For some people, life is quite streamlined. They discovered what they’re good at from an early age, those talents get noticed, and they dedicate their life to that passion. But for many (if not most) of us, our dreams might remain tucked away in our hearts as we navigate through a slightly more complicated existence. One with a day job, families, bills and other obligations.
Thank goodness Richard Goodall, a 55-year-old janitor from Terre Haute, Indiana, never gave up on his own dream. Otherwise the world might have missed out on his remarkable singing voice.
Goodall, who recently received “America’s Got Talent”’s highly coveted Golden Buzzer for his show stopping performance of “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey, shares his endearing backstory before taking to the stage.
Goodall told the audience that he spent much of his childhood up in his bedroom listening to music on his “Radio Shack stereo” and belting along to the tunes.
“Eventually, I was like, I got to find me a job, so I became a janitor at Chauncey Rose Middle School, which is only three blocks away from my house,” he continued. But throughout his 23 years of custodial work, he never stopped serenading students. It was the students’ encouragement, in fact, that inspired Goodall to step aboard a plane for the first time in his life to make it to his audition, which he noted was a good metaphor for his “AGT” experience overall “I feel that the front wheel comes off the ground and you have this floating (feeling), you’re no longer stable. And that’s what this whole experience is like right now,” he said , but until you actually do something, you don’t know if it’s right for you or not.”
Goodall’s courage paid off, because despite his nerves, he delivered a rendition of “Don’t Stop Believin’” that brought the crowd to their feet in a standing ovation. Many were even moved to tears.
Indeed, many former students who knew Goodall ended up praising him in the Youtube comments section.
“I can’t express with words how lucky I feel to be able to say that I am one of the kids who always told him how amazing his voice is. My favorite part of walking through the hallway of Elementary school is hearing this phenomenon. Richard, you are indeed a true hero,” one person wrote.
“Growing up, Mr. Goodall was always singing to us between classes, or on our way to recess. Any time we would see him in the halls, he was always sooo nice. I couldn’t believe it was him on our TV!” another added.
Goodall defined himself as being a simple person who just wants to “have fun” and “make people happy.” No matter where he goes in the competition, he is certainly winning there. What a beautiful reminder that you never know when your time will come, so don’t stop believin’.
Here’s a cover of ‘Old Time Rock & Roll’ by Bob Seger is something many fans are hoping to see Richard Goodall perform in his next AGT performance.
The Story and Meaning Behind “Old Time Rock & Roll”
Some have criticized “Old Time Rock & Roll” over the years for being too harsh on modern sounds. But when Seger sings, Today’s music ain’t got the same soul, he’s not necessarily claiming that as truth. Instead, it’s what this protagonist believes, and that makes sense since this guy is a bit of an old fogey and proud of it: Don’t try to take me to a disco / You’ll never even get me out on the floor / In ten minutes I’ll be late for the door.
This guy disdains the tango but is all about blues and soul music. And he’s OK with being chastised for his taste: Call me a relic, call me what you will / Say I’m old-fashioned, say I’m over the hill. It’s almost as if Seger anticipated the criticism before it arrived.
Anyway, “Old Time Rock and Roll” isn’t meant to be taken too seriously. It’s just a good old slab of music, exactly the kind the admitted relic in the song likely blasts on his hi-fi to the chagrin of all his neighbors. Let’s credit the writers for putting it together, and add some credit to Bob Seger for realizing, just in time, what a gem was bestowed on him.
