Danny Gokey Sings 'Stand by Me' by Mickey Gilley

Danny Gokey got American Idol started on April 7^th. He was the first of the final eight contestants to perform. Danny Gokey sang Mickey Gilley's Stand By Me.

The American Idol theme was songs from the contestants' birth year. Fans got to see baby pictures of both the contestants and the judges. The oldest performer received the honors of going first. The oldest performer, Danny Gokey, was born on April 24, 1980.

During the introduction Danny recalled the time when he first heard he could sing. While driving, his dad said to his mom "You know Rhonda, your son can sing." This was the spark that may have given Danny the encouragement to follow a dream of becoming a professional recording artist. Danny did say that this statement impacted him because it enabled him to actually believe he could sing.

Danny Gokey's version of Stand by me started out very slow compared to the original. Once again he stood in front of a microphone stand and concentrated on the vocals. It seemed as if this rendition started out at a much higher range than Mickey Gilley's original song.

The song turned unique during the refrain. The Stand By Me arrangement became more up-tempo with bongos. It seemed as if the arrangement was a dance mix with a touch of reggae.

Danny Gokey's modernized Stand By Me arrangement came to a head towards the end. He picked up the microphone and brought the song up a notch with his vocal range. He was also able to dance and feel the music.

Simon Cowell summed up Danny Gokey's performance perfectly. He told Danny that the beginning of his performance was good, the middle was lazy, and the end was terrific. Simon then added that overall Danny Gokey's performance was great.

Danny was dressed in his usual black jacket. He wore a black tie and fuschia shirt. His wardrobe and look has remained consistent throughout the competition. This consistency also carries over in his music. Danny has consistently done well in his performances. He makes each song unique with his vocal range, the song arrangement, and his overall performance.

A simple comment from his father many years ago may have been the spark that has now become Danny Gokey. It just goes to show you that anything you say to a child may just be taken to heart and turned into something great.