INDIANAPOLIS — Terre Haute native Richard Goodall, Indiana’s “signing janitor,” won Season 19 of “America’s Got Talent” taking home the $1 million top prize.
“Winning ‘AGT’ is important and means so much to me. Simon said two minutes can change your life. It has transformed mine, and I’d like to help others, one song at a time,” Goodall said after the show.
“Howie, he posted me on his TikTok, and it said, ‘Needs to be on AGT,’” Goodall said.
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He became a bigger hit when he earned a Golden Buzzer from Klum in his audition for the show.
Quarterfinals
Goodall returned to Los Angeles for the live quarterfinals in August, where he sang Michael Bolton’s “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You?”
Semifinals
He then punched his ticket to the finals with his version of “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor.
Finals
Goodall performed “Faithfully” by Journey on Tuesday’s show, earning raucous applause from the judges and the live audience.
“You are such an amazing man. You’re so humble, you’re so kind,” Heidi Klum said during the finals. “I want you to win this so bad, Richard.”
“We all need a hero right now, and you are our hero,” Simon Cowell said.
“I will make a prediction right now: I think you just sang yourself $1 million,” Howie Mandel said.
The latest high-profile cover has come from a janitor by the name of Richard Goodall on America’s Got Talent.
Richard, who auditioned for this year’s show with his version of the classic hit, was joined by members of Journey to reprise the song in this year’s final on Tuesday night (September 24).
Band players Neal Schon, Deen Castronovo, Todd Jensen, and Jason Derlatka were there to play with Goodall and later see him win the $1 million prize.
“We’ve been on tour for the last six months but I’ve been watching this phenomenon,” Schon said.
“He’s an amazing singer, an amazing man, and I’m proud to be here today for him.”
Writing on social media, AGT judge Howie Mandel said: “A janitor named Richard Goodall auditioned for #AGT with ‘Don’t Stop Believing’.
“Now, he’s performing with Journey at the Finale. Dreams really do come true!”
California wedding
Hours after the finals, Goodall and his fiancée, Angie Vanoven, got married in California.
In his announcement post on Facebook, Goodall wrote, “As of 3 p.m. pacific time Angie and I are now Richard and Angela VanGoodall!”
