Terre Haute's 'Singing Janitor' to appear on America's Got Talent

Richard Goodall, Vigo County’s celebrated ‘singing janitor,’ is making a dream come true with his appearance on America’s Got Talent on Tuesday.

The program, which was taped in March, will air at 8 p.m. EDT on NBC, the season premier. It streams on Peacock.

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Regardless of the outcome, Richard Goodall has had the experience of a lifetime. “I’ve never been west of Missouri and I’ve never been on an airplane” until his America’s Got Talent experience, he said recently during an interview with the Tribune-Star. Here, Goodall poses for a photo Wednesday on the West Vigo Middle School auditorium stage.

The program is a talent competition in which an array of performers — from singers and dancers, to comedians and novelty acts — vie for a $1 million prize and a chance to headline an AGT live show in Las Vegas.

The experience “was surreal,” said Goodall, whose talent went viral in summer 2022 when he sang his rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” during a year-end program at Davis Park Elementary school, where he worked.

He now is a custodian at West Vigo Middle School.

Goodall, who sounds amazingly like former Journey lead singer Steve Perry, even got a social media shout-out from Perry in 2022 after a TikTok video initially got around 3 million views.

Goodall tried to get on America’s Got Talent in 2009 when he went to an open audition in Chicago, but he didn’t make it beyond the first round.

This time, the process included submitting an online video audition followed by a Zoom interview and then another Zoom call. “The TikTok video helped out quite a bit, too,” he said.

Finally, he received the news — he was headed to Pasadena to appear on America’s Got Talent.

“It wasn’t real to me until they actually scheduled my flight,” he said. He received a five-day, all-expenses paid trip to Pasadena to participate and audition on the show.

The program is taped in the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, and yes, he performed before judges Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel.

Cowell interviewed him, he said. A promotion for the May 28 program features a short clip of Goodall, who says, “The kids call me Mr. Richard … I’ve been a janitor for 23 years.”

He also says on the promotion, “To me, it’s not about the money, it’s about the people.”

Vergara comments, “That has America’s Got Talent written all over it.”

A large, supportive crowd saw Goodall perform.

He says he definitely was excited when got up on stage preparing to perform, but, “When they hand me that microphone, it’s like flipping a switch,” he said.

However, when he got about halfway across the stage, he was patting his chest trying to stay calm. The judges noticed and asked him if he was okay.

Goodall told them, “Yeah, it’s just been a long time coming.”

He praised the behind-the-scenes staff. “They are just as amazing as the people out front,” he said.

So what was the outcome of his audition? You have to watch the show to find out, says Goodall. “I cried at the end.”

While appearing on the show is something he’s long hoped for, the humble West Vigo Middle School custodian points out, “I’m still a janitor … living on a budget.”

Regardless of the outcome, he had the experience of a lifetime. “I’ve never been west of Missouri and I’ve never been on an airplane” until his AGT experience, he said.

And, Goodall finally has the opportunity to show a nationwide audience — he’s got talent.