On Friday, the 29-year-old "American Idol" finalist returned to the church for a joyful event, singing gospel songs to 1,000 or more people, including friends, family and fans.
"To see him from where he was, because I was here for the funeral, this room packed out for a funeral and now: joy," said his friend, Ruben Burgos, 26.
Gokey returned to his hometown Friday to film footage to air in the two weeks leading up to the May 19-20 finale. The church music director is one of three finalists, along with Adam Lambert from San Diego and Kris Allen from Conway, Ark.
Gokey's wife, Sophia, died during surgery for a congenital heart defect four weeks before he auditioned for the show.
"I couldn't even cry. ... I was so shocked," Gokey told the crowd. "Me and my family, we didn't know how to say goodbye. ... It was the most tragic event I ever had to face in my life."
The couple had agreed he would try out for the show, and Gokey has called Sophia his "biggest inspiration."
He started his day early Friday morning 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. 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."
