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Gokey happy with his Idol run

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Thousands of screaming fans, homemade signs expressing fans’ love, singing the national anthem at a major league baseball game and a parade.

It was all too much for “American Idol” contestant Danny Gokey, who returned to Milwaukee to film clips for the show last week.

During the parade, he cried.

“It’s unbelievable,” Gokey told friend and former “Idol” contestant Jamar Rogers.

“From tragedy to triumph,” is how Gokey describes his transformation from an unknown widower to the third-place finisher on the popular Fox singing show.

The volunteer church music director was voted off Wednesday, setting up a showdown this week between dark horse Kris Allen and early favorite Adam Lambert.

A day after leaving “Idol,” Gokey, 29, said he was relieved to no longer have to worry about getting votes but acknowledged the show helped open many doors for him.

“I was a nobody, and this show turned me into somebody, and I’ll always be thankful for the roots that I came out of because I do believe that still the best has yet to come for me,” he said on a conference call with reporters. “This is not the end of the road"

“I’m so thankful my life has turned around: I can’t say that enough.”

Less than a year ago, Gokey was coming to grips with what he called the most tragic event in his life — his wife Sophia died suddenly after surgery for a congenital heart defect.

They had been together for 12 years. Gokey was so shocked, he couldn’t cry at her funeral.

Sophia had been an “American Idol” fan, and they had agreed he would try out. Then 28, Gokey had also reached the upper age limit for the audition. A month after her death, he auditioned in Kansas City.

“She was my best friend,” Gokey said at the audition, crying. “We never got to say goodbye.”

Since then Gokey, who knows mostly gospel music, has had to learn new songs every week. He’s tailored his image — turning his more than 50 pairs of funky glasses and the heart symbol he makes with his hands into signatures.

He’s also had to decide how much he would talk about his wife’s death — something some have accused him of capitalizing on.

He’s done it all with a sense of humor. During a recent show, Gokey missed the final note of Aerosmith’s “Dream On.” His elongated scream generated a lot of criticism and Internet buzz. But Gokey laughs about it.

“It was terrible sounding, but it was funny,” he said recently.

He’s said he decided long ago to put away bitter feelings and enjoy life.

He certainly has. He’s been tutored by actor and singer Jamie Foxx, complimented by Simon Cowell as “one of the best” and adored by Paula Abdul, who cried when he was voted off the show.

He’s also had something of a career change. Gokey took a leave from his job as a semi truck driver, said friend Ruben Burgos, 26, of Beloit, either when Sophia got sick or passed away.

Now Gokey wants to make a rhythm and blues CD, although he hasn’t signed a record deal yet.

He also wants work more with Sophia’s Heart Foundation, which he started after his wife died. He hopes to raise money for it by designing or modeling eyeglasses.