Danny Gokey announces first-ever headline tour coming to Ovens Auditorium this fall

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (May 23, 2018) – Ovens Auditorium will host Danny Gokey for his first-ever headline tour, The Hope Encounter, featuring Tauren Wells and special guest Riley Clemmons on Thursday, November 1 at 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale on Friday, June 1 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-745-3000, at all Ticketmaster outlets or at the Bojangles' Coliseum Box Office located at 2700 E. Independence Blvd. Tickets cost between $25 and $75 (plus applicable service charges) and are subject to change.

“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 first-hand how the music can encourage people in a time in our society where hope (mixed with a little fun) is so desperately needed.”

The Hope Encounter tickets pre-sale takes place Tuesday, May 29, with an email push to Gokey’s fan list. Venue pre-sales launch in Charlotte at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 30.

“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.”

Gokey continues, “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 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 (ft. 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 at 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 ten million global streams. Most recently, Riley 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 August 3, 2018.

For more information, visit dannygokey.com.

About Ovens Auditorium
Ovens Auditorium, located adjacent to Bojangles' Coliseum, opened in 1955. With a seating capacity of approximately 2,400, Ovens has hosted more than 7,000 events including Broadway shows, symphony concerts, operas, dance recitals and nationally known speakers. For more information, visit ovensauditorium.com.