American Idol finalist Danny Gokey has survived plenty of life's tragedies; the new Country Music singer gained an audience on AI with his very personal story — losing his wife, Sophia, just a month before his AI audition.
Gokey has found strength in the healing power of music, most evident in his first album release, My Best Days, which hit stores March 2. Gokey has said, "Music was the key place where I would go, and I would let the sorrow come out, let the tears just roll. Some music I would listen to had a determination in it, and I resolved that this is not going to be the thing that destroys me for the rest of my life. It can be turned into a building block, and I can become a better person for it. Music brought healing. That's how I got through and still get through it today."
The first single off the album, "My Best Days Are Ahead Of Me," was written by Marv Green and Kent Blazy has a similar story to Gokey's tragedy. "What makes 'My Best Days' so special is that the writer of the song, he ended up telling me that he wrote this song after his wife passed away," Gokey told GAC this week. "He said this is the first song that he wrote after she passed away that gave him hope again. And I feel like there’s such a connection between me and the song, and it has become more and more of an anthem than it ever has been before."
Catch a performance of "My Best Days Are Ahead Of Me" this Thursday, as Gokey makes his return to American Idol. And be sure to visit www.sophiasheart.org, an organization in honor of Gokey's late wife, which promotes music and the arts to children.
