Lakes tend to get along well with water, but Radnor Lake suffered great damage in this year’s flood. On Friday, July 30, Kent Blazy and The For Peace Band play a benefit for Radnor at Douglas Corner Cafe, with ticket proceeds going to aid the lake’s recovery.

Longtime Nashville songscribe Blazy is pleased to play the benefit, as it’ll help him repay Radnor for some lucrative inspiration. Blazy said the idea for Danny Gokey’s hit single “My Best Days Are Ahead Of Me” came will strolling at Radnor.

“I was going to be writing with Marv Green for the first time in a long time, and I was looking for a great idea to run by him,” Blazy said. “I went to Radnor to walk my dog. When I got to the top of the hill by the lake, a couple was walking past me in deep discussion. The guy said, ‘My best days are ahead of me.’ I said a silent prayer of thanks, went home and started working on it. Marv came and liked the idea, and we wrote it.”

Tickets for the 6 p.m. show are $15, and Douglas Corner is located at 2106 8th Ave. S.

via: http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2010/07/29/kent-blazy-plays-radnor-lake-benefit/

Carrie Underwood not only has the Number One song on this week’s American Idol airplay chart, she’s also at Number One on USA TODAY’s Country chart, as well. Undo It is one of three Idol tracks in the Country top 40 this week, along with Kellie Pickler’s Makin’ Me Fall in Love Again (No. 30) and Danny Gokey’s I Will Not Say Goodbye, which enters the top 40 at No. 39).

31 34 Danny Gokey, I Will Not Say Goodbye (635) (#39 Country)

via: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2010/07/carrie-underwood-tops-usa-today-country-chart/1

The annual Inspirational Country Music Awards (ICM.s) are dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent among artists who perform Christian and Inspirational Country music. Inspirational Country music is inspired by Faith, Family, and Country.

TOP 10 CATEGORY NOMINEES ANNOUNCED FOR THE 16th ANNUAL INSPIRATIONAL COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS TO BE HELD ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2010 AT TRINITY MUSIC CITY USA

NASHVILLE, TN- July 21, 2010—The ICM Awards is proud to announce the Top 10 category nominees for the 16th Annual Inspirational Country Music Awards Show (ICM Awards) will be held on Thursday, October 14, 2010, at 7 PM CST at the Trinity Music City USA Auditorium located in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

The following 2010 Top 10 nominees are listed in alphabetical order within each category:

[...]

Mainstream Inspirational Country Song
My Best Days – Danny Gokey
Muddy Water – Trace Adkins
Love Like Crazy – Lee Brice
That’s A Man – Jack Ingram
That’s God – Jo Dee Messina
The House That Built Me – Miranda Lambert
The Man I Want To Be – Chris Young
There Is A God – Lee Ann Womack
This Ain’t Nothing – Craig Morgan
Temporary Home – Carrie Underwood

Mainstream Country Artist
Carrie Underwood
Chris Young
Craig Morgan
Danny Gokey
Jeff Bates
Josh Turner
Martina McBride
Oak Ridge Boys
Ricky Skaggs
Rodney Atkins

via: http://www.icm-awards.com/press.php?nid=325&a=

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

About 20,000 aspiring singers are expected to converge on Bridgestone Arena over the next three days for a shot at stardom — or at least a spot on the famed blooper reel.

For the first time since 2002 — just the second time in the show’s nine-year history — “American Idol” tryouts are coming to Music City. [..]

In support of those hoping to hit it big on the tails of a successful “American Idol” audition, The Tennessean asked some of the most popular “Idol” alumni with Nashville ties for tips on wowing the judges.

Danny Gokey, who came in third place behind Kris Allen and Adam Lambert in 2009, said realism and optimism are key to a rewarding “American Idol” experience.

“I think the biggest thing these contestants need to know is not everyone is going to make it,” Gokey said.

“You’re doing this because there is that possibility you can make it. You have to realize a lot of people are going to get turned away, so your strategy has to be to go in there and be different. It all starts with the way you look. Before you leave your house (ask yourself) ‘How do (I) look that separates (me) from everybody else but yet doesn’t make (me) look crazy or weird. It’s uniqueness to you that you can bring out.”

Gokey said it’s almost important to sound like you — not anyone else.

“A lot of people imitate their favorite singers, but that’s not a good thing at times,” he said. “If you sound like you’re favorite singer, chances are they don’t want to sign the same person that’s already been signed to a record label. So bring out your unique characteristics and go for it. If you are too nervous at that moment you will loose it. So go for it and walk away knowing you put everything you could (the tryout).”

For full article including photo gallery and comments from other AI finalists, see http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2010/07/14/american-idol-contestants-give-tips-in-advance-of-nashville-audition/

Brad Paisley’s “Water” is the crowning country song for the second week, Billboard reports, while Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now luxuriates in its 23rd week as the No. 1 country album. [..]

Miranda Lambert’s “Only Prettier” is the highest-debuting new song, bowing in at No. 45. The other newcomers are John Rich’s “Country Done Come to Town” (No. 52), Danny Gokey’s “I Will Not Say Goodbye” (No. 53), the Zac Brown Band’s “A Different Kind of Fine” (No. 58), Stealing Angels’ “He Better Be Dead” (No. 59) and LeAnn Rimes’ “Swingin’” (No. 60). [..]

This column often mentions the generally sorry state of country album sales. But there are some bright spots worth noting. Need You Now, for example, has sold more than 2.3 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Looking at other titles released this year, we see that Josh Turner’s Haywire total tops 276,000. Blake Shelton’s Hillbilly Bone has steamed past 217,000. Easton Corbin’s self-titled debut album has racked up sales of nearly 190,000 units. And Danny Gokey’s My Best Days is bordering on 160,000.

via http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1643343/its-still-a-brad-paisley-lady-antebellum-world-on-country-charts.jhtml

From @UWNashville

United Way Nashville is with @DannyGokey today filming a PSA for flood relief. That’s how we LIVE UNITED in Music City.

Some of the @UWNashville team with @DannyGokey today. Thank you, Danny! http://twitpic.com/21tya5

Nashville area photographer Leslee Mitchell has posted several photos from Danny’s PSA taping.

Yesterday morning I spent some time covering a Public Service Announcement by American Idol’s, Danny Gokey. The purpose of Danny’s PSA was to raise awareness of the ongoing needs of those affected by the historic Nashville floods.

Find out more about United Way flood relief needs at http://www.unitedwaynashville.org/nashvilleflood/ .

And visit Leslee Mitchell’s Facebook page for additional photos with Danny Gokey and other samples of her work.

They indicated that Danny Gokey’s new single “I Will Not Say Goodbye” may have been selected by the co-hosts to include as a “bound for the countdown” featured bonus song during the last hour of their program this weekend. 

If you want to listen in to see, check your local country radio stations to see whether and when they run the Crook and Chase show. Or you can see a list of stations that carry the Crook and Chase show nationally and in Canada here. Many stations stream their programming live if you want to listen in on-line. Crook and Chase also suggests listening via satellite radio if you can’t find their program via your local country stations:

NOW ON XM! If there’s not a radio station in your area that carries The Crook & Chase Countdown, listen on XM Satellite Channel 11, Sundays 9am to 1pm eastern (8am to Noon central).

Of course, if you do hear Danny’s new single on Crook and Chase or other radio programming, be sure to thank your radio station and the show hosts — let them know you want to hear Danny’s songs again on country radio, and hear them often!!!

For tips on how to Request Danny Gokey, visit our Fan Checklist for many fast and easy ways you can support Danny’s music on country radio and on the national country music television channels, GAC, CMT, and CMT Pure.

Just 5 Minutes a Day makes a big big difference to Danny!

Gokey & The Off-Keys: 19/RCA’s Danny Gokey visits with CRB President Mike Culotta (second from right) and Exec. Dir. Bill Mayne (r), as well as Sony/Nashville CEO Gary Overton (l) during CRB Board and Agenda Committee meetings in Nashville this week. Gokey performed for the collected radio and music industry execs, as well.

19 Recordings/RCA Nashville artist and American Idol finalist Danny Gokey performed for Country radio executives at the recent CRB board meetings

Jun 25, 2010 – (Nashville, TN – June 25, 2010) 19 Recordings/RCA Nashville artist and American Idol finalist Danny Gokey performed for Country radio executives at the recent CRB board meetings, held June 23-24 at the Nashville Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn.

About CRB:
The Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. ® is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization founded in 1969 to bring radio broadcasters from around the world together with the Country Music Industry to ensure vitality and promote growth in the Country Radio format. More information may be obtained at: www.CRB.org or at the CRB office at 615.327.4487.

About CRS:
The Country Radio Seminar is an annual convention designed to educate and promote the exchange of ideas in the Country music industry. Country Radio Seminar is a registered trademark of Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. CRS 2011 will be held March 2-4, 2011, in downtown Nashville, Tenn.

via: http://www.prlog.org/10760325-danny-gokey-performs-at-crb-board-meetings.html

Picture via CountryAircheck

.

I Will Not Say Goodbye, the new single from Danny Gokey’s My Best Days album, officially goes for adds at country radio Monday. The music video for the new single made its debut this past weekend on CMT [..]

Songwriter Vicky McGehee, who wrote the song with Lari White and Chuck Cannon, says of Danny, “His voice is amazing, and when I heard I Will Not Say Goodbye, it made me realize why I love writing so much. It’s like that song found its home.”

Read Brian Mansfield’s full post here and leave your comment.

RCA also has released a press release for the I Will Not Say Goodbye single and music video release.

Nashville, TN – 19 Recordings/RCA Nashville recording artist Danny Gokey is poised to hit the radio airwaves with a new single, when this coming Monday marks the official radio impact date of his powerful recording, “I Will Not Say Goodbye.” The heartfelt ballad, with its compelling portrait of coping with the loss of a loved one, has been one of the most acclaimed tracks from Gokey’s debut album, My Best Days, while the poignant music video made its official premiere this past weekend as part of CMT’s Big New Music Weekend.

Amid the praise for the single, The New York Times declared “I Will Not Say Goodbye” as “devastating … the album’s best song,” while Music Row recently cheered the “soulful, soaring ballad,” adding, “The man sings the fire out of it.”

You can see a full copy of the press release here.

.

CMT heats up summer with a sizzling lineup of new music videos when CMT BIG NEW MUSIC WEEKEND returns in an exclusive, world premiere event Friday, June 18 through Sunday, June 20. Nine music videos will debut on CMT, CMT.com and CMT Pure from superstar artists Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw, Reba, Trace Adkins, Alan Jackson, LeAnn Rimes, Gary Allan, Danny Gokey and James Otto.

The nine featured videos will include introductions by the artists themselves, and be the only videos aired throughout the weekend on CMT beginning at 6 a.m. ET on June 18 during CMT Music Hours.

All of the world premiere videos will be available for streaming on-demand at CMT.com, and will be the only highlighted videos on the site homepage for the weekend.

Video premieres included in CMT BIG NEW MUSIC WEEKEND are as follows:

· Lady Antebellum – “Stars Tonight”

· Tim McGraw – “Still”

· Reba – “If I Were a Boy”

· Trace Adkins – “This Ain’t No Love Song”

· Alan Jackson – “Hard Hat and a Hammer”

· LeAnn Rimes – “Swingin’”

· Gary Allan – “Get Off On the Pain”

· Danny Gokey – “I Will Not Say Goodbye”

· James Otto – “Groovy Little Summer Song”

via: http://www.dannygokey.com/news/%E2%80%9Ci-will-not-say-goodbye%E2%80%9D-cmt-world-premiere

WITI-TV, MILWAUKEE – Former American Idol contestant Danny Gokey came back to the Milwaukee area to promote the charity named after his late wife. The Sophia’s Heart Foundation has many missions, but the one closest to Gokey’s heart is spreading education through art.

There were plenty of cameras to capture the moment, but it was an educator who implored people to seize it. Superintendent of St. Marcus School knew the stage with Danny Gokey standing next to the stage he had the attentions of parents and students. He made sure to take advantage of the opportunity to spread his message. “Our state has the biggest achievement gap between African American kids and white kids…The solution is not going to come from the government or the educational establishment. The solution is in this room”

It’s a solution he says is in programs that engage kids, and keep them interested in school. The schools choir program was made possible through Sophia’s Heart, the foundation started by Gokey.

Find the full article and video here 

http://www.fox6now.com/news/witi-100606-sophias-heart,0,4482829.story

Gokey’s CMA Music Festival Debut to Include Main Stage LP Field Performance

Nashville, TN – 19 Recordings/RCA Nashville recording artist Danny Gokey will make his debut appearance at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville next week, with a schedule that includes not only a main stage performance on Thursday, June 10, but also a series of autograph signings and a role as CMT’s official Twitter correspondent for the 2010 CMT Music Awards.

Gokey will offer fans an artist’s-eye view of Wednesday’s star-studded 2010 CMT Music Awards, tweeting to fans about his experiences as he prepares for the red carpet and all throughout the artist arrivals and the excitement of the show. Fans can sign-up to follow Danny’s tweets next week, and all the time, at http://twitter.com/dannygokey and follow all the latest updates on the show and all things CMT at http://twitter.com/FollowCMT.

Thursday of the CMA Music Festival will also be a busy day for Gokey, who will perform on the LP Field main stage that night, following daytime appearances signing autographs for fans at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum store (12:30-2:30 PM), as well as morning and afternoon appearances for CMA Music Festival attendees at the Greased Lightning Fan Fair Hall. There, Danny will be autographing for fans at both the CMA Booth and the CMT Booth.

Earlier in the week, on Tuesday, June 8, Danny will be among the artists lending their support to the 103 WKDF Country Beach Party, hosted by Darryl Worley, as a benefit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The event will be held at The Stage in downtown Nashville. For more information, visit www.103WKDF.com.

This weekend, viewers can watch for Danny as he joins one of country music’s most beloved personalities for an episode of CMT’s Southern Fried Flicks with Hazel Smith. Look for the fun-filled segments with Danny and Hazel woven throughout this week’s film, Driving Miss Daisy, airing Sunday, June 6, at 3 and 8 PM ET.

The 2010 CMT Music Awards will be live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, June 9, at 8 PM ET/PT, on CMT and CMT.com.

For more information about the 2010 CMA Music Festival, visit www.CMAfest.com.

For additional details on Danny’s appearance at the Museum Store at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum store, visit www.countrymusichalloffame.org.

via: Sony Music Nashville Press Release

By the article below, we can expect the “I Will Not Say Goodbye” music video to debut on the June 18-20 weekend. Also, Music Row is listing the release of “I Will Not Say Goodbye” as a single on June 28, 2010, instead of the June 21st date that we had before. Can’t wait!

CMT Summer of Music Brings New Music Videos, New Series Episodes

CMT is heating up the summer with a variety of music-related programming, including new episodes of the hit series CMT Crossroads and all-new episodes of CMT’s highest rated show, The Singing Bee, when the CMT Summer of Music kicks off Wednesday (June 9) with the 2010 CMT Music Awards. The summer lineup will also include video premieres from nine prominent country artists during CMT Big New Music Weekend.
[...]

CMT Big New Music Weekend premieres June 18-20. CMT, CMT Pure and CMT.com will debut nine music videos from superstar artists in one exclusive, world premiere event. The new videos are from some of country’s biggest stars, including Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire, Trace Adkins, Alan Jackson, LeAnn Rimes, Gary Allan, Danny Gokey and James Otto.

Read the full article: http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1640820/cmt-summer-of-music-brings-new-music-videos-new-series-episodes.jhtml

Danny is part of the CMA Fest line-up for the June 10th concert at the LP Field so you might want to watch.

ABC TV is heading to Nashville to take fans to the hottest music event of the year with CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock. Between Thursday and Sunday, June 10-13, today’s biggest country stars will hit the stage during a four-day celebration of America’s music for a special that will air Wednesday, Sept. 1 (7:00-10:00 PM/CT) on the ABC Television Network.

Some of the artists already announced to appear at LP Field during CMA Music Festival include Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Billy Currington, Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Kellie Pickler, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Zac Brown Band, and more. Taylor Swift will host a free 13-hour fan meet and greet event during the Festival at the Bridgestone Arena, which will include a short acoustic performance.

“Our announced lineup this year is the strongest ever and a country music enthusiast’s dream bill,” said Steve Moore, Chairman of the CMA Board of Directors.

via: http://www.musicrow.com/2010/06/abc-special-captures-cma-fest/