Richard Goodall, a janitor from Terre Haute, Indiana, won the Golden Buzzer on the May 28th episode of “America’s Got Talent” for his powerful rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
Before his performance, Goodall shared his humble background, reminiscing about singing along to his “Radio Shack stereo” as a child and his career as a janitor at Chauncey Rose Middle School. Encouraged by students who admired his talent, he decided to audition for the show. Comparing the experience to the unstable feeling of flying, Goodall admitted to feeling nervous but excited.
At 55 and with 23 years as a janitor, he stepped on stage hoping to impress. Judge Simon Cowell expressed his desire for Goodall to be good, a sentiment echoed by Sofia Vergara.
As Goodall sang, he astounded the judges and the audience, earning Simon Cowell’s astonishment with his first note. The crowd, along with host Terry Crews, cheered enthusiastically, and Heidi Klum praised his performance to Howie Mandell. Goodall received a standing ovation, securing his place in the competition with a memorable and inspiring performance.