6 Things To Know About ‘AGT’ Sensation & Middle School Janitor Richard Goodall

Katie Song June 3, 2024, 2:57 pm

Richard Goodall for 'America's Got Talent' Season 19 — Trae Patton/NBC

Richard Goodall never stopped believing – and it paid off, tremendously.

Fans and judges alike were blown away by the Golden Buzzer-awarded cover of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” by Goodall during America’s Got Talent Season 19 opener. His moment in the spotlight was a long time coming. He first tried out for AGT in 2009, but never made it past the open auditions in Chicago.

This time around, things were very different. After his performance on AGT he received a standing ovation from the audience as well as all four judges.

The crowd even began chanting Goodall’s name, yelling, “Richard” repeatedly until the judges gained control back over the room to make their official comments. While it was clear all four judges, Howie Mandel, Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, and Heidi Klum were blown away, it was Klum who hit the coveted Golden Buzzer, sending Goodall straight to the live shows of this season’s talent show.

Many are wondering exactly who is Richard Goodall. In anticipation of his next performances later this AGT season, here are six things to know about the breakout singer.

Goodall has been a janitor for 23 years.

When the time came to find a job, Goodall found himself filling the role as a janitor at Chauncey Rose Middle School, “only three blocks” from his house in Terre Haute, Indiana. He now works as a janitor at West Vigo Middle School, amounting to 23 years in the position.

Goodall’s students are the ones who convinced him to audition.

Goodall revealed that it was the students he works with that encouraged him to hop on the plane to audition and share his talents with the world once and for all.

“The kids would hear me sing, and they tell me that I’ve got talent,” Goodall shared. “That’s why I’m here.”

Goodall has gone viral for his singing before.

This performance isn’t the first time Goodall has caught the public’s attention. In the summer of 2022, Goodall went viral for his performance at Davis Park Elementary School’s end-of-year program, singing the same song: Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

Goodall actually listened to Journey before his performance to calm his nerves.

While Goodall did admit to being nervous before taking the AGT stage, he revealed that simply listening to Journey helped calm his nerves.

“When I hear Journey, Foreigner, and Survivor music, it center me, calms me down, and lets me know that I am okay,” the singer shared, speaking to his personal connection with the music he sings.

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The 55-year-old has always loved singing and listening to music.

During the show’s premiere, Goodall recalled that growing up, he would listen to music in his bedroom on his Radio Shack stereo. He would sing along and “just belt it out.”

In his spare time, Goodall plays in a band with his friends.

His band ManOpause features his friend Tom Greenberg along with two other members. According to their Facebook page, the band performs “classic to current rock anthems that others just can’t play.” Richard is the band’s lead singer.

Watch a video of Goodall’s cover of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” below.