American Idol Top 11: Danny Gokey Still on Track Despite a Less Than Stellar Performance

Danny Gokey definitely has a soulful vibe about him. Ensconced somewhere between Michael McDonald and Justin Timberlake, Gokey is definitely a front runner in the competition. Though Gokey started singing in church and serves as music director for his church, he says that he has always been drawn to performing mainstream music. He comes to American Idol following the sudden death of his wife following a routine surgery for a congenital heart condition. He shared that she was a big fan of the show and that she'd always encouraged him to audition and he decided to do it to honor her memory. Gokey brings an earnest wholesomeness that makes him all the more likeable.

This round of American Idol found the hopefuls singing country music and working with living country legend, Randy Travis. Danny Gokey took a page out of the Carrie Underwood songbook and sang one of her biggest hits, "Jesus Take the Wheel". As Carrie Underwood is one of the most successful Idols, this was an iffy proposition. Danny found himself flustered in the presence of Randy Travis. After several tries he managed to sing the song all the way through. Travis felt that Danny's nervousness might be his undoing. On competition night, Danny delivered a good version of the song; however I found his performance rife with tension. His comfort with the song came in fits and starts. He was dynamite on the chorus but just never seemed to hit his stride with the verses. All in all it was not Gokey's best performance. However, it should be good enough to keep him in the competition. It was a little interesting because based on Gokey's background one would think this was a song that would be in his comfort zone.

Despite having a relatively off night Danny Gokey still seems to be a sure bet to reach the finals. It's a sure bet that he'll be back in form in the coming weeks.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Gokey