of (Season 8 American Idol finalist) Danny Gokey,” Kelley says. “He sings his butt off on it. We’ve gotten to know him since then, and he’s such a nice guy, got a great story.”

via: USA Today: Songwriters spread the wealth

US 99.5 (Chicago, IL): Danny Gokey Catch Him If You Can!

Written by Trish Biondo on March 7, 2010

Danny Gokey just wrapped up a stunning performance at the Best Buy in Orland Park! The energy from both Danny and the crowd was electrifying! The question isn’t how big of a star is he going to be…cause he already is! Catch him if you can!

Check out Danny tomorrow morning with Lisa and Ray. He will also be on WGN-TV.

Danny to tour with Sugarland this year…and stay tuned to US99 for an upcoming performance in the area.

In the meantime, check out his new CD, “My Best Days!” You are going to love it!

via: http://www.us-99.com/blog/2010/03/danny-gokey-catch-him-if-you-can/

Beliefnet: American Idol: A behind the scenes, in person recap of the Top 10 Guys & Girls results show

Last night, America watched on television as Jermaine Sellers, John Park, Haeley Vaughn and Michelle Delamor were sent home on American Idol.

Gospel Soundcheck reader Brittany Keener, who is also the assistant editor and office manager for the Christian Examiner newspapers, won tickets to last night’s performance. She and her sister Karalee got a front row seat to the show – figuratively speaking – and give us a first person recap of what we saw – and didn’t get to see – last night on American Idol.

And there are a few surprises!

This is American Idol!
by Brittany Keener, assistant editor/office manager, Christian Examiner

Possibly one of the greatest days of my life…

For those of you who do not know, I won Danny Gokey’s new CD from KSON 97.3 in San Diego. This last Monday I was placed in a drawing to win tickets to his appearance on American Idol that Thursday. Sure enough, Danny Gokey announced me as the winner! I received a limo ride to and from LA [photo right] and two tickets to sit in the audience during the result’s taping.

Read the full recap: Beliefnet: American Idol: A behind the scenes, in person recap of the Top 10 Guys & Girls results show

Tennessean.com: Marv Green says ‘Best Days’ destined for ‘American Idol’ alum Danny Gokey

Songwriter Marv Green said Danny Gokey’s new single “My Best Days are Ahead of Me” was just destined for the American Idol alum.

Green co-wrote the song with Kent Blazy at Blazy’s house, played it for executives at Sony Music Nashville who immediately took it for Gokey.

“Songs, a lot of times, they know where to go,” Green said. “It didn’t even have a chance to go anywhere else.”

“My Best Days are Ahead of Me” was inspired by a conversation Blazy overheard while walking at Radnor Lake. The songwriter had recently lost his wife and he heard someone say, “I really think my best days are ahead of me.” The idea spoke to his desire to try and move on with his life, and he presented it to Green during their writing appointment. Green said that while the song was motivated by Blazy’s grief, it is a positive anthem to which anyone can relate.

“You can listen to that song and take a lot of things out of it,” said Green, who also co-wrote “Tiny Life” (with Jeffrey Steele) and “Crazy Not To” (with Wendell Mobley and David Lee Murphy) on Gokey’s My Best Days CD. “The song speaks to (Blazy’s loss) but to other things, too. You can stay under the clouds and let it consume you, or you can look forward.”

To read more about Danny Gokey and the story behind “My Best Days are Ahead of Me,” click HERE.

via: http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2010/03/05/songwriter-marv-green-says-best-days-was-destined-for-the-american-idol-alum/

Danny Gokey and Kent Blazy help each other find hope in a song at tennessean.com

Danny Gokey was mad at God.

His 27-year-old wife Sophia had just died unexpectedly during an operation to correct a congenital heart problem. It was July 9, 2008, and Gokey, a Wisconsin truck driver and music minister, was crushed with depression and groping for answers.

About 600 miles away in Nashville, hit songwriter Kent Blazy was mentally preparing himself to say goodbye to his wife of 28 years. Sharon Blazy had spent six years suffering from recurring brain tumors. Until that point, she had always had them removed.

“She said, ‘I’m not going to do this again. I’m going to let it be what it will be,’ ” Blazy said through tears. “So we rode it out for two years.”

Sharon died Jan. 19, 2009.

For both men, what came next is an intertwining story of finding hope.

Danny Gokey’s journey started five days before Sharon Blazy died. He made his televised debut on American Idol on Jan. 14, 2009. He finished third.

Blazy — who did not watch American Idol last year — was grieving for his wife, sick over what he knew was about to happen. So when he got word months later that Danny Gokey was going to record his song “My Best Days Are Ahead of Me,” the name meant nothing special.

Today, Blazy’s journey toward healing has a lot to do with a guy he just met. “My Best Days Are Ahead of Me” is the lead single from Danny Gokey’s debut country album, My Best Days, which hit stores on Tuesday, March 2.

This is how it all started.

via Danny Gokey and Kent Blazy help each other find hope in a song at tennessean.com | Tune In Music City.

Bid On A Birdhouse Designed By Danny Gokey

Click HERE to bid on a one of a kind birdhouse designed by Danny. Auction also includes 2 concert tickets and meet and greet passes!

Yahoo!Music: Reality Rocks: ‘American Idol’ Top 20 Results: Tonight’s Gonna Be A Bad Night

But hey, at least last season’s Danny Gokey showed up to perform live and give this week’s crestfallen castoffs some hope. Danny traveled a rough road last year (he was famously widowed right before his audition, then he didn’t make it all the way to the finale as everyone had predicted). But his optimistically titled debut album, My Best Days Are Ahead of Me, just came out and debuted in the iTunes top 10. And with a Sugarland tour ahead of him, he’s sure to sell even more records throughout America’s heartland, despite his many personal and professional setbacks. Therefore Danny was in understandably in good spirits Thursday, rattling off one of his mile-a-minute motivational-speaker sermons while Ryan tried to get a word in edgewise and the “Idol” band members practically reached for their violins.

Let this week’s rejects look to Danny Gokey as proof that all is not lost when one loses on “Idol.” Or something like that.

Read the full article: http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/realityrocks/324135/american-idol-top-20-results-tonights-gonna-be-a-bad-night/

Danny Gokey’s ‘My Best Days’ #1 on iTunes and Amazon Country Albums, #2 on iTunes Top Albums

‘My Best Days’ is doing so well!!! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

“My Best Days Are Ahead Of Me” #3 on iTunes Country Songs

“My Best Days” #1 on iTunes Country Albums

“My Best Days” #2 on iTunes Top Albums (All Genres)

“My Best Days” #1 on Amazon Country Albums and #3 on Amazon Music (All Genres)


Also, I can’t wait for the next Billboard 200 and the selling numbers for the first week!

As for the rest of the albums aiming for a high debut on next week’s Billboard 200 — “American Idol” fans, rejoice! Last year’s third-place finisher, Danny Gokey, could be the tally’s second-highest new entry, as his “My Best Days” should bow in the top 10. Also looking for a nice start: Jason Derulo’s self-titled debut, the “Almost Alice” companion album/soundtrack to the film “Alice in Wonderland” and Raheem Devaughn’s “The Love and War Masterpeace.”

via: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6234Z620100304

Zap2It: ‘American Idol’: Danny Gokey’s live ‘My Best Days Are Ahead of Me’

Watch Danny Gokey’s live return to the “American Idol” stage with “My Best Days Are Ahead of Me.”

Following in the footsteps of fellow season 8 alums Allison Iraheta and Kris Allen, Danny Gokey returned to “American Idol.” He regaled the audience with his new country sound on his hit single “My Best Days Are Ahead of Me.”

Danny’s album “My Best Days” dropped Tuesday, March 2 and feature not only “Ahead of Me” but several other authentic, fun country numbers. We particularly liked “Get Away” and “I Will Not Say Goodbye.”

You can also check out Danny’s interview here where he talks about his upcoming tour with Sugarland.

via: Zap2It: ‘American Idol’: Danny Gokey’s live ‘My Best Days Are Ahead of Me’

MTV: What Has Danny Gokey Been Up To Since ‘American Idol’?

Season-eight alum shows off his country makeover on ‘Idol’ results show with ‘My Best Days Are Ahead of Me.’
By James Montgomery, with additional reporting by Gil Kaufman

On Thursday night’s (March 4) “American Idol” results show, amid the carnage and the castaways, Danny Gokey performed “My Best Days Are Ahead of Me,” the first proper single from his just-released debut album, My Best Days. It was a pretty sage move by show producers, and not just because Gokey has a disc to promote. The newly departed “Idol” hopefuls could learn a thing or two from the song’s inspirational message. And from Gokey himself.

Rocking a leather jacket, jeans, a burgundy shirt and his signature specs, Gokey’s gravelly soul voice was warmly received as he sang the peppy country/pop tune about the power of positive thinking. “I can be whatever I want to be/ My best days are ahead of me,” he crooned over a twanging pedal-steel riff. “I’ve got sunsets to witness, dreams to dance with/ And beaches to walk on and lovers to kiss.”

Read the full article: MTV: What Has Danny Gokey Been Up To Since ‘American Idol’?

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