'America's Got Talent' 2024 winner revealed to be Indiana's 'singing janitor'
"America's Got Talent" has crowned its newest winner.
Paperboy hat-donning Richard Goodall, the self-proclaimed "singing janitor" from Indiana who auditioned with an emotional rendition of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" that went viral, took home the top prize during the "AGT" finale Tuesday night.
The powerhouse vocalist, who won Heidi Klum's Golden Buzzer, beat out nine other finalists, including gravity-defying Tanzanian acrobats Hakuna Matata Acrobats, Zimbabwean stand-up comedian Learnmore Jonasi and Japanese dance group AIRFOOTWORKS. As the night came to a close, the competition was narrowed down to just Goodall and the dog performing duo from Israel, Roni Sagi and Rhythm.
Finally, the collaboration everyone had been waiting for happened when Goodall fan Neal Schon joined the singing custodian on stage with the band Journey. Of course, they had to sing the song that started it all, "Don't Stop Believin'."
During his time on "AGT," Goodall won over America's vote with performances of Michael Bolton's "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You," Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" and, finally, Journey's "Faithfully."
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The lead-up to the big reveal featured appearances by history-making Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and the Gold Over America Tour, Michael Bublé, Steve Aoki, Gabriel Iglesias and Andra Day.
Goodall's win was welcome news for Klum, Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Sofía Vergara and host Terry Crews, who've been impressed by the Hoosier from the get.
"You are such an amazing man. You are so humble, you're so kind. You are also a little bit quiet, but not when you are behind the microphone!" Klum told Goodall during the final round. "Then you are a big rockstar! ... I want you to win this so bad, Richard."
"You are our hero," Cowell said, while Mandel placed his bets on Goodall winning it all: "I think you just sang yourself $1 million. I believe this is the winner."
'Music was the bridge' for Richard Goodall after losing his wife
"AGT" was a fish-out-of-water experience for Goodall, who has worked in the same western Indiana school district for 23 years and boarded a plane for the first time to audition for the NBC competition show.
He grew up belting along to his RadioShack stereo and in the '90s performed at karaoke nights. He performed with two gospel trios until the pandemic put a halt on those ventures. Then in 2021, Goodall's wife, Patty, died of cancer.
"When you're married for so long and they pass away and you've got that void there, your biggest concern is figuring out who you are without them," he told the Indianapolis Star, part of the USA TODAY Network, in May. "And music was the bridge again."
The week before the finale, he married his fiancée, Angie Vanoven, with his "AGT" family in attendance. He announced on Facebook that they are now Richard and Angela VanGoodall.
In 2022, Goodall went viral for the first time with his rendition of "Don't Stop Believin'" at his students' graduation. Even former Journey frontman Steve Perry praised the performance.
"I don't have any expectations of winning the show," he said. "I'm going to give it my all and I'm going to try to be the best competitor that I can be."
He revealed his plans to put the $1 million prize toward a double-wide trailer so he could move into a senior living community in Florida and enjoy retirement — with the occasional pasta and seafood dinner. "I'm not a fancy person," he said.
Who were the 'AGT' 2024 finalists?
The Top 10 acts were:
- Roni Sagi & Rhythm (dancer and dancing dog)
- Sky Elements (aerial drones)
- Learnmore Jonasi (stand-up comedian)
- Solange Kardinaly (quick-change magician)
- Brent Street (dance group)
- Richard Goodall (singer)
- Hakuna Matata Acrobats (acrobatics group)
- AIRFOOTWORKS (dance group)
- Dee Dee Simon (singer)
- Sebastian and Sonia (aerialists)
Contributing: Holly V. Hays, Indianapolis Star
