PHOTO GALLERY: David Cook Day
From this day forth, May 9 will forever be David Cook Day in Missouri.
The day was made official with the presentation of a resolution from the Kansas City Council before the Blue Springs South High School alumnus – and top three finalist on the show “American Idol” – took the stage Friday morning at KC Live! in the Power & Light District after doing a TV interviews with Fox 4 and several area radio stations.
At KC Live!, Cook performed a free show before approximately 1,500 people, singing “Always Be My Baby” by Mariah Carey and Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer.”
Cook took the stage at KC Live! to a packed crowd chanting his name.
“Good Lord, you guys, that’s awesome,” Cook said, clearly awed by the showing of support. “This is the coolest day of my life. I am amazed.”
He bowed in thanks to his fans who showed up from all across the metro.
One such fan was Lisa Hilliard of Raymore. Hilliard works with Cook’s mother at Aquila and took advantage of the chance to see him in person.
“It’s a lot of fun really,” Hilliard said about working with Cook’s mom. “It’s given us all something to do together.”
Hilliard is optimistic about Cook’s chances to win and predicts Cook will at the very least make it to the final two.
Her favorite Cook performance so far was “Hello.”
“I just thought what he did with that song was amazing,” Hilliard said. “I love Lionel Richie, and I didn’t think I’d ever like anyone doing him.”
Hilliard joined the crowd in cheering as Cook learned Friday was also the official David Cook day in Missouri and in Kansas City.
But in Blue Springs, it’s been David Cook Day every day since the airing of the rocker’s audition tape months ago.
“David Cook is this community,” said Jane York, who went to Blue Springs South. “He put Blue Springs on the map.”
After Cook’s acoustic session at KC Live!, he was ushered into his limousine and (after lunch at his parents’ home) taken to Blue Springs’ Thomas Ultican Elementary School – where he paid Fredalyn Gentry, a former music teacher, a special visit – and then it was onto Adams Dairy Parkway and Moreland School Road, the route that would lead Cook back to the school he left seven years ago.
“I’ll bet this is pretty humbling for him,” said York, who stood – with thousands of other people – along Adams Dairy Parkway waiting for the parade with her 4-year-old daughter, Mackenzie.
Trailing the Blue Springs South Marching Band, its cheerleaders and a police escort, Cook sat in a sleek red Mustang convertible with a grin, his cheeks dampened by tears.
“What a beautiful man,” York said.
Cook waved, he pointed, he gestured and he even spoke, occasionally saying hello to those among the hundreds lining the street he recognized.
“Welcome home, David!” said York, stomping up and down while dangling a poster that said “David Cook Kicks Butt.”
As the convertible idled by, Cook glanced at the poster – and erupted into a laugh that sent his head swaying backward.
“Guess he liked it,” York said. “I love you David Cook!”
After the parade wrapped around the backside of Blue Springs South, it was announced that the concert at the Blue Springs South Stadium would begin in five minutes – sending throngs of people, young and old, male and female, into the stadium or just outside of it if without a ticket.
“Didn’t act quick enough,” said Daniel Little, who drove from Higginsville to see the concert with his wife, Michelle, and their three children. He figured some of the 10,000 tickets allotted (not including the nearly 700 VIP passes given out to fans who stood on the field just feet from the stage) for the event would still be available the day of the show.
“Should have known better,” he said.
As it was, Little and his family were positioned atop a hill on the north side of the stadium. His vision of the stage was obscured by a thicket – but not his youngest son, Matthew. He was comfortably astride his father’s shoulders, easily in view of the concert.
“All I need is to hear the darn thing,” Little said.
And after a performance by the Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders and an introduction by Mayor Carson Ross, Cook received several proclamations and the key to the city.
“It’s probably the first key to the city to be given out,” Ross said to Cook. “It opened the hearts of your fans in Blue Springs and across the nation.”
Cook, accepted all the gifts earnestly as well as a message from Simon Cowell, announcing Cook would be singing “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” by Roberta Flack on Tuesday’s show. Cook will also perform “The World I know” by Collective Soul and a third song selected by the show’s producers.
Having been in television and radio interviews all day, Cook found himself without words to express his gratitude toward the community that has supported him long before his “American Idol” success.
“I have absolutely nothing to say. This is so unreal. Look at how many people there are here,” Cook said. “I owe you guys the world…I can’t wait to come back and play for you guys again.”
Cook’s sentiments were met with thunderous cheering from the thousands of fans crowded in and around the stadium. Following the proclamations and thanks, Cook sang “Always Be My Baby,” “There Goes My Hero” by the Foo Fighters and “Livin’ On A Prayer.”
When Cook was finished, tears had found their way onto the cheeks of young Matthew Little.
“He’s the best,” he said.
Later in the evening, Cook threw out the opening pitch at the Royals game and led the crowd in “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh-inning stretch.
By tomorrow evening, he’ll be back in Los Angeles preparing for the next show.
KC Live
Blue Springs resident Amy Davenport promised her girls she would take them to every event involving David Cook if the Blue Springs alumnus made it to the top three on the show “American Idol.”
“I’m not one to break promises,” said Davenport, whose two girls Remy, 12, and Tiffany, 9, were at her side Friday morning at KC Live! in Kansas City’s Power & Light District. “From here, it’s on to lunch then the parade and concert at Blue Springs South.”
One of Davenport’s daughters was a wielding a neon green poster exclaiming her love of David Cook – as well as her name.
“I want David Cook to remember me,” Tiffany said.
But she wasn’t the only one. Two other friends of Tiffany’s also held posters spelling out their love of David Cook and their names. One of them, Faith Harding, had a special “American Idol” birthday party planned for later in the evening.
All told, about six hours were spent making each poster.
As Cook belted out pitch perfect renditions of Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby” and Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer,” the girls weren’t the only ones gyrating to the groove.
There was Davenport and the two other mothers, Heather Harding and Kelly Marlborough, too.
“We’re as bad as our kids, if not worse,” Davenport said.
The Concert
Most of the people who showed up early Friday for the David Cook concert at Blue Springs South High School were in pursuit of seats inside the stadium.
Not Matt Gishier.
“I’ve got a bad back, and I don’t like being packed in like that,” Gishier said.
He was seated on a lawn chair on the north end of the stadium, a pair of binoculars at the ready.
Gishier never saw the parade – “wouldn’t want to give up my seat,” he said.
Gishier was one of several thousand who watched the concert – from outside the stadium.
“It’s not about seeing,” Gishier said, “it’s about believing the voice that comes off this kid.”
Not far from Gishier was a caravan marked KC Anthem, a new online TV station devoted to Kansas City’s music underground. Next to the van was the station’s emcee, Blue Springs resident Mitchell Baker, who couldn’t help but admire Cook’s quest for stardom.
“I think we should always chase after a dream, otherwise why else are we here?” Baker said.
During the concert, Cook received proclomations from the city of Blue Springs and the state of Missouri, the key to the city, a plaque of gratitude from his official Kansas City fan club and a Kansas City Royals jersery signed by the players and revealing the number 08 and his last name.
Cook thanked his fans between rounds of screaming “I love you David” and constant chants of his name. He said it felt great to be back at Blue Springs South.
“I know I had a good time her because I still remmber the alma mater,” Cook said, reciting the words as many fans sang with him.
Big fans
It was a special day for a handful of Blue Springs and Independence residents as they huddled into a small group around their red sign.
None of them beaming more than Nick Smith, who lives in Blue Springs. Smith is a resident of Special Neighbors, a program that provides group homes for adults with special needs.
Smith and his roommates and friends stood in the center of a crowded courtyard for a special two-song performance by “American Idol” finalist David Cook. Cook was in town filming homecoming celebrations in Kansas City and Blue Springs for an upcoming episode of the show.
“He’s good,” said Smith, who graduated with Cook.
“He likes that he plays rock and roll,” added Brittoian Shaul, a staff member with Special neighbors.
Smith remembers Cook was nice in high school, but his housemate Linda Batts has another opinion of Cook.
“He’s cute,” she said, laughing. “He’s a good guy.”
Shaul, the rest of the staff and the residents watch “American Idol” every week, so she was excited about bringing them to Kansas City to see him live.
Shaul thinks Cook should win the whole competition.
“I think he’s the best,” Shaul said. “It’s hard not to think that.”
Stephanie Boothe contributed to this story
