Arguably one of the best human beings to appear on American Idol, Danny Gokey stole the hearts of viewers last year with his story, sincerity, and authenticity. Losing his young wife shortly before appearing on Idol, Gokey inspired listeners, sent up great performances, and eventually finished third behind lesser-voiced Kris Allen and just plain scary Adam Lambert.
His debut album, My Best Days, was just released. Making a wise career decision to go country, Gokey can now sing straightforward songs suited to his big soft-gravel voice--and can even mention the Lord to an understanding audience. (Gokey was a church choir director before Idol). If there is someone worth supporting on country radio, The D Man suggests that you give Mr. Gokey a try. Or you can listen to Lambert and try not to catch something.
2 comments:
We will have to have a chat about this post soon. I would have bet money that The D-Man would have been on the other side of this issue.
I don't mean to attack your post, but do you feel at all that the whole American Idol show cheapens the legacy and tradition of artistry and music in general?
I just had a recent chat with a buddy of mine on this very issue. When I see American Idol on TV, the first thing I think of is "This person doesn't care what they say,do, or sing, as long as they win. And I guess their definition of winning is being in an endless string of Coke and Ford commercials.
I don't think its any accident Mr. Gokey chose to do a "country" album, its all about opportunity. Mainstream country is huge right now, why not cash in quick before the rapid drop into obscurity?
I actually thought Lambert was Idols last shot at redemption. The kid could sing, and he was a rocker at heart. He took a lot of chances and was always pushing the envelope.
Respectfully,
Stark The Vinyl Shark
A few thoughts from The D Man:
(1) Lambert is likely the biggest shill Idol has ever produced. His ridiculous and horrendously miscalculated debut album, awards show antics, and subsequent public statements were desperate and embarrassing, to say the least. That isn't called taking a chance. That is simply called being stupid and self-indulgent for cheap shock value without any underlying substance. A rocker? Really? Somewhere Jagger is laughing at the thought.
(2) Make no mistake: Idol has had plenty of people grace its stage that can flat-out sing. And plenty of them were better than Lambert.
(3) American Idol is great television that gives people from all walks of life an incredible opportunity. The stories and development of real people is intriguing television. And watching people actually perform under that kind of pressure is impressive.
There is nothing cheap about Idol. Real people. Real singing. Real talent. America gets to vote, and, for the most part, generally gets things right.
The contestants are not artists in the same way as Thom Yorke and Wayne Coyne. Not even close. But the show is not designed to discover the next great artist or musician; frankly, such a show would fail because it would inherently undermine such a pursuit.
But American Idol does give individuals a platform to launch successful careers that they might never have had a chance to have. People without connections, without means, without an "in." For example, this year a personal trainer and nice-guy meathead from Florida is simply killing things right now. Big Mike. Awesome. And the pop world is all the better for it.
(4) A literary digression. Louisa May Alcott was a contemporary of Herman Melville. She was massively popular and enjoyed immense financial success. He did not. I like them both.
But compare Moby Dick to Little Women? There is no comparison. One is a literary masterpiece. The other is a great story. Sometimes you have to know--and appreciate--the difference.
(5) If I'm Danny Gokey, I'm going to tell some stories. If I'm Danny Gokey, and I've been blessed with that voice, I'm going to sing some big songs. Why wouldn't I "go country" and entertain adoring fans? (BTW, mainstream country is not just huge right now, it has been huge for 25 years and isn't going anywhere). Sure, he is not a skilled musician, songwriter, or artist. But he is one hell of a singer. So sing some songs, tell some stories. Like Alcott.
The Melvilles will still be out there.
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