Hundreds of fans welcomed home “American Idol” finalist Danny Gokey on Friday.
Gokey started his day at the local Fox affiliate, WITI-TV, where hundreds of people, many young girls, screamed his name and held signs that read “Ga Ga Gokey, ur our idol” and “We love you Danny.”
After the visit, Gokey said he’s struggled with song selection on “Idol.”
“I’ve always done gospel music and I don’t know much about the music outside of that realm,” he said. “Literally every song I pick, I’m learning. I don’t know what to pick and song choice has been the most difficult thing for me, and it only gets harder as it goes.”
On Tuesday, “Idol” judge Simon Cowell criticized Gokey’s performance of Aerosmith’s “Dream On.” Cowell said Gokey’s final note — an elongated scream — “was like watching a horror movie.”
But Gokey laughed about it Friday.
“Rock wasn’t my thing, and I bit off a song that was bigger than me,” he said.
“I loved it,” he said. “It was terrible sounding, but it was funny. ... The thing is I can hit the note but that was like the 40th time. Finally, you get to a point your voice can only handle (so much). Right now my voice is sore from the rock. It takes a lot for my voice to get sore and that did it.”
Later Friday, Gokey was expected to sing at his church, Faith Builders International Ministries, on Milwaukee’s south side. He volunteered as song director at the church before auditioning for “Idol.”
His audition came four weeks after his wife, Sophia, died of a congenital heart defect. The couple had agreed he would try out for the show, and Gokey has called her his “biggest inspiration.”
The city is hosting a parade with Green Bay Packers players Aaron Rodgers, Greg Jennings, Nick Barnett and Ruvell Martin. It will end at the lakefront festival grounds, where Gokey will sing again.
Gokey will end the day throwing out the first pitch and singing the national anthem before a Brewers-Cubs game at Miller Park.