When he was on "American Idol" last year, David Cook -- as cool as a cucumber for much of the season -- fought back tears after performing for a studio audience that included his brother Adam, wh was fighting brain cancer at the time.

It was a moment of raw emotion, winning Cook the sympathy of viewers who have also been touched by tragedy (Cook's brother died last month at the age of 37).

Cook's tears have flowed more freely in private. The 26-year-old rocker, who won the Fox competition in May 2008, fueled his anguish over Adam's illness into the gut-wrenching ballad "Permanent," one of 13 songs on his namesake debut album.

After recording the track in two takes, "I actually called my dad and wept openly for about 10 minutes," he said.

"Anytime you can create something where what's in your head actually comes out the way you originally heard it, it can be pretty overwhelming and pretty heavy," he added. "I just remember being completely knocked on my (butt) by this song."

Cook is hoping listeners have a similar experience when they listen to the rest of "David Cook," which came out last fall, six months after he snagged the "Idol" crown. Recorded in a span of 10 weeks, it's packed with power ballads that accentuate his anthemic voice.

"I wanted to come out with a record that was both heavy and delicate and had some eclectic-ness to it," he said during a break in rehearsals before a recent appearance on "Saturday Night Live." "So I feel like we've got this record that meanders and takes people on a journey a little bit."

The album features songwriting contributions from Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace, Chantal Kreviazuk and others.

Cook's path to stardom took the fast track after he auditioned for "Idol." A working musician/bartender based in Tulsa, Okla., he auditioned for the talent competition on a lark: He joined younger brother Andrew in line at a Omaha, Neb., cattle call for moral support, and was persuaded to try out, eventually facing Simon Cowell in the judges' chambers. Cook made it to Hollywood; Andrew didn't.

Once "Idol" started, Cowell was one of Cook's biggest critics, condemning him for lacking personality. But the boyishly handsome singer clung on each week, gaining momentum after a midseason makeover that included manly facial scruff and a much-needed haircut. He ultimately won over Cowell with rock-infused covers of pop songs (such as Mariah Carey's "Always Be My Baby") that were downloaded by thousands of fans.

If only he could remember his big moment.

"I actually watched it back and was like, 'I don't remember doing any of that,"' Cook mused about the finale. "I can't tell you what it was like to stand up there and hug Archie (runner-up David Archuleta) after the fact."

While 17-year-old Archuleta controlled the tween voting bloc, Cook held sway over smitten fans -- many of them women of a certain age -- who delivered at the polls (the phones), propelling him to his title. Cook laughed off all that "cougar" love, claiming a lack of heartthrob appeal.

"I've never ever looked at myself or thought of myself as that," said the singer, whose bright hazel eyes, bee-stung lips and mussed hair add a sexy mystique to his nice-guy demeanor. "I'm just this goober who likes crosswords and plays music. And that's really what I am. The whole rock-star mythos thing, man, does not apply to me in the least."

If he had to chalk his success up to something, though, he'd say his emotional honesty made the ladies swoon.

"I didn't put up a front," said Cook, who dates former "Idol" contestant Kimberly Caldwell. "I wasn't trying to be anything else. I wasn't trying to cater to any particular person. I just was on the show, you know? And so, when I cried, it was real. When I laughed, it was real. And, I don't know. Maybe that hit a nerve with some people."

After the "Idol" finale, Cook jumped immediately into writing sessions for his album. He recruited Grammy-winning producer Rob Cavallo and a team of songwriters, including Chris Cornell, Brian Howes and Johnny Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls.

Cavallo compares Cook with big-voiced former Journey frontman Steve Perry, who dropped by the studio while Cook was recording.

"He really is an unbelievably gifted singer," Cavallo said of Cook. "There's no song on the record that he didn't sing in two or three takes. … He can sing harmony to any of his songs automatically without even thinking about it."

Cook marvels at his own journey from nobody to reality TV star. But he understands that the transition to rock star will be a harder one to pull off.

"I mean, look, there's way better musicians out there than me, there's way better singers out there than me," Cook said.

"The problem is they never get the opportunity to do this. And I think that's what 'Idol' represents. It's an opportunity. It's not a golden ticket. It's not a free pass."

David Cook

When: 7:30 p.m. June 18

Where: Grandstand Stage, San Diego County Fair, Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar

Tickets: $24-$57; $121, dinner package

Info: 858-755-1161 or sdfair.com

Web: davidcookofficial.com