Happy Birthday David!

Today is David’s Birthday! We here at David Cook Fan want to wish him a very Happy Birthday and hope that today, and this next year is great for you David! If you would like to do something to honor David’s 27th birthday you can go to National Brain Tumor Society and make a donation (per David’s request).

2010 Race For Hope

David Cook’s Team for a Cure

“After becoming involved with ABC2 and the Race For Hope last year, I was extremely humbled by the dedication of everyone involved, which makes my excitement exponentially higher for this year and the years to follow.

I look forward to not only HOPEFULLY beating my time from last year, but also to raising both funds and awareness for the purpose of eradicating this terrible illness.

Join my team and run with me in our nation’s capital or join me as a virtual runner. Let’s try for back-to-back titles as best fundraising team!

Thank you for all your help!”

For more information on joining his team or donating to the cause, please see his page on the Race For Hope site.

David Cook to Run for Brain Cancer Charity

In the midst of a busy tour schedule, David Cook is planning to take a break – well, technically a run – for a cause close to his heart on May 3 in Washington, D.C.

Cook, 26, whose brother Adam has been battling brain cancer for over a decade, will serve as grand marshal in the Race for Hope 5K, which benefits brain cancer research, and run the race as part of a team he set up – which has already raised more than $40,000.

“He wants nothing from us at all,” says race co-chair Jeff Kolodin, who contacted PEOPLE with the story. “This transcends fame and money and everything else. He just wants to help the cause.”

Cook is happy to skimp on sleep to do so: Last year’s American Idol winner will leave his West Palm Beach, Fla., concert Saturday night, May 2, and fly in to D.C. around 3 a.m. Sunday, only to wake up four hours later. Then, after a day at the race, he’ll hop another flight to his next tour stop.

But the sacrifice is well worth it. “The opportunity to become involved in such a worthwhile cause is paramount for me and my family. I don’t run normally, but it seems a small sacrifice compared to what those who have fought cancer have endured,” Cook tells PEOPLE. “And the fact that my fans have rallied to raise so much in donations is the biggest compliment.”

For more on the race, visit curebraintumors.org. (Source)

Good Morning America and The Disney Experience

Last Season’s American Idol Winner, Kicks off his first Headline tour “The Declaration Tour – 2009” in Tallahassee, FL on February 13th.

LOS ANGELES (Monday, January 26, 2009) – Reigning American Idol winner, David Cook, has announced plans for his first ever solo tour to promote his debut self-titled album, released in November 2008. This will be first time that Cook has been on the road since headlining the American Idol season 7 tour. Cook exclusively unveiled his tour dates on AOL Music’s PopEater.com on Friday, January 23rd.

Cook entered the Billboard charts at #3 with David Cook (19 Recordings / RCA Records). The Rob Cavallo produced album also debuted as the #1 album on the digital album chart and is the best debut from an American Idol winner since 2006. The first single, “Light On,” dominated the AOL Top 40 radio chart with 8 (non consecutive) weeks at #1 and is currently Top 10 at Hot AC radio and still growing. In late September “Light On” premiered on AOL Music’s pop culture news site, PopEater.com, receiving over 1 million plays in less than week.

Rolling Stone Magazine deemed Cook “the most imaginative American Idol talent to date.”

“I’m more than excited to hop on the road and support this record. This tour represents both a new beginning and a return to form for me,” said Cook. “It’s our first full tour, and we’re all ready to pour whatever blood, sweat, and tears that we can muster into making this show, and every show from here on out, an experience. Part of that experience is bringing back this college tour idea. There’s something inherently nostalgic about playing college shows. So many amazing acts used to do it, so it’s nice to be able to bring that ideal back, in some small way. And besides, touring on a bus beats what we used to do, which was cram five guys into a 7 passenger van for one show, 13 hours away… ”

Cook’s first single, “The Time of My Life” recently went platinum, with over one million tracks sold. “The Time of My Life” is not only the biggest single debut but the highest selling coronation single in the show’s history. Cook is the 34th “American Idol” contestant to appear on a Billboard chart.

Cook kicked off 2009 by performing for troops during a USO tour. He visited seven different bases, singing songs off his self-titled album.

On February 12, Walt Disney World Resort will host the world premiere of their new blockbuster attraction, “The American Idol Experience” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. David Cook will perform live from the attraction on GOOD MORNING AMERICA (ABC) that morning, and will headline a special guest performance during the night’s event.

“The Declaration Tour – 2009” will kick off February 13, 2009 in Tallahassee, FL and will continue nationwide hitting various college campus and major venues. (Source)

David Cook Announces Spring Tour Dates

Hot off the release of his debut self-titled album, ‘Idol’ winner David Cook is hitting the road for a full-fledged Spring tour. The singer will kick things off on February 13 at Florida State University, and end up at the University of Tulsa, Oklahama, on April 25. Cook has drawn inspiration from arena-rock staples U2, telling PopEater, “Seeing U2 at the Super Bowl a few year back. It was just very poignant. Not overdone, but definitely powerful.” Check out the full list of tour dates below.  (Source)

Friday, February 13th – Tallahasee, Fl – Florida State University
Saturday, February 14th – Biloxi, MS – Beau Rivage
Sunday, February 15th – Oxford, MS – Ole Miss
Wednesday, February 18th – Eau Claire, WI – University of Wisconsin
Thursday February 19th – Cedar Falls, IA – University of Northern Iowa
Friday, February 20th – Green Bay, WI – University of Wisconsin – Green Bay
Saturday, February 21st – Valparaiso, IN – Valparaiso University
Monday, February 23rd – Waverly, IA – Warlburg
Tuesday, February 24th – Fullton, MO – Westminster
Wednesday, February 25th – Conway, AR – Central Arkansas University
Friday, February 27th- Portsmouth, OH – Shawnee State University
Sunday, March 1st – Newburgh, NY – Mount St. Mary
Tuesday, March 3rd – Carlisie, PA – Dickenson
Friday, March 6th – Morgantown, WV – W Virginia University
Sunday, March 8th – Willimantic, CT – Eastern Connecticut State University
Tuesday, March 10th – Poughkeepsie, NY – Marist College
Friday, March 13th – Niagara Falls, NY – Seneca Niagara Casino
Saturday, March 14th – Elkins, WV – Davis and Elkins
Monday, March 16th – Bloomington, PA – Bloomington University
Thursday, March 19th – Mansfield, PA – Mansfield University
Friday, March 20th – Atlantic City, NJ – Borgata
Saturday, March 21st – Atlantic City, NJ – Borgata
Monday, March 23rd – Selinsgrove, PA – Susquehanna University
Tuesday, March 24th- York, PA – Penn State York
Thursday, March 26th – Blues Creek, NC – Campbell, University
Friday, March 27th – Pemberton, NJ – Burlington Community College
Monday, March 30th – New London, NH – Colby Sawyer College
Tuesday, March 31st – New Haven, CT – So. CT State
Thursday, April 2nd – Wilmington, NC – Azalea Fest at Wilmington University
Friday, April 3rd – Towson, MD – Towson University
Sunday, April 5th – Radford, VA – Radford University
Wednesday, April 8th – Macon, GA – Mercer University
Tuesday, April 14th – Malcomb, IL – Western Illinois University
Tuesday, April 21st – Searcy, AR – Harding University
Wednesday, April 22nd – Kansas City, MO – Ameristar Casino
Saturday, April 25th – Tulsa, OK – University of Tulsa

David Cook Talks Tour & AI Season 8

It wasn’t that we weren’t ready for season 8 of American Idol to start, but on premiere night, we couldn’t pass up one last look back at season 7. And so, instead of being glued to our TV at 8:00 p.m., we watched David Cook wow a crowd of several hundred diehard fans — live! — on the Jimmy Kimmel Live outdoor stage, in what was undoubtedly a stroke of booking genius. Perhaps you caught some of the performance on Tuesday night’s show? Well, let us fill you in on what you didn’t see.

Cook played a five-song mini-set that kicked off with his debut single, “Light On,” and included a rousing version of “Kiss on My Neck,” a bonus track offered with his self-titled album, as well as one very ambitious cover of Fleetwood Mac’s 1987 hit “Little Lies” (see full set list lifted from Cook’s guitar tech below). There was lots of sing-along going on, as the audience took over the chorus on “Declaration” and handled the breakdown in “Light On” with aplomb, which made for a cheery Cook and a confident, now super-tight band. Band members Neal Tiemann, Andy Skib, Joey Clement and Kyle Peek brought the rock, but it was Idol worship all the way. The proof was in the signage: “David Cook Is My Guitar Hero,” “I heart DC” and “Marry Me, David,” among other homemade banners held high by teens and cougars alike, some of whom had been waiting out in the L.A. heat all day in hopes of scoring a front row spot.

But we’ve got some good news for fans aching for their own live dose of Cook: He’s heading out on a college tour starting Feb. 13. Following a performance to open the American Idol Experience at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando on Feb. 12, Cook will hit the road for a month’s worth of dates, starting in Tallahassee, Fla.. The full tour routing should be announced this week, Cook told us after the show.

What else did our reigning American Idol winner have to say on this premiere night? Read on for our quickie Cookie Q&A…

What can you tell us about the tour?
We’re gonna do a kind of grassroots thing and hit a lot of colleges. Because I remember going to shows in my college life and feeling like there’s such a cool energy that you don’t find in a regular venue. Like in the ’70s, all these amazing bands were playing college circuits, and I want to get back to that. It’s what I’m really stoked about — not only do I get to go out with four cool guys and have fun, but I get to do what I want to do

Any thoughts on openers?
We’ll take on any comers, man. My vibe right now is that we just want it to be real. I want whoever goes to the show to come out and feel like they got way too much for what they paid for.

Your cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Little Lies” was unexpected. Are you a big fan?

I’m more of a cursory fan. It was an idea that my guitar player Neil brought up, and I was, like, “Oh yeah, I remember this song.” He and I tossed it around and worked it out. It’s fun to play, it’s got a cool energy and when you throw on the distorted guitars, it works.

You’re obviously no stranger to big moments on live television, but what was it like to receive your first platinum plaque on “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve?”

I was a little bit in shock, so my reaction was not indicative of how I felt. I was just so focused in on the performance that night that it was like, “OK, what?! There’s a platinum record right there. It’s legit!” But it was an amazing plaque and it looks very nice in the house. Hopefully I’ll get a few more to add to the collection.

Idol is starting up as we speak. Will you be watching this season?

I Tivo’d it. But it’s funny, I was telling my manager earlier, everything is so fresh all of a sudden. To talk about Idol again, I remember how it felt to do city auditions and get to Hollywood. I’m anxious and nervous for these people. So I’ll probably watch it with half a fingernail hanging on, chewing them to the nub.

According to new judge Kara Dioguardi, the guys are looking good this year. Do you feel like you and David Archuleta had anything to do with an impressive male turnout?

Talent is talent and I’m certainly not at the point where I feel responsible for anyone. It’s all much bigger than me. But I’m excited to see how the changes go and I’m always on the lookout for another good rocker. I’m still amazed that it happened to me!

[Source]