Gaga for Gokey

When Milwaukee native Danny Gokey made the top 3 of “American Idol” last Wednesday night, every single person at Faith Builders International Ministries church in Beloit jumped out of their seats, hugging each other and screaming with joy. I was one of them.

I’ve been a huge “American Idol” fan since its second season. I always pick my favorite contestant early on in the competition during the famous audition episodes. This year, when Danny Gokey sang his first notes of his Kansas City audition, I was immediately hooked. I just knew there was something different about this guy. Just four weeks before his audition, his wife, Sophia, passed away during surgery for a congenital heart defect. She only had a 10 percent chance of dying.

Danny’s story touched me immediately, but it wasn’t just his story that got my attention. It was the fact that even after all he had been through, he persevered and decided to audition for the show.

It was probably one of the best decisions he could have ever made. “American Idol” has changed Danny’s life. He’s said that. In an earlier blog I wrote about how I got connected with Faith Builders here in Beloit. I’ve written a couple of stories about Danny and his connection to Beloit: he used to lead the Praise & Worship team at the Beloit church. Every time I talk to those who know him, I learn even more about the singer I’ve come to idolize.

When Danny made the top 3, I immediately asked my editors if I could go to Milwaukee for “Danny Gokey Day” on Friday, May 8 with some people from Beloit. Danny was scheduled to sing at the church’s Milwaukee location. When my editors gave me the OK, I’m not sure I’ve ever been more excited in my life. At 6:30 on Friday morning, several people from the Beloit area and I left for Milwaukee.

We got to the church early to decorate. By a little after 8 a.m., the line to get in was out the door. When the doors opened at 9 a.m., hundreds of people flooded the sanctuary in an attempt to get the best seats. We had already secured seats in the third row, so I was ecstatic at the thought of being so close. But then I got even better news. Members of the media were allowed to stand right in front of the stage to take photos. As I stood just inches away from the stage, I could hardly believe I’d be that close to Danny Gokey. Being a member of the media definitely has its perks.

When he came out, I could hardly contain my excitement. Let me tell you, it was very difficult to remain professional while freaking out on the inside. I had to fight the urge to yell and scream like the rest of the fans behind me. So, I kept a big smile on my face and tapped my feet to the music. Danny only performed a few songs as time was short and he was suffering a sore voice, but I can’t even begin to tell you how wonderful he sounded. I hear him sing on TV every week, but this was so much different. His performance was incredible. After singing a couple of songs, Danny stopped to talk to the audience. He spoke about Sophia and how ten months ago he was in the same room for her funeral. It’s truly amazing how far he’s come in just 10 months.

I’ve always heard with Danny that what you see is what you get. And it’s true. He’s just as humble as his friends and family say he is. He even said on stage that he’s “not that good,” and all of this is God’s doing. He has an incredibly strong faith and isn’t afraid to show it.

After his performance, Danny jumped off stage to quickly say hello to a few family and friends. I just so happened to be on that side of the stage. When he turned around to leave, I was right behind him. As he walked past me, he gave me a smile and grabbed my arm. He and I have never met, but he has heard of me. After he left, I stood there in shock for a minute. I couldn’t believe he had acknowledged me. I kept it together until I met up with my group, and then I just started to cry. I couldn’t help it! It was a very surreal experience. Danny, if you ever read this, THANK YOU for that. It was such a small gesture, but it meant a lot.

I went back to Beloit after that and spent the rest of the weekend on cloud nine. Actually, I still think I’m on it. Friday is one day I’ll never forget. It was a crazy day in Milwaukee. I’ve heard 26,000 fans attended his mini-concert at the Summerfest grounds. Kopp’s had a “Danny’s Delight” ice cream. His name was plastered on billboards and marquees. Thousands of fans followed him wherever he went.
I wrote a story about Danny’s performance at the church in Milwaukee. If you haven’t read it yet, check it out here.

Danny is not only a great representative for the Milwaukee area but for Wisconsin as well. I truly believe he deserves the “American Idol” title. Being a strong singer and performer is a big part of it, but it’s also about being a positive role model and inspiration for those who look up to you. Danny has the whole package. Whether or not he wins, he’ll always be my “American Idol.”

A quick shout-out to everyone at Faith Builders: thank you so much for taking me in and making me feel right at home. You guys are great and I feel so fortunate to have met you! This just once again proves how wonderful our community really is!

This entry was posted on Monday, May 11th, 2009 at 10:37 am and is filed under My Kind of Town. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.