Danny Gokey

Danny Gokey
Gokey in his hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin on May 8, 2009
Background information
Birth name	Daniel Jay Gokey
Born	(1980-04-24) April 24, 1980 (age 36)
Origin	Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Genres	Pop, CCM, blue-eyed soul, country pop
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter,
Instruments	Vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
Years active	2008–present
Labels	19 / RCA Nashville (2009-2011) BMG (2013-)
Website	Official site

Daniel Jay "Danny" Gokey (born April 24, 1980) is an American singer and former church music director from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the third-place finalist on the eighth season of American Idol. After his placing on the show, Gokey signed to 19 Recordings and RCA Nashville at the beginning of a career in country music, releasing the single "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me". His debut album, My Best Days, was released in March 2010.

After leaving RCA Nashville in November 2011, he moved his musical direction toward adult pop/contemporary Christian music genre and made a record/publishing deal with BMG in May 2013. His second full-length album, Hope in Front of Me, was released in June 2014.

Gokey started singing with his family in church, but stated he would rather record mainstream music than perform solely Christian/gospel music. He was the worship director at his church in Milwaukee, Faith Builders International Ministries, for several years.

He is the fifth of six children. He has a brother named Charles, and four sisters: Angela, Janell, Gina, and Tracey.

He has acknowledged the influence of Jeffrey and Robin Pruitt, who are the pastors of the church he worked at, and also Matthew Barnett the founder of the LA Dream Center. He has stated that his faith is the "key to who I am". Gokey was a church music director while also driving a semi truck (18 wheeler) for a local logistics company for two years.

Gokey rose to national fame with his participation in the eighth season of American Idol. On August 8, 2008, he auditioned in Kansas City, Missouri, along with his friend Jamar Rogers, whom he met in Milwaukee. Both made it through to Hollywood, but Rogers was eliminated from the competition prior to the semifinals. (Rogers later appeared on the second season of NBC's The Voice.) Gokey's American Idol audition occurred only four weeks after his wife's death in July 2008.