all he wants is luh
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW IS THIS:
Idol chatter
TOM ALESIA
Posted: Thursday, September 3, 2009 5:00 am
Milwaukee's Danny Gokey - the church music director turned "American Idol" star - is basking in the TV show's curtain call: an annual summer tour where the top 10 finishers enjoy large, enthusiastic crowds at the nation's biggest arenas.
On Friday, Sept. 4, "American Idols Live!" makes its first stop in Madison, one of the smallest markets on the 50-city tour.
It's also a place where Gokey, who worked at Faith Builders Church Milwaukee and Beloit, likely will receive a rousing home-state welcome.
As the show's third-place finisher, Gokey, 29, receives a prime spot in the concert's second half, performing a Latin number (recalling the heritage of his late wife, Sophia), Michael Jackson's "P.Y.T." and two Rascal Flatts tunes, "What Hurts the Most" and "My Wish."
The songs fit Gokey's uplifting, fun-loving performance style. It also indicates his post-"Idol" musical direction.
And it's not pop or Christian music.
"It's soulful country," Gokey said before a show in Columbus, Ohio. "After looking at the genres, country seems to have the music I want - the message and the music. It represents things I hold dear to me. That's what I want to do."
When the "Idol" tour ends on Sept. 15, Gokey will go into the studio to record. Unlike "Idol" winner Kris Allen, show-stopping runner-up Adam Lambert and fourth-place rock teen Allison Iraheta, though, Gokey does not have major label support yet. He said he is "close to signing a record deal" but could not discuss any details.
The recent solo success on the country charts of Darius Rucker - lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish - whose style mirrors Gokey's, isn't lost on the Wisconsinite. Country audiences have welcomed several ex-"Idol" contestants, from superstar and Season 4 champion Carrie Underwood to also-rans Josh Gracin Bucky Covington.
But although he's going country, Gokey insists he hasn't left Christian music.
"The thing is that if I did only Christian music, people would put me in a box and wouldn't listen to me," he said. "I don't want that. We tend to label people too much. I am Christian, but I'm going to do music that has a positive and entertaining message. I don't want to exclude anybody from my message. Christians will buy my music anyways. I have a foot in the mainstream world because I sang mainstream music on the show. I'm a man of my faith, but my faith encourages my dreams."
Gokey's wife, Sophia, died after lifelong heart trouble at age 27 in July 2008, shortly before Gokey auditioned for the eighth season of "Idol." They were married four years. Her memory lives on through Sophia's Heart Foundation (sophiasheart.org), an organization Gokey launched after his wife's death and given a big boost by his "Idol" fame. The foundation gave three $1,000 scholarships to promising students, he said, and plans to continue its efforts with the arts and the poor.
"I'm going to always work on my music and the foundation," he said.
Gokey is earning a sizable salary ("Idol" won't allow him to disclose it) on this tour. But he's clearly enjoying his chance to perform before thousands of fans each night.
"It is amazing," he said. "This is what you dream about."
Concert reviews of the "Idol" tour from a half-dozen major newspapers indicate that Lambert lives up to the considerable hype and receives thunderous ovations at each show. (Gokey has also received consistent praise for his solo segment.) The charismatic and gifted vocalist Lambert appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone and is considered the most likely "Idol" to achieve international fame.
Gokey said Lambert has kept his feet grounded despite the hysteria surrounding him.
"We joke about it all the time," Gokey said. "We have so much fun with it. He's really good about it, too. We wouldn't do it if it offended him. We respect each other. We like to tease each other. But we're quick to support each other."
He continued: "He handles fame well. I think he's the same person he was when he came on the show. I definitely do."
When Gokey was eliminated from "Idol" competition, leaving the favorite Lambert to face eventual winner Allen, Gokey's fans may have leaned toward the soft-pop singer Allen and pushed him to victory.
"I think it may have helped (Allen). My voters had to go somewhere," Gokey said. "It's speculation, but if Kris got voted off, some of his votes would have come over to my side. Not every vote, but some."
Gokey said his favorite guest mentor was Lionel Richie. But it was Gokey's rehearsal with R&B star and actor Jamie Foxx that provided the most excitement. Foxx got in Gokey's face to encourage him to use more emotion in a song.
"I didn't know him (before 'Idol')," Gokey said "But he was definitely fun to work with."
Gokey also maintains ties to Madison as a frequent visitor to the city. He performed several years ago with a group at the State Capitol building. He also owned an investment property in Madison at one time.
"I didn't make money off it at all," he said with a short laugh. "I lost money."
FILE PHOTO The top 10 finalists from this season's "American Idol" will perform at the Alliant Energy Center Coliseum on Friday.
source
Idol chatter
TOM ALESIA
Posted: Thursday, September 3, 2009 5:00 am
Milwaukee's Danny Gokey - the church music director turned "American Idol" star - is basking in the TV show's curtain call: an annual summer tour where the top 10 finishers enjoy large, enthusiastic crowds at the nation's biggest arenas.
On Friday, Sept. 4, "American Idols Live!" makes its first stop in Madison, one of the smallest markets on the 50-city tour.
It's also a place where Gokey, who worked at Faith Builders Church Milwaukee and Beloit, likely will receive a rousing home-state welcome.
As the show's third-place finisher, Gokey, 29, receives a prime spot in the concert's second half, performing a Latin number (recalling the heritage of his late wife, Sophia), Michael Jackson's "P.Y.T." and two Rascal Flatts tunes, "What Hurts the Most" and "My Wish."
The songs fit Gokey's uplifting, fun-loving performance style. It also indicates his post-"Idol" musical direction.
And it's not pop or Christian music.
"It's soulful country," Gokey said before a show in Columbus, Ohio. "After looking at the genres, country seems to have the music I want - the message and the music. It represents things I hold dear to me. That's what I want to do."
When the "Idol" tour ends on Sept. 15, Gokey will go into the studio to record. Unlike "Idol" winner Kris Allen, show-stopping runner-up Adam Lambert and fourth-place rock teen Allison Iraheta, though, Gokey does not have major label support yet. He said he is "close to signing a record deal" but could not discuss any details.
The recent solo success on the country charts of Darius Rucker - lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish - whose style mirrors Gokey's, isn't lost on the Wisconsinite. Country audiences have welcomed several ex-"Idol" contestants, from superstar and Season 4 champion Carrie Underwood to also-rans Josh Gracin Bucky Covington.
But although he's going country, Gokey insists he hasn't left Christian music.
"The thing is that if I did only Christian music, people would put me in a box and wouldn't listen to me," he said. "I don't want that. We tend to label people too much. I am Christian, but I'm going to do music that has a positive and entertaining message. I don't want to exclude anybody from my message. Christians will buy my music anyways. I have a foot in the mainstream world because I sang mainstream music on the show. I'm a man of my faith, but my faith encourages my dreams."
Gokey's wife, Sophia, died after lifelong heart trouble at age 27 in July 2008, shortly before Gokey auditioned for the eighth season of "Idol." They were married four years. Her memory lives on through Sophia's Heart Foundation (sophiasheart.org), an organization Gokey launched after his wife's death and given a big boost by his "Idol" fame. The foundation gave three $1,000 scholarships to promising students, he said, and plans to continue its efforts with the arts and the poor.
"I'm going to always work on my music and the foundation," he said.
Gokey is earning a sizable salary ("Idol" won't allow him to disclose it) on this tour. But he's clearly enjoying his chance to perform before thousands of fans each night.
"It is amazing," he said. "This is what you dream about."
Concert reviews of the "Idol" tour from a half-dozen major newspapers indicate that Lambert lives up to the considerable hype and receives thunderous ovations at each show. (Gokey has also received consistent praise for his solo segment.) The charismatic and gifted vocalist Lambert appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone and is considered the most likely "Idol" to achieve international fame.
Gokey said Lambert has kept his feet grounded despite the hysteria surrounding him.
"We joke about it all the time," Gokey said. "We have so much fun with it. He's really good about it, too. We wouldn't do it if it offended him. We respect each other. We like to tease each other. But we're quick to support each other."
He continued: "He handles fame well. I think he's the same person he was when he came on the show. I definitely do."
When Gokey was eliminated from "Idol" competition, leaving the favorite Lambert to face eventual winner Allen, Gokey's fans may have leaned toward the soft-pop singer Allen and pushed him to victory.
"I think it may have helped (Allen). My voters had to go somewhere," Gokey said. "It's speculation, but if Kris got voted off, some of his votes would have come over to my side. Not every vote, but some."
Gokey said his favorite guest mentor was Lionel Richie. But it was Gokey's rehearsal with R&B star and actor Jamie Foxx that provided the most excitement. Foxx got in Gokey's face to encourage him to use more emotion in a song.
"I didn't know him (before 'Idol')," Gokey said "But he was definitely fun to work with."
Gokey also maintains ties to Madison as a frequent visitor to the city. He performed several years ago with a group at the State Capitol building. He also owned an investment property in Madison at one time.
"I didn't make money off it at all," he said with a short laugh. "I lost money."
FILE PHOTO The top 10 finalists from this season's "American Idol" will perform at the Alliant Energy Center Coliseum on Friday.
source