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She spotted her Idol's talent early
By Hugh S. Welsh | hugh.welsh@examiner.net

Blue Springs native David Cook, a top 12 finalist on the Fox show "American Idol," said in an interview for the show that she forced him into his first choir solo in the second grade.

"I wouldn't say I forced him to do anything," said Fredalyn Gentry, the music instructor of 24 years at Thomas Ultican Elementary School in Blue Springs. "From the very beginning, he had a strong, very good singing voice that any music teacher would notice."

When Gentry met Cook, he was a kindergartner.

"He was a slender little guy with bright eyes and a big smile," Gentry said. "He was fairly shy in the beginning."

Gentry said Cook was animated, though not necessarily insubordinate.

"David was very well-behaved," Gentry said. "But sometimes it was challenging keeping him in one spot."

According to Gentry, Cook had a thirst for entertaining others even at the elementary age.

"He was always making people laugh," Gentry said. "The other day, I watched him in 'Singing in the Rain' and thought, 'I've seen that before.'"

Gentry was Cook's music instructor all through elementary school. She said that while she tried to evenly divvy up leads in musicals and recitals, Cook consistently snatched the limelight like a kid would snatch a lightning bug.

"He was always someone I could rely on for a part," Gentry said.

He participated in virtually every Christmas and PTA performance and was also featured in a lot of PE programs, where his voice and athleticism could act as one.

"He was a nimble little guy and could sing no matter what," Gentry said.

When Cook crossed the street to Georgeff-Baker for sixth grade, Gentry lost touch with him until she saw Cook at his senior talent show at Blue Springs South High School.

"I was excited to see the transformation," Gentry said. "He went from a wonderfully talented little boy to a man with a voice so deep and so rich."

Even in elementary school, Gentry said, Cook would never simply rehash a song; he'd always make it his own.

"David has done so well because he's more than just somebody singing, he's somebody who's used to composing his own work. He has an insight not many people have."

On Tuesday, Gentry broke free of her usual routine of staying at home with her dog to watch "American Idol." (She said her husband, Independence Police spokesman Tom Gentry, reluctantly misses out often due to work.) She attended the watch party at Blue Springs South in Susan Cooper's classroom; Cooper was Cook's drama teacher at the high school.

"It was fun cheering along with everyone there," Fredalyn Gentry said. "Before you know it, it's going to have to be moved to the school's auditorium."

Once "American Idol" is complete, Fredalyn Gentry said, the high school auditorium will be ill-equipped to handle the volume of people wanting to see Cook perform.

"You'll probably have to catch him at the Sprint Center," she said.

And with that an influx of kindergartners pass through the door, all marching single-file toward spots along a semi-circle in the middle of Fredalyn Gentry's classroom.

Several of them bear the bashfulness and big eyes of someone Fredalyn Gentry knew all-too-well.

"How many of you heard David Cook the other night?" Fredalyn Gentry said.

All of the children raise their hands.

"How many of you think David Cook is the best?"

Again, they all raise their hands.

One person raises both hands high in the air.

It's Fredalyn Gentry.

She spotted her Idol's talent early | hugh.welsh@examiner.net