Danny Gokey Gets a Shout-Out From Keith Urban

Country artists are just as likely as anyone to be starstruck by a celebrity encounter, and Danny Gokey certainly had stars in his eyes when he met Keith Urban backstage at the recent CMT Music Awards.

"I was walking down the hallway, and Keith Urban called me by him. It was the coolest thing," says Danny. "He was surrounded by people, but I just see him and I walk by and he goes, 'Danny, come here.' I went running up there, and he mentioned that his family loves my [previous] single, 'My Best Days Are Ahead of Me.'

"He mentioned a story of how they were walking through Nashville Shores [water park] and how they heard it ... and he said, 'I know that voice.' And he went and looked it up in a Billboard magazine, and he goes, 'Yep, I was right.' And he said, 'We love that song. It's a great song.' I was honored. I was speechless at that moment."

Another song Keith may like is Danny's new single and video, 'I Will Not Say Goodbye,' which has just hit the airwaves. The tune, about coping with the loss of a loved one, is very personal for the former 'American Idol' finalist. His wife, Sophia, died in 2008.

Danny will take the stage at Summerfest in his hometown of Milwaukee on July 4 and 5.