Here is another online interview: http://www.heraldpalladium.com/articles/20...ures/815004.txt

Opportunity rocks
'Idol' winner David Cook's seemingly endless tour coming to Allegan Fair
By JEREMY D. BONFIGLIO - H-P Features Writer
Published: Sunday, September 13, 2009 1:09 PM EDT

ALLEGAN - On a rare day off from a spring tour that will soon stretch into fall, David Cook sat backstage absorbing the advice from a fellow blue-jeans-wearing singer-songwriter who also plays a little guitar.

"We had a break in June, so I went to see Bryan Adams play an acoustic set back in Kansas City," Cook says by telephone from Los Angeles.

"He told me, 'Don't stop working until you want to.' I've thought about that a lot, and I've kind of taken it to heart."

Since winning the seventh season of the popular reality show "American Idol" in May 2008, Cook has participated in the 40-city "American Idols Live!" tour; recorded and released his self-titled major-label debut that has gone platinum; and launched his own seemingly endless tour that began on Feb. 13 in Tallahassee, Fla., and continues Tuesday night with a stop at the Allegan County Fair. With concert dates stretching into November and plans to head back into the studio in February 2010, it's clear Cook hasn't taken his opportunity lightly.

"I don't think 'Idol' is a golden ticket," Cook says. "It's a chance. It's extremely flattering and extremely humbling - given the economic climate and the climate of the music industry - to sell a million records right out of the gate, but I want to be a career artist and I want to be an album artist and not just have a few singles."

Cook, who grew up in Blue Springs, Mo., began singing in second grade by performing in his school's Christmas productions. Although his father, Stanley, played guitar, Cook chose to learn a different instrument at first.

"I took violin for three years," he says, laughing. "It took a while to realize that I needed to switch instruments."

Cook picked up his first guitar at age 13 and formed his first band, Redeye, two years later. After high school, he enrolled at Central Missouri State - where he graduated in 2006 - changed the name of his band to Axium and recorded a self-produced CD called "Analog Heart," which sold well regionally.

In August 2007, Cook began his "American Idol" run with a reluctant audition. His younger brother Andrew had asked Cook to lend moral support for his own "Idol" try in Omaha, Neb. Although Andrew didn't make the cut, he still convinced his brother to go through the process.

"I don't know if I could have done what I've been able to do if he wasn't 100 percent supportive," Cook says of Andrew. "He's one of the people I've really relied on since this all began. He now has his own Internet radio show and wants to get into hosting. Largely because of him I'm in a position where I might be able to help him out with that, which is great."

Renditions of songs such as Lionel Richie's "Hello," Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" earned Cook a strong "Idol" following. In the finale, Cook beat out David Archuleta by taking 56 percent of the nearly 100 million votes cast. A week later, 11 of his "Idol" songs debuted on Billboard's Hot 100 chart - the highest number of new entries in a single week by an artist since the Beatles in 1964. Cook immediately went into the studio to begin work on his major-label debut.

"One of the things that was really important to me was I wanted to be a part of the writing process," the 26-year-old Cook says.

"Ten of the 13 songs on the album I either wrote or co-wrote. If you want a record to sound like you, then you kind of have to be involved. At least I do. I didn't necessarily want it to be completely autobiographical, but I also didn't want to just take what everyone had seen on the show and put it on a record. That was just a part of my life, and there's another 24, 25 years to talk about."

The album was released on Nov. 18, 2008, and is still on Billboard's Top 200. Its third single, "Come Back to Me," is currently No. 91 on the Hot 100 and No. 16 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

Rob Cavallo, a veteran studio wiz who has helmed hit albums for Green Day, My Chemical Romance and Kid Rock, produced the album, and Cook collaborated with a wealth of songwriting talent such as Soundgarden/Audioslave's Chris Cornell and Our Lady Peace front-man Raine Maida. Cook co-wrote three songs with Maida, including "Heroes," which is an homage to his family's support, and "Permanent," a song to his older brother Adam who had brain cancer.

Cook famously emblazoned "AC," his brother's initials, on his guitar during "American Idol." He paused his tour briefly in May when his brother died, but Cook continues to use his new-found celebrity to talk about the disease and raise money for cancer charities.

"I always try to consider myself as someone who lives in the moment, but with Adam's passing it's really made me stop and think," Cook says.

"In a way I've taken on his mind-set. I don't want his illness to define me just as it didn't define who he was, but I'm sure there will be more songs about Adam."

Cook also doesn't plan on being defined simply as another "American Idol" contestant who has found some success on the charts, but that doesn't mean he hasn't kept tabs on the show that made him famous.

"We just played L.A. last night, and a lot of people who were on that season with me were able to come to the show," Cook says. "It's more than 'Idol' giving me a great opportunity. They've given me a second family that I can go back and see."

Despite the recent departure of Paula Abdul, Cook believes the show is still a valuable platform for musicians. So what does he think of the news that Ellen DeGeneres will become the latest "Idol" judge?

"I got a chance to meet her a couple of times being on her show," Cook says.

"She has this great enthusiasm about her, and she's a fan of ('American Idol'). That excitement can only be a positive in my opinion. I don't think anybody can replace Paula Abdul and what she brought to the show, and I don't think anyone should try to, but I'm interested to see how she'll fit in."

As for his own future, Cook is equally enthusiastic. Despite a grueling tour schedule, he has already penned a few new songs for his sophomore album. He plans to finish writing by the end of the year and begin recording in February 2010.

"We actually just started writing," Cook says. "Musically, we have two or three really solid ideas that I'm excited about. Lyrically I've always been a binge and purge guy. I've been binging on all these ideas since we've been on the road, so I expect to be purging lyrics really soon."

jbonfiglio@TheH-P.com