American Idle

The last of the four Mohicans, so to speak, got his record deal finalized this week, but the shocker of it all? Danny Gokey’s gone country, ya’ll.

He’ll eventually hook up with a producer and hit Nashville once his tour is over in a little over one week. Here’s the deets.

From USA Today:

Though no producer is attached to Gokey’s album yet, he’ll go into a Nashville studio shortly after the Idols Live tour ends Sept. 15. Galante expects a single in late fall and an album to follow, most likely in March.

When Gokey was on Idol, “I was so wet behind the ears, I didn’t know where I wanted to go,” the singer says. “But I most related to the message and the music of country.”

Gokey sang three country tunes during his Idol run and is performing Rascal Flatts‘ What Hurts the Most and My Wish on tour. He counts Wynonna Judd, Alan Jackson and Brooks & Dunn among his favorite country acts.

So, the obvious: what does everyone think about Danny going country? It worked for Carrie Underwood and Kellie Pickler. It could work for him, in my opinion.

American Idols Live! visited the Boardwalk of Atlantic City this weekend, and from the sounds of it the crowd wasn’t as crazy as other audiences.

Nonetheless, the Idols put their all into the show, especially Adam Lambert, who sang five songs and busted out “Starlight.”

Blake Lewis was in the audience as well, giving the Idols some encouragement. I mean, it wasn’t the crowd’s fault; apparently security told the crowd to sit down at some point during the show.

Also, Boardwalk Hall is usually reserved for acts like the old Miss America Pageant and other old-ass acts. WTF were the Idols doing there?

Shouldn’t they have been playing somewhere larger? Some questions should probably be asked and will be asked after that show. Dear God, what were the producers thinking sending the Idols there?

Anyway, the tour rolls on and I’m cure it will be better at the next stop.

Get tour tickets while they last below.

Anoop Desai headed home to North Carolina last night, playing to a packed house in Charlotte.

He looked dapper and seemed deeply moved that he was performing back at home and that the fans were deeply into his performance.

There have been some really good shows that have come from singers going back to their hometowns; this one was also part of that elite group.

Anoop Desai - “Always On My Mind”

We also have a good video of Michael Sarver, the oil roughneck we haven’t heard from much on the tour, largely because the big three of Adam, Kris and Allison get all the kudos.

So here is Sarver singing his song in Charlotte last night.

Michael Sarver - “In Love With A Girl”

Fresh off a stop in Dallas the night before, Danny Gokey sounded unbelievable Friday night at the BOK Center in Tulsa, David Cook’s adopted hometown.

Gokey is fast becoming a great singer, so I can’t understand why people say he isn’t as good as Adam and Kris, or even Allison.

For my money, Gokey’s version of “PYT” (Pretty Young Thing), the classic Michael Jackson song, is actually better than almost all of the songs Allen sings and in the same ballpark as Lambert.

I have probably listened to “PYT” hundreds of times, and I never get tired of Gokey’s version. I do think it wasn’t as good at the beginning of the tour, for obvious reasons, namely Jackson’s death.

But now the tour is heating up, the crowds are unreal and Gokey is beginning to show signs of becoming a breakout star like Daughtry.

Also, amateur video hounds please take note: this video below is excellent in quality. I can’t take credit for it, nor should I. All credit goes to tugger12345, who should be shooting video for a living.

Anyway, after much adieu, here is the video:

Danny Gokey - “PYT” (Pretty Young Thing)

Get tickets here

Danny Gokey took time out of his busy schedule to play a little gig for the Northwestern Mutual annual conference in Milwaukee, his hometown.

The kicker to the story is that Danny’s late wife’s parents both work for Northwestern and so this was probably done as a favor in some way.

Also, it was good for Gokey as his charity, Sophia’s Heart Foundation, got a $10,000 check from Northwestern Mutual.

Then he told the audience that he may have some major record news coming anyday now.

The Bay Area was the next stop on the American Idols Live! tour this past weekend, with Oakland being the first stop of two.

Oakland is of course the home to MC Hammer and to Keyshia Cole, so the town knows how to get down.

And Danny Gokey certainly can get down himself, as he shows in the Michael Jackson cover of “PYT (Pretty Young Thing)”

I think this is Danny’s best song on the tour and he should try to put a version of this on his album, even though there have been reports he’s doing a country album.

Danny Gokey - “PYT (Pretty Young Thing)”

Other than Gokey’s solid performance, there were scattered reports of anti-gay protesters bum-rushing the show outside. But it turned out that there were only 3 to 5 people protesting.

The American Idols Live! Tour has some interesting news of late. Things are kinda dead in Idol land at the moment (for once!) and my apologies for not getting anything up yesterday.

My son is in the hospital with jaundice and has been under bilirubin lights for over a week.

The only real Idols making news at the moment are the Top 10 on tour.

Kris Allen has had his “No Boundaries” song bounced from his set list for the tour for the foreseeable future and it has been replaced by The Killers’ “All These Things That I’ve Done.”

The song change surprised me, but the song itself is a good one for Kris, and since he’s so versatile the change should actually help him rather than hurt him.

I know some peeps will be bummed by the change, but I really do think it’s for the best.

Kris Allen - “All These Things That I’ve Done”

Also, we have some photos from the Sacramento show above, so enjoy.

The American Idols Live! Tour 09′ continued rolling along last night, with a performance at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Wash. Watch some videos from the concert below.

Kris Allen - “Hey Jude”

The Allen video is quite shaky, but we appreciate the video nonetheless and it beats having to pay $200 for a ticket, doesn’t it?

And then the pyrotechnics went off like crazy for Adam Lambert, who came out dressed to kill like usual amid a sea of flashing lights.

Adam Lambert - “Whole Lotta Love”

And Scott MacIntyre may be destined for singing theme songs for sitcoms, but he’ll have a great time doing it, as evidenced from his performance of “10,000 Miles”

Scott MacIntyre - “10,000 Miles”

Well, that’s it from Tacoma. Much more if you go to eum442’s YouTube channel. Many thanks to eum442 for the video!

The top 10 from American Idol season 8 kicked off the annual ritual of performing as a group around the country.

This year it was in Portland, Oregon at the Rose Garden. Some of the songs they played included:

• Michael Sarver: “I’m in Love with a Girl” by Gavin Degraw, “Closer” by Neyo
• Megan Joy: “Put Your Records On” by Corrine Baily Rae and “Tears Dry on Their Own” by Amy Winehouse
• Scott MacIntyre: “Bend and Break” by Keane and “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton
• Lil Rounds: “Be Without You” by Mary J Blige, “No One” by Alicia Keys, “Single Ladies” by Beyonce
• Anoop Desai:”Always on My Mind” by Willie Nelson, “Mad” by Ne-Yo, “My Prerogative” by Bobby Brown
• Matt Giraud: “Hard to Handle” by the Black Crowes “Georgia” “I Found You” by the Fray
• Group Medley: Megan and Lil sing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” Matt and Scott on duel pianos for “Tell Her About It” by Billy Joel, Michael sings “Suspicious Minds” by Elvis Presley,  Anoop begins singing Madcon’s “Beggin”, but it’s in the style of the original 1967 4 Seasons version–Matt, Scott and Michael join in. Lil sings the Madcon rap, and Megan joins her.
• Allison Iraheta: “So What” by Pink “Cry Baby” by Janis Joplin, “Barracuda” by Heart
• Danny Gokey: “P.Y.T.” by Michael Jackson, “Maria Maria” by Santana, “What Hurts the Most” by Rascal Flatts, “My Wish” by Rascal Flatts.
• Adam Lambert: “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zepplin “Starlight” by Muse “Mad World” by Tears for Fears/Gary Jules “Slow Ride” by Foghat w/ Allison, Bowie Medley: “Life on Mars”, “Fame”, “Let’s Dance”
• Kris Allen: “Heartless” by Kanye West, “No Boundaries”, “Bright Lights” by Matchbox 20,  “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers  and “Hey Jude” by The Beatles (the Idols join Kris for the “na nas”)
• “Don’t Stop Believing” The Top 10 - Encore

Also, watch an interview with Anoop and Kris prior to the concert in Portland.

The Idols got together this past week for a rehearsal and it was the first time that the public has been allowed to hear them before they embark on their Idols Live! tour in early July.

I’ve gotta say…I’m impressed with their harmonies! This is some of the best stuff we’ve had the pleasure of hearing from any of the Idols tour groups, now or ever. “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey is a phenomenal song and the Idols handled it with aplomb.

Season 8 was definitely special and ground breaking and I think at a time where so much change happened in this country in such a short period of time, it was nice to have this diversion.

Couple that with the sudden news of Michael Jackson’s passing, most of which the American public is still coming to grips with, and season 9 will have to be extra special to top this group.

So get out and see these season 8 performers, because they can bring the noise!