ROCKTON — After a busy opening night Thursday, organizers of the annual Old Settlers Days festival believe they will attract a record crowd this year.

“It was by far the best Thursday we ever had,” said Josh Brown, village trustee and vice president of the Rockton Lions Club. “The carnival was packed the whole night, and just for the concert we’re estimating around 3,000 people attended.”

The four-day festival attracted more than 15,000 people last year, and officials are trying to top that mark this weekend.

Danny Gokey, the Thursday night headliner, played a key role in bringing people to the festival.

“He’s kind of a local guy, he was a choir director at a church in Beloit, and he drew a lot of people from all over the state,” Brown said.

via http://www.rrstar.com/news/yourtown/x242417369/Old-Settlers-Days-on-way-to-break-record

Tara Lazzara of Roselle traveled about two hours with her boyfriend just to see headliner Danny Gokey, who took the stage at 9 p.m.

“We were just laughing about how we drove two hours (round trip) to go to a fair,” Lazzara said. “But I really want to see him.”

“We’re here because of Danny Gokey,” said Janette Crombie of Rockton, who was with her stepmother, Patty. “I love Danny Gokey.” 

via http://www.rrstar.com/news/yourtown/x1005403601/Old-Settlers-Days-under-way-with-rides-music-sun

(click images for larger view)

from @todaycountrymag on twitter

New home page welcomes @dannygokey as the July coverboy. Stay tuned, trying to bring more Gokey to the fans at http://j.mp/acEaJ1

 via http://todayscountrymag.com/

Danny Gokey’s first single, My Best Days Are Ahead of Me, found the singer bonding with songwriter Kent Blazy over the loss of their wives.

Likewise, I Will Not Say Goodbye finds a hopeful message coming out of a tragic story.

[..]

Ramsey says the song was initially considered for an exclusive bonus track — until Danny recorded it. Once people at RCA heard that, it quickly made the album’s final cut and was picked as the follow-up single to My Best Days Are Ahead of Me, with some at RCA even calling it “a game-changer.” (The single goes for adds at country radio today.)

“That’s a really special song to us, and not something we would have expected to be a commercial single,” White says. “I’m thrilled that it’s having such a life and that it means so much to Danny.”

Read the full length article with much more at Brian Mansfield’s USA Today blog here

Like other former American Idol contestants, Danny Gokey recently weighed in on the popular talent contest’s recent farewell to the popular judge Simon Cowell. “I think we can all come into agreement that we think, ‘Wow, what is the show going to be like?’” said Danny, who placed third in the eighth season of the show. “Simon didn’t make the show. It was the chemistry of the people on the show that made the show. But he was the front face of the show. To see him leave is sad,” Danny said backstage during a press conference at the Country Music Association Music Festival. [..]

While American Idol’s future may be uncertain, Danny has a lot going on. He will release his new single, “Will Not Say Goodbye,” soon, and will embark on a tour in the fall.

Read the full article here at http://www.countryweekly.com/danny_gokey/news/4770

Nashville puts on a post-flood party, drawing thousands of fans and dozens of country artists for the four-day CMA Music Festival. USA TODAY surveys the action. [..]

Speechless:American Idol’s Danny Gokey got his first taste of the fest as an artist and was left a little floored by the immensity and pace of the week. “I mean, really, wow. It’s such an honor to be here, and I know that’s such a cliché answer, but what else can you say?” Gokey says. “I thought (country fans) wouldn’t accept me because I’m a pretty soulful singer, but (Randy Travis) said it was the thing that the fans would love, and he was right.”

via http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2010-06-14-cmafest14_ST_N.htm

Don’t miss Danny Gokey also in USA Today’s portrait series of the “big stars” from CMA Fest 2010. Click on his thumbnail photo to see a larger version of the photo accompanied by a quote from Danny.

The June 2010 print edition of American Idol Magazine includes a feature on Danny Gokey.

(click image then click again in new window to enlarge)

Thanks Connie!

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Danny Gokey, third-place finisher in last year’s American Idol competition, has kicked off an effort to bring more music and arts programming to Milwaukee children through his Sophia’s Heart Foundation.

Gokey and supporters held a fundraiser yesterday at St. Marcus Lutheran School that featured a performance by the Sophia’s Heart Children’s Choir, a recently assembled group of students from the private St. Marcus Lutheran School and Blessed Savior Catholic School – East Campus, as well as Lincoln Center for the Arts, a Milwaukee public school. [..]

Sophia’s Heart Foundation is in start-up mode in Milwaukee, as Gokey and his team figure out the best way to provide meaningful programs to urban children through music – Gokey’s passion – and dance.

Read the full article at http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/95782554.html

Thanks, Shellie!

Click HERE to vote! You can vote once a day.

CountryWeekly: Our readers voted Gary Allan Country’s hottest bachelor! Pick up a copy on stands now and check out your Top 10 Hunks. http://bit.ly/aBkFZx

Danny Gokey was among the country artists whose names were listed for fan voting, and as mentioned in an earlier post today, he came in at number 6!

By popular opinion among our regular commenters, we have to believe if this photo had been part of the poll rather than saved for the Country Weekly results article Danny would have shot right to the top of the list.

Larger version of this photo scan can be seen here  - thanks to @cacloud9!

Pick up your copy at newstands now of the May 3rd edition of Country Weekly magazine to enjoy the full article and photos.

While other male country newcomers depend on bandanas or overalls or tattoos to stand out from the crowd, American Idol finalist Danny Gokey is known for sporting some serious eyewear.
In fact, Danny has become so known for his frames that he recently inked a deal with independently-owned optical company Wisconsin Vision in March, and now Danny has debuted a couple of 30-second TV commercials for the family-owned company. Danny’s first album, titled My Best Days, made an impressive debut on the all-genre Billboard 200 charts, landing at #4.

The TV Commercials also got an article on USA Today’s Idol Chatter.

Danny Gokey recently shot two commercials for eyewear retailer Wisconsin Vision. One has him envisioning a world in which he has a million pairs of glasses, and his dog and baby have corrective lenses, too. The other depicts the bespectacled one as having vision so clear he’s able to spot schmutz on a sound man’s cheek at 200 feet.

Also, don’t forget to get your Country Weekly magazine with Gary Allan on the cover, as Danny appears at #6 at the Country’s Hottest Bachelor list.

Country’s Hottest Bachelor

We asked for your vote—and you came through! Fans from all over the country cast their votes for Country’s Hottest Bachelor. And after logging and counting nearly 40,000 votes at countryweekly.com, we have our winner.
…
To learn more, pick up the May 3, 2010 issue of Country Weekly, on newsstands now.

via: Country Weekly: Danny Gokey Films TV Commercials

He may have lost out to Kris Allen and Adam Lambert on American Idol last season, but Danny Gokey has plenty to smile about. The former truck driver’s first record, My Best Days, had the strongest album debut for a new male country artist in 18 years. [..]

“I feel very lucky,” Gokey, 29, says of “the progression I’ve made in the last year and a half.”

Enjoy the full article at People.com here .