Danny Gokey Gives Another Amazing Performance with Rascal Flatts' 'What Hurts the Most'

Typically I have no trouble starting out when I am writing a review of Danny Gokey's performances on American Idol. But tonight, it's difficult to know where to start. It's not that his performance was less than amazing. In my honest opinion, it was quite brilliant. It's just that almost every other performance tonight was weak so it might be tough to get a good comparison going. But I'll try.

As usual, Danny had great chemistry with the audience. He's just such a humble and down-to-earth guy but a few performers also have the likability factor going for them, namely Kris and Allison. And fortunately for them, they both had stellar performances tonight. After two miserable performances by Anoop and Megan, neither of whom have had a kind word from the judges (or me), Danny certainly didn't have a tough act to follow. He made a great song choice with Rascal Flatt's What Hurts the Most. A gutsy move on his part was to pretty much stay still through the whole performance. The judges are sometimes critical of that although you never can tell where those four are going to go. For instance, there were a few rough spots when Danny first started the chorus and I got a little nervous thinking the judges were going to call him on it. But they didn't say a word. Quite possibly, one of them might have been too busy telling Danny he should have moved around more. Oh, Randy.

In his pre-performance interview tonight with Ryan Seacrest, Danny tells us that he wanted to tone it down a little and "sing my heart out". Well Danny - that you did. You put every little bit of yourself into that song and you made it your own. Bravo.

The only other performer to come close to Danny tonight was Adam Lambert. He cleverly redid Wild Cherry's Play That Funky Music and performed it so extraordinarily well that between him and Danny, I don't think there is room for anyone else in this competition. Yes, Allison's version of Don't Speak was really awesome and Kris Allen's Ain't No Sunshine was his best performance ever. And they'll make it close to the top but being the next American Idol is simply out of their reach. I'm callin' it - Danny and Adam will be this season's two Davids, going on to stardom no matter what. The rest are just going home.