- Danny Gokey
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Danny Gokey 
Gokey in his hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin on May 8, 2009.Background information Birth name Daniel Jay Gokey Born April 24, 1980 Origin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States Genres Country, CCM, blue-eyed soul, country pop Occupations Singer-songwriter, church music director Instruments Vocals, acoustic guitar, piano Years active 2008–present Labels 19 (2009-present)
RCA Nashville (2009-present)Associated acts Sugarland Website Official site Daniel Jay "Danny" Gokey (born April 24, 1980) is an American country music singer and church music director from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the third place finalist on the eighth season of American Idol.[1][2] After his placing on the show, Gokey signed to 19 Recordings and RCA Records Nashville as the beginning of a career in country music, releasing the single "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me." His debut album, My Best Days, was released in March 2010.
Contents
Early life
Gokey started singing with his family in church, but stated he would rather record mainstream music than perform solely contemporary Christian music. He was the worship director at his church in Milwaukee, Faith Builders International Ministries, for several years.[3]
He is the fifth of six children. He has a brother, Charles, and four sisters.[4][5]
He has acknowledged the influence of Jeffrey and Robin Pruitt the pastors of the church he worked at and also Matthew Barnett the founder of the LA Dream Center. He has stated that his faith is the "key to who I am."[6] Gokey then spent two years on the open road as a freight driver.[citation needed]
On July 9, 2008,[7] four weeks before he auditioned for American Idol, Gokey's wife underwent routine surgery for congenital heart disease.[8][9] It was her third surgery, but she died from complications.[8][10] The couple had been together for 12 years, and Gokey credited her for his success.[11] Sophia was a fan of American Idol and encouraged Gokey to be a contestant,[8] and Danny started a foundation in her name Sophia's Heart Foundation[12] with some of her family members who are also musicians. The foundation exists to help mend and heal the hearts of children and families who have been touched by poverty, sickness, disease, broken homes and broken dreams.[13]
American Idol
Overview
Gokey rose to national fame with his participation in the eighth season of American Idol. On August 8, 2008, he auditioned in Kansas City, Missouri, along with his friend Jamar Rogers, who is also from Milwaukee.[citation needed] Both made it through to Hollywood, but Rogers was eliminated from the competition prior to the semifinals.[citation needed] Gokey's American Idol audition occurred only four weeks after his wife's death in July 2008.[14]
During Rock Week (Top 4 week), Gokey's take on Aerosmith's "Dream On" was panned for the extended scream with which he finished the song.[15] Gokey was eliminated during Top 3 week, after his performance of Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful."
During the season 8 finale on May 20, 2009, Gokey performed a duet with R&B superstar Lionel Richie. The performance opened with Gokey singing a true-to-the-original soulful ballad solo of Richie's "Hello," and then Richie joined Gokey for a duet of his hits "Just Go" and "All Night Long".[16]
Performances/results
Week # Theme Song choice Theme-related artist Order # Result Audition Auditioner's Choice "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" Marvin Gaye N/A Advanced Hollywood First Solo "Kiss from a Rose" Seal N/A Advanced Hollywood Group Performance "Somebody to Love" Queen N/A Advanced Hollywood Second Solo "I Hope You Dance" Lee Ann Womack N/A Advanced Top 36/
Semi-Final 1Billboard Hot 100 Hits to Date "Hero" Mariah Carey 12 Advanced Top 13 Michael Jackson "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" Michael Jackson 3 Safe Top 11 Grand Ole Opry "Jesus, Take the Wheel" Carrie Underwood 8 Safe Top 10 Motown "Get Ready" The Temptations 9 Safe Top 9 Top Downloads "What Hurts the Most" Rascal Flatts 3 Safe Top 8 Year They Were Born "Stand by Me" Mickey Gilley 1 Safe Top 7 Songs from the Cinema "Endless Love" – Endless Love Diana Ross & Lionel Richie 5 Safe Top 7 1 Disco "September" Earth, Wind & Fire 3 Safe Top 5 Rat Pack Standards "Come Rain or Come Shine" Frank Sinatra 4 Safe (Top 2)
Top 4 Rock and roll Duet
Solo"Renegade" with Kris Allen
"Dream On"Styx
Aerosmith3
5Safe 2 Top 3 Judge's Choice (Paula Abdul)
Contestant's Choice"Dance Little Sister"
"You Are So Beautiful"Terence Trent D’Arby
Billy Preston1
4Eliminated - ^1 Due to the judges using their one save to save Matt Giraud, the Top 7 remained intact for another week.
- ^2 It was only announced that Allison Iraheta received the lowest number of votes this week. The other member(s) of the bottom two or three were never revealed.
Post-Idol career
Gokey in April 2010
Gokey was nominated in his state of Wisconsin for a WAMI (Wisconsin Area Music Industry) Award for Best Christian/Gospel Artist of the Year.[17]
As of September 2009, Gokey has finished his tour with the other idols on the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2009, and he is also working on his foundation, Sophia's Heart, which was set up to help disadvantaged children.[18]
Gokey, known for his many pairs of eyeglasses that he often wore on the show, has stated he may start an eyewear line to help raise funds for his foundation.[19]
My Best Days (2009–2010)
On September 1, 2009, Gokey signed with 19 Recordings/RCA Nashville, becoming the first third place finisher to record with 19 and the first male Idol to be signed to a major country label.[20] On November 19, 2009, 19 Recordings and RCA Records announced the release of the debut single "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me".[21] Gokey's debut album, My Best Days, was released on March 2, 2010. It debuted on the Billboard charts at #4, and it nets Gokey the best opening-week sales by a debut country male in 18 years. Gokey also has the highest debut of digital downloads sold by any new country artist ever.[22] In support of the album, Gokey will be the opening act on Sugarland's Incredible Machine tour which began in April.[23] Gokey also performed at country singer Darryl Worley's ninth annual Tennessee River Run festival in Savannah, Tennessee along with other artists such as Joe Diffie and Lee Brice. The event helped raise $200,000 for the Darryl Worley Foundation.[24]
On October 18, 2010, Gokey earned a nomination for Best New/Breakthrough Artist at the first annual American Country Awards. He revealed in an interview released on October 26, 2010, that he had recently recorded his own version of the Amy Grant song, "Tennessee Christmas," to be released to country radio as a holiday single.[citation needed].
Gokey will be a part of ABC's pre-show event at the American Music Awards on November 21, 2010.[25]
Second studio album (2011–present)
Gokey is scheduled to release his second studio album sometime in 2011.[26] He also confirmed that he is set to make an appearance in a TV movie with Candace Cameron Bure called Truth Be Told.[27][28][29][30] Gokey is also scheduled to be an opening act on Taylor Swift's Speak Now World Tour.[31] Gokey's first single off his upcoming studio album "Second Hand Heart" will be officially released to country radio on August 8, 2011. As of July 15, 2011, the song has sold 8,000 copies.[32]
Gokey left RCA Nashville in November 2011.[33]
Awards and nominations
Year Association Category Result 2009 Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Best Christian/Gospel Artist of the Year Nominated Teen Choice Awards Choice Summer Tour (with American Idol Top 10) Nominated 2010 Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Male Vocalist of the Year Won [34] American Country Awards New/Breakthrough Artist of the Year Nominated Discography
Studio albums
Title Album details Peak chart
positionsSales US Country
[35]US
[36]My Best Days - Release date: March 2, 2010
- Label: RCA Nashville/19
- Format: CD, digital download
3 4 - US sales: 204,000[37]
Singles
Year Single Peak chart
positionsAlbum US Country
[38]US
[39]2009 "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me" 24 82 My Best Days 2010 "I Will Not Say Goodbye" 32 — 2011 "Second Hand Heart" 48 — Non-album song Other charted songs
Year Single Peak positions Album US
[40]2009 "You Are So Beautiful" 125 Non-album song Music videos
Year Video Director 2010 "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me"[41] Wes Edwards "I Will Not Say Goodbye"[42] References
- ^ Danny Gokey: 'Idol's New Hero.
- ^ "Introducing Danny Gokey: Get to know Hollywood Hopeful Danny Gokey." American Idol.
- ^ "American Idol finalists are church worship leaders" Associated Press via WNCT, February 20, 2009.
- ^ "Danny Gokey Biography". Tvguide.com. 1980-04-24. http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/danny-gokey/bio/296849. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
- ^ "American Idol Top 36: Danny Gokey" by Leslie Anne Wiggins, WITI-TV FOX 6,
- ^ "Milwaukee's Gokey wows judges, makes 'Idol' finals" Tim Cuprisin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, February 18, 2009.
- ^ Social Security Death Index
- ^ a b c "Milwaukee man says he's prepared to give his all to make 'Idol' finals" by Tim Cuprisin, Feb. 13, 2009, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- ^ "'Idol's grieving Danny Gokey hopes to lighten up" Jill Serjeant, Feb 19, 2009, Reuters.
- ^ "American Idol Selects First Three Finalists", AP story run in the New York Times.
- ^ "‘Idol’s’ Danny Gokey: My Wife ‘Is The Reason For My Success’" Access Hollywood, February 20, 2009.
- ^ "Danny Gokey Photo Gallery" WITI February 18, 2009
- ^ "Sophia's Heart". http://www.sophiasheart.org/. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
- ^ "Danny Gokey — "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" Audition — American Idol 8 : American Idol 9 –". Rickey.org. http://www.rickey.org/?p=11026. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
- ^ "'American Idol' Rock Week Makes Us Scream On Like Danny Gokey". http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1610808/20090507/story.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Top 2: Lionel Ritchie and Danny Gokey jam – The Marquee Blog – CNN.com Blogs". Marquee.blogs.cnn.com. http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/20/top-2-lionel-ritchie-and-danny-gokey-jam/. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
- ^ Danny Gokey: East Troy Singer Beats Danny R. Gokey at WAMI Awards
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "American Idol's Danny Gokey Sees Rosy Future in Glasses". E! Online. 2009-05-15. http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b124061_american_idols_danny_gokey_sees_rosy.html. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
- ^ "News : American Idol's Danny Gokey Signs to 19 Recordings/RCA Nashville". CMT. 2009-09-02. http://www.cmt.com/news/news-in-brief/1620651/american-idols-danny-gokey-signs-to-19-recordings-rca-nashville.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
- ^ Mansfield, Brian (2009-11-19). "Danny Gokey switches singles". USA Today. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2009/11/danny-gokey-switches-singles/1. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
- ^ Danny Gokey Makes Chart History with Debut Album!
- ^ Gokey to tour with Sugarland
- ^ "Darry Worley's Tennessee River Raises $200,000". Country Music Television. http://www.cmt.com/news/news-in-brief/1648822/darryl-worleys-tennessee-river-run-raises-200000.jhtml. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
- ^ "Danny Gokey, Jennette McCurdy to Host AMA Red Carpet". The Boot. 2010-10-25. http://www.theboot.com/2010/10/25/danny-gokey-jennette-mccurdy-ama-red-carpet/. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
- ^ Mansfield, Brian (December 16, 2010). "Danny Gokey planning new single for early 2011". USA Today. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2010/12/danny-gokey-plans-new-single-for-early-2011/1.
- ^ http://twitter.com/#!/dannygokey/status/30029719965536258
- ^ http://twitter.com/#!/candacecbure/status/29936430830583809
- ^ http://twitter.com/#!/candacecbure/status/30001425270444032
- ^ http://tasteofcountry.com/danny-gokey-truth-be-told-movie-appearance/
- ^ Mansfield, Brian (March 3, 2011). "Danny Gokey added to Taylor Swift's summer tour". USA Today. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2011/03/danny-gokey-added-to-taylor-swifts-summer-tour/1.
- ^ USA Today. July 15, 2011. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2011/07/country-dominates-weeks-idol-track-sales/1.
- ^ Thompson, Gayle (21 November 2011). "Danny Gokey Parts Ways With RCA Records". The Boot. http://www.theboot.com/2011/11/21/danny-gokey-rca-records/. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- ^ "WAMI Award Winners". The Post Crescent: p. A-6. April 13, 2010. http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20100413/APC0101/4130564/1004&located. Retrieved 5 June 2010.[dead link]
- ^ "Danny Gokey Album & Song Chart History - Country Albums". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/danny-gokey/chart-history/1326115?f=320&g=Albums. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
- ^ "Danny Gokey Album & Song Chart History - Billboard 200". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/danny-gokey/chart-history/1326115?f=305&g=Albums. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
- ^ Mansfield, Brian (March 16, 2010). "Adam Lambert EP sales rise 2,000% after 'Idol' appearance". USA Today. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2011/03/adam-lambert-ep-sales-rise-3000-percent-after-idol-appearance/1.
- ^ "Danny Gokey Album & Song Chart History - Country Songs". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/danny-gokey/chart-history/1326115?f=357&g=Singles. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
- ^ "Danny Gokey Album & Song Chart History - Hot 100". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/danny-gokey/chart-history/1326115. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2011). Top Pop Singles 1955–2010. Record Research, Inc. p. 363. ISBN 0-89820-188-8.
- ^ "CMT : Videos : Danny Gokey : My Best Days Are Ahead of Me". Country Music Television. http://www.cmt.com/videos/danny-gokey/476245/my-best-days-are-ahead-of-me.jhtml. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
- ^ "CMT : Videos : Danny Gokey : I Will Not Say Goodbye (Short Version)". Country Music Television. http://www.cmt.com/videos/danny-gokey/546636/i-will-not-say-goodbye-short-version.jhtml. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
External links
- Official website
- Danny Gokey at American Idol
- Danny Gokey on Twitter
- Sophia's Heart Foundation (Official charity website)
American Idol season 8 Finalists Kris Allen · Adam Lambert · Danny Gokey · Allison Iraheta · Matt Giraud · Anoop Desai · Lil Rounds · Scott MacIntyre · Megan Joy · Michael Sarver · Alexis Grace · Jorge Núñez · Jasmine MurrayOther sources American Idol third-place finalists Nikki McKibbin · Kimberley Locke · Jasmine Trias · Vonzell Solomon · Elliott Yamin · Melinda Doolittle · Syesha Mercado · Danny Gokey · Casey James · Haley ReinhartCategories:- American Idol participants
- American male singers
- American Protestants
- American country singers
- Musicians from Wisconsin
- American performers of Christian music
- RCA Records Nashville artists
- 1980 births
- Living people
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