‘American Idol’ star Danny Gokey takes 1st headlining tour to Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre on Sept. 29
From a press release:
Grammy Award nominee, Dove Award winner, and Capitol recording artist Danny Gokey is gearing up for his first-ever headlining tour, The Hope Encounter Tour, this fall.
Also featuring Grammy nominee Tauren Wells and breakout artist Riley Clemmons, the tour will hit 29 markets across the country, including a stop at the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m.
Tickets, which are $25, $35, and $75 (VIP with pre-show acoustic performance), plus fees, go on sale next Friday, June 1 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at the Kirby Center box office (71 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre), online at kirbycenter.org, and by phone at 570-826-1100. A Hope Encounter pre-sale takes place Tuesday, May 29 with an e-mail push to Gokey’s fan list. A Kirby Member pre-sale begins Wednesday, May 30 at 10 a.m.
“It’s been a dream of mine since ‘American Idol’ to headline my own major tour,” says Gokey. “That platform opened my eyes to the power of mixing hope with entertainment. Hearing a message of hope at just the right time can truly make an impact in someone’s life. Getting this opportunity is a dream come true! I love touring, being with fans, and seeing firsthand how the music can encourage people in a time in our society where hope (mixed with a little fun) is so desperately needed.”
Produced by general market powerhouse Outback Concerts, the national tour will play mostly theaters and performing arts centers.
“The process of creating the tour has really been awesome,” continues Gokey. “I can’t wait to hit the stage with Tauren and Riley – they are both crazy good, and I love their fresh sound. We’ve also brought in uber-creative director Laurieann Gibson, who has worked with everyone from Michael Jackson to Katy Perry, to design the show and help me take it to another level.
“My purpose with this tour is that people walk away entertained, inspired, empowered, and that hope invades every area of their lives.”
Gokey became a favorite of millions of fans as a Top 3 finalist on Season 8 of “American Idol.” His first album, “My Best Days,” debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart. Since then, the Wisconsin native has celebrated a series of No. 1 album debuts, including his first award-winning holiday album, “Christmas Is Here,” as well as singles including the recently gold-certified “Tell Your Heart to Beat Again” and “Hope in Front of Me.” Gokey’s latest album, “Rise,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Christian Album chart and garnered his first Grammy nomination. Its title track marked his third, multi-week, multi-chart No. 1 single.
Tauren Wells, a four-time Grammy nominee, debuted “Hills and Valleys,” his first full-length solo project, in July of 2017, just prior to hitting arenas on the Lionel Richie/Mariah Carey 22-city All the Hits Tour. The album’s title track was one of the most streamed Christian songs of 2017, according to Spotify, and currently registers over 50 million total streams. The official music video and lyric video have combined views exceeding 25 million. His single, “Undefeated,” also served as the soundtrack for the Internet-famous Dude Perfect’s “World Records Edition” episode on YouTube which, along with another Dude Perfect video featuring the No. 1 single “Love Is Action,” has garnered more than 100 million views combined. Wells made history earlier this year by landing singles in both the No. 1 (“All My Hope” (featuring Tauren Wells) by Crowder) and No. 2 (“When We Pray”) spots simultaneously on national radio charts.
Riley Clemmons is an 18-year-old, Nashville-based singer/songwriter signed to Capitol Christian Music Group. Her debut single, “Broken Prayers,” skyrocketed on the radio upon its release in early 2018, and the music video earned over a million views on YouTube in less than two months. The single has now crossed over 10 million global streams. Most recently, Clemmons was featured on the song and music video for Social Club Misfit’s radio single “Misfit Anthem” and mainstream DJ Tritonal’s “Out My Mind.” Her upcoming full-length debut album releases on Aug. 3.
