Richard Goodall Opens Up About His ‘Beyond Surreal’ Journey to Winning ‘America’s Got Talent’

September 25, 2024 E Jazz Reporter

Entertainment

The janitor who stole America’s heart was crowned the season 19 winner on Tuesday (Sept. 24).

Richard Goodall on ‘America’s Got Talent’ semifinal episode.

Trae Patton/NBC

Six months ago, 55-year-old Richard Goodall was a janitor in Terre Haute, Indiana, whose soul-filled vocal talent caught the attention of fans on TikTok. On Tuesday (Sept. 24), Goodall was officially crowned the winner of America’s Got Talent season 19.

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“Being who I am, a janitor for 23 years, now singing songs on TV and singing with Journey. I mean, you can’t make that stuff up,” he tells Billboard of his reaction to the finale, where he performed onstage with the iconic rock band’s guitarist Neal Schon. He took home the trophy over his fellow talented acts, including Roni Sagi & Rhythm, a dog-and-human dance duo; Solange Kardinaly, a magician, Sky Elements, a drone light show and more. “This is beyond surreal. I couldn’t dream up everything that’s happened to me. I mean, there’s a bucket list, and then there’s a bucket list that you didn’t even know existed.”

From his audition, Goodall won America’s heart with his everyday man demeanor and down-to-earth perspective on life. Beyond his lovable personality, judge Heidi Klum was so blown away by Goodall’s effortless vocal ability, that she gave him the coveted Golden Buzzer that sent him straight to the live shows. “She just loved hugging my neck and telling me, ‘Well, what a wonderful job you’re doing’ every single time I’ve seen her. She’s an amazing lady,” Goodall said of the model.

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However, winning AGT is just the cherry on the cake of an exciting week for Goodall, who also married his longtime love Angie just before the finale. “It was long overdue. I had proposed to her a very long time ago, and she had the ring and everything. We’re a little bit older, and we didn’t really need a piece of paper to say that we’re married,” he explains. “The thought had just crossed both our minds at the same time that it was just the time to do it. We didn’t videotape it or anything, just a photographer. So, as far as the show goes, it wasn’t about trying to get votes or anything like that. It was because we both decided that it was time that we did it for real.”

While Goodall is openminded to musical opportunities in the future, he says he’s focused being “smart” about the $1 million prize money and going with the flow of his incredible accomplishment. “[Angie and I] are already talking with a financial advisor, making sure that we’re being smart about all this,” he reveals. “We’re not just two kids that are just flying by the seat of our pants. This popularity, this fame thing is new, but we want to be smart about it, and whatever comes in the near future, we can decide together as adults and as a man and wife and figure out what path we want to take.”

For now, Goodall remains an inspiration to people worldwide who have a dream. “When you see me, I just scream regular person. You could see me standing at the bus stop or going to Ralph’s to pick up your groceries and pick out my groceries. I don’t look like something, you know, that’s extraordinary or supermodel-ish,” he says, before concluding with these words of wisdom: “Nothing is out of reach in this world, but you got to work at it. You gotta put the time in if you want it bad enough. Sky’s the limit.”

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