The new season of American Idol is underway, and so far no one has impressed me much, especially amongst the guys. This seems to be the general consensus, judging by the various Idol blogs I’ve perused. I’ve been a big AI fan since Season 5. It’s a Cricket family tradition to critique the contestants from the living room couch, not to mention shouting at the judges and arguing with their commentary. And, yes, I have had a few meltdowns when my faves have been sent home, and tantrums when singers I didn’t like stayed on for another agonizing week.
I never liked Danny Gokey when he was on Idol. I didn’t like the fact that he used his dead wife to capture America’s hearts… and votes. I personally think the viewer’s shouldn’t learn about contestants’ sob stories (disabled kid, sick mother, childhood poverty, single mother, living out of a van, etc.) until after the winner is chosen. Tell us where you’re from, how old you are, what kind of music you like, and that’s it. “Shut up and SING!”
Anyway, back to Gokey, from last season. My husband and I had a mantra, “GO-key, GO home!” Well, that didn’t happen until he made the Top 3, and not before he croaked out the most atrocious version of Aerosmith’s “Dream On” ever performed. This, to me, is a cardinal sin, as I worship Steven Tyler.
One year later, where does Danny end up? On country radio! I was way skeptical. The first song he sent us was something written by Charles and Dave from Lady Antebellum. The name of it escapes me. We didn’t play it on Froggy and it went away. But Danny didn’t. His second single, “My Best Days,” is a bonafide hit. And…. I actually like it.
Danny Gokey, a 30-year-old former church music director from Milwaukee auditioned for American Idol in Kansas City, Missouri. Only four weeks before, his wife, Sophia, died during routine surgery for congenital heart disease. She’d had two heart surgeries before, but this time there were fatal complications. She was only 27 years old when she passed. Sophia was an American Idol fan and had urged Danny to try out. As devastated as he was, Danny tried out for the show to honor her memory. His rendering of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” won over the judges, and we all know the rest.
I went on www.thetennessean.com website and found out there’s a totally AMAZING story behind Danny’s hit song. It was written by Marv Green and Kent Blazy. Kent, who has written some big songs for Garth Brooks, lost his wife in January of last year. How eerie a coincidence is that? Ironically, Kent hadn’t watched American Idol last season and had never heard of Danny. Likewise, Danny didn’t learn about Kent’s shared experience until after he recorded the song.
The tunesmith is philosophical about the twists and turns of fate. “It doesn't matter how old you are, your best days can still be ahead of you. 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.” (Quoted from a Tennessean.com article by Cindy Watts.)
Danny started the Sophia’s Heart Foundation in his wife’s memory. The homepage of the charity’s website reads: “We exist to help mend and heal the hearts of children and families who have been touched by poverty, sickness, disease, broken homes and broken dreams.”
Danny Gokey’s RCA debut, “My Best Days,” moved 65,000 copies its first week in stores, good enough to debut at #4 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album chart. That’s the best first-week sales in 18 years by any debut male country artist. Pretty impressive.
So Danny, I apologize for all those times I screamed at you on TV… Now can you please say you’re sorry for that wretched performance of “Dream On”????
The new season of American Idol is underway, and so far no one has impressed me much, especially amongst the guys. This seems to be the general consensus, judging by the various Idol blogs I’ve perused. I’ve been a big AI fan since Season 5. It’s a Cricket family tradition to critique the contestants from the living room couch, not to mention shouting at the judges and arguing with their commentary. And, yes, I have had a few meltdowns when my faves have been sent home, and tantrums when singers I didn’t like stayed on for another agonizing week.
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