The City Paper (Nashville, TN): ‘American Idol’ contestant bringing heart to Metro schools
Former American Idol contestant Danny Gokey attributes much of his success in the music industry to his late wife, Sophia, who succumbed to congenital heart disease in 2008.
It was her love and support that encouraged him to audition for American Idol, and after her passing, he decided to create a living demonstration of her love.
His answer was the Sophia’s Heart Foundation, an outreach for children from ages 0-18, which will begin offering free after-school music programs in Nashville.
Sophia’s Heart is launching a Modern Community Choir that will unite young performers, teach them about music, introduce students to different cultures and provide after-school homework assistance.
To kick off the program, Gokey will visit Apollo and Kennedy middle schools Thursday to share his story. And, he might even sing a tune from new album, My Best Days, that was released last week.
The program, which will meet three days per week and offer free transportation, hopes to attract 20 students from each school.
via: The City Paper (Nashville, TN): ‘American Idol’ contestant bringing heart to Metro schools
Rolling Stone: Danny Gokey Debuts at #4
The Big News: After spending the last three weeks at Number Two, Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now recaptured the top spot from Sade’s Soldier of Love in its sixth week on the Billboard 200, selling 126,000 copies to push past the platinum mark. After a three-week reign, Soldier of Love settled into Number Two with 79,000 copies sold. Below the resilient Top Two, four debuts lined up in Number Three through Six: Blake Shelton’s Hillbilly Bone, American Idol finalist Danny Gokey’s My Best Days, the Almost Alice soundtrack inspired by Tim Burton’s new movie and Lifehouse’s Smoke & Mirrors.
Gokey’s Number Four debut marks the second-best Idol opening week by a Season Eight contestant. Adam Lambert’s For Your Entertainment opened at Number Three in November 2009, though Lambert’s debut week sales of 198,000 far exceeded the 65,000 Gokey sold. Gokey did out-chart Kris Allen’s self-titled post-Idol (at Number 11 in November) and Allison Iraheta’s Just Like You, which peaked at 35.
via On the Charts: Lady Antebellum Retake Number One From Sade : Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily.
JSOnline: Gokey returns home, charms sellout crowd
Baseball Hall of Famer Leo Durocher once famously said nice guys finish last. It is perhaps significant that Durocher never met Danny Gokey.
If Durocher had been at Turner Hall Ballroom on Saturday night, he may have had to issue an addendum: At the very least, nice guys finish third with the promise of better things to come.
The “American Idol” third-place finisher was back in his hometown to showcase his debut album, “My Best Days.”" If Saturday wasn’t Gokey’s best day, it had to be a contender. Turner Hall Ballroom wasn’t due to open its doors until 5:30 p.m. Saturday, but the fans started gathering as early as 7:30 a.m. By 5:30 p.m., the line of fans hoping to get in ran down the street and around the block.
It was a capacity crowd that cut across generations and Wisconsin geography. Lured by Gokey’s cuteness and sweet-guy charisma, 24-year-old Ellisha Haeuser of West Bend attended her first concert. Kelly Townsend came in from Helenville with her 10-year-old daughter, Emma, for a special mother-daughter outing.
Indeed, family groupings were sprinkled through the hall. An evening with Danny feels a little like Sunday dinner at the Waltons’.
via Gokey returns home, charms sellout crowd – JSOnline.
USAToday: Danny Gokey’s ‘My Best Days Are Ahead of Me’: The story behind the song
Thursday on American Idol, Danny Gokey mentioned that one of the writers of My Best Days Are Ahead of Me had lost his wife shortly before writing the song. Today in The [Nashville] Tennessean, Cindy Watts tells the story behind the song.
Songwriter Kent Blazy’s wife, Sharon, died January 19 last year — five days after Danny told his own story during his televised debut on Idol. But Blazy (who has also written such Garth Brooks hits as If Tomorrow Never Comes and Ain’t Goin’ Down (’Til the Sun Comes Up)) didn’t watch Idol last season: He hadn’t even heard of Danny when he cut the song, and Danny didn’t know Blazy’s story when he recorded My Best Days.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are, your best days can still be ahead of you,” Blazy told Watts. “But if you feel like, ‘I’ve lost my spouse, my life is over,’ then that’s what you’re going to create. My motto is I’m going to be me, be happy and change the world.”
The Business Journal Milwaukee: Wisconsin Vision eyes Gokey
Former “American Idol” finalist and Milwaukee native Danny Gokey will be the new face of Wisconsin Vision.
The New Berlin-based business has signed a two-year marketing agreement with Gokey, 29, marking the company’s largest promotional investment and first use of a celebrity spokesman. This is also Gokey’s first long-term endorsement deal.
When contacted by telephone in Atlanta March 2, the singer admitted to owning 60 to 70 pairs of eyeglasses already and said he’s excited to see the styles being sent to him by Wisconsin Vision.
“I’m a glasses guy,” Gokey said. “I love glasses so this makes a lot of sense for me. It’s something you could say I have a lot of experience in.”
Read the full article: http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2010/03/08/story4.html
AssociatedContent: Hey Ya’ll, Danny Gokey Goes Country Thursday on American Idol
On American Idol show Thursday, Danny Gokey got back up on the stage and played to a happy and appreciative crowd, and he was doing country. I love Danny, and was reminded again of his star
power. He looks like he is having fun, and his demeaner is friendly. I noticed the song wasn’t as hard as I like to hear from him, but he did a nice job on it, and he had the house rocking.
Danny was grinning pretty hard throughout his performance and follow-up with Ryan Seacrest. He spoke quickly with the judges, apologizing to Ellen for missing hooking up with her on the show, and promising her that he would love to dance with her on her show. He told us he’s happy and it’s obvious; he was beaming and having a good time with everyone, obviously happy to be back, or maybe happy to have a story to tell after his near miss at American’s #1. Although we was the 3rd runner up from American Idols 2008 show, he’s memorable.
LATimes: Danny Gokey: ‘Grateful to be back’ on ‘Idol’ stage
You’re not a freak, Danny! LOL
It was hard for Season 8 alumnus Danny Gokey to contain his excitement on Thursday night, and he’s acutely aware of it. Back on the “Idol” stage for the first time since his elimination in May, Danny’s post-performance emotions got the best of him, while his mouth tried to keep up.
“I had so much to say, it was hard to get it all out,” Danny explained following the show at a CD signing held at the Grove’s Barnes & Noble. Of course, that’s not to say he didn’t try — at a mile a minute. “I went back and regretted everything I did say,” he admitted with a nervous laugh. “I’m one of those guys who over-analyzes everything. Right after the show, I was, like, ‘I shouldn’t have said this or that… freak, freak, freak!’ Oh well, it is what it is.”
Danny may have been a little hard on himself. With a new album to promote and the single, “My Best Days Are Ahead of Me,” climbing up the charts (Danny’s label Sony Nashville is hoping he’ll have the highest chart position for a male country album debut), who can blame him for plugging his website?
via Danny Gokey: ‘Grateful to be back’ on ‘Idol’ stage | Idol Tracker | Los Angeles Times.
JSOnline: Wisconsin Vision signs deal with Danny Gokey
Wisconsin Vision, the state’s largest independently owned optical company, has signed “American Idol” finalist Danny Gokey to a two-year marketing agreement.
The firm, based in New Berlin, says the deal is the company’s largest ever marketing investment and its first use of a celebrity spokesman.
Under the deal, the country music artist will wear up to 60 pairs of Wisconsin Vision glasses, be featured in Wisconsin Vision Milwaukee-area marketing campaigns, including television and outdoor advertising and social media, and make personal in-store appearances.
Gokey this week released his debut, “My Best Days.” He also appeared on “American Idol” wearing Wisconsin Vision lenses.
“Milwaukee will always be home and supporting area-based businesses is important to me,” Gokey said. “I’m known for my eye wear. With Wisconsin Vision I will not only have the best in fashion, but also the most accurate lenses available made right here in Wisconsin by a family-owned company.”
Gokey’s first television ad will begin in May. Financial terms of the agreement with Gokey were not disclosed.
via Wisconsin Vision signs deal with Gokey – JSOnline.
Express Milwaukee: WAMI Awards Announce 2010 Nominees
February 19, 2010 by Owlki
Filed under Danny Gokey, News
By Evan Rytlewski
The Wisconsin Area Music Industry announced today the nominees for its 30th awards show. The WAMI Awards have made great strides toward becoming less insular over the last several years, and by and large this year’s list of nominees is pretty astute, including many of the state’s breakout musicians from the past couple years and the most probable breakouts of next year—though the WAMI’s usual bias toward WAMI members remains in some of the small categories. What’s most impressive about this list is how many emerging Wisconsin artists have made a name for themselves outside the state. In years past, the WAMI Awards felt mostly like wish fulfillment, but this year there are genuine success stories to celebrate.
This year’s ceremony is Monday, April 12 at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton. The complete list of nominees is below:
Artist of the Year: Cory Chisel; Fever Marlene; Bon Iver; Kings Go Forth; and Danny Gokey.
…
Male Vocalist of the Year: GNO; Danny Gokey; Black Wolf; Cory Chisel; Justin Vernon (Bon Iver); and Chris Szebini
…
Christian / Gospel Artist of the Year: Saved By Grace; Chad James; Skillet and Danny Gokey
Read the full article: Express Milwaukee: WAMI Awards Announce 2010 Nominees
FOX NY: Danny Gokey On Good Day NY
February 9, 2010 by Owlki
Filed under Danny Gokey, News, Video
via: FOX NY: Danny Gokey On Good Day NY
The 2010 Country Megaticket: Sugarland, Jake Owen and Danny Gokey in May!
February 1, 2010 by Owlki
Filed under Concert, Danny Gokey, News
Country Megaticket is a multi-show country music package featuring the hottest country artists at Live Nation venues.
Right now, Danny is on the line-up for the 2010 XTU MEGATICKET AT SUSQUEHANNA BANK CENTER (Camden, NJ) on May 15th, and the 2010 I-G-A Country 92.5 MEGATICKET AT The Comcast Theatre (Hartford, CT) on May 23rd, with Sugarland and Jake Owen! Awesome much?! XD
Dates and line-ups for the Country Megaticket are still being added and we’ll keep an eye open for new dates and venues!
WISN.com: ‘American Idol’s’ Danny Gokey Working With Foundation
January 31, 2010 by Owlki
Filed under Danny Gokey, News
Watch the video HERE.
In less than a year, Danny Gokey has gone from an unknown music teacher to a household name.
“The last year has been like a tornado. It’s a whirlwind. Things have been going 90 to nothing,” Gokey said.
The Milwaukee native finished in third place on “American Idol”.
He’s just over a month away from releasing his debut album.
With his record label in Nashville, Gokey is finding a balance between his personal and professional lives.
“Just purchasing a house actually in Milwaukee. I’m going to live between Nashville and Milwaukee because of my foundation,” Gokey said.
The foundation was named after his wife, Sophia, who died following a battle with heart disease.
Gokey calls music a universal language, a way to enhance learning.
Music and the arts are part of the Sophia Heart Foundation.
“It’s just been an amazing experience. And I’m just so excited for what has happened. I can’t complain. If I were to complain, someone slap me,” Gokey said.
Gokey’s new single is already out.
His first album will be released March 2.
