Danny Gokey is the better man – heart and soul

Gokey said he tried to rearrange more songs, but those didn’t always make it on the show.

“People want to see a creative element,” he said. “They want to see an old song made fresh again. I think ‘Idol’ from this point on, ever since last year, you can’t go on singing the same arrangement of a song. You’ll get bashed.”

Gokey auditioned for the show only four weeks after his wife, Sophia, died last summer from surgery for a congenital heart defect. Sophia loved the show, and they had agreed he would try out.

 

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Besides touring this summer with the top 10 finalists, Gokey plans to grow Sophia’s Heart Foundation, which he started after she died. The foundation helps children who need “restoration in various areas of their lives,” according to its Web site. 

Gokey, known for his assortment of spectacles, plans to start his own eyeglass line or even model them to raise money for the foundation. He said he has about 50 pairs now, up from the 15 at the show’s start.

He also wants to make a “soulful” album with rhythm and blues beats and a hint of salsa and meringue.

Gokey said he was proud of his accomplishment, although there were things he would have done differently. Not only did he try his best despite his insecurities in competition, but he had to deal with his grief.

“I saw strength in me that I didn’t know I had,” he said.

Now he wants to tell people: “If I can do it, you can do it.”