America’s Got Talent winner Richard Goodall has revealed he plans to quit his school janitor job after 23 years to focus on his music career – and teased the surprising artist he hopes to collaborate with.
Ever since he stepped onto the AGT stage, Richard, 55, from Terre Haute, Indiana, has continuously blown the audience, as well as the judges, away.
But he was officially crowned as the winner of the singing competition’s 19th season on Tuesday evening.
He recalled spending years thinking he ‘wasn’t good enough’ to become a star, while working as a middle school janitor to ‘pay the bills.’
America’s Got Talent winner Richard Goodall has revealed he plans to quit his school janitor job after 23 years to focus on his music career
Richard, 55, from Terre Haute, Indiana, was officially crowned as the winner of the singing competition’s 19th season on Tuesday evening
But the aspiring singer, who was joined by his wife, Angie Vanoven, on the red carpet, promised that if he won AGT, he would leave his janitor job behind to pursue music full-time.
‘We’ve talked about it. And if the opportunity presents itself, he’ll be done at the school and go ahead and pursue his music,’ Angie dished.
‘That’s what I want him to do. Terre Haute will always be home. Those kids will always be home… but [going back to that job] would be like him going backwards. And I’m not going to let him do that.’
Richard agreed, adding, ‘It’s surreal. It’s exciting. Six months ago, I could have never thought of all this [could happen]. Never.’
When asked why he decided to audition for the show now, at age 55, the Indiana-native explained that it was his wife and kids who pushed him to do it.
‘I think sometimes life gets in the way. You spend your time for a paycheck and paying the bills,’ he reflected.
‘And sometimes most people don’t even think that they’re good enough. But it finally got to the point where [Angie] and the kids saying, “You got to do it. You got to do it.”‘
Richard said his next step is to make album, adding, ‘I’m willing to take on anything.’
Ahead of the finale, he reflected on his emotional journey exclusively DailyMail.com, and he explained that while always dreamed of being a musician, life kept ‘getting in the way’
But the aspiring singer promised that if he won AGT, he would leave his janitor job behind to pursue music full-time
Just days before winning the show, Richard walked down the aisle with his fiancée, Angie Vanoven
As for his dream collaborations, he listed rock legend Steven Tyler, as well as country star Jelly Roll.
‘That would be great,’ he teased. ‘Oh, I have a country side to me too.’
As for his dream collaborations, he listed rock legend Steven Tyler, as well as country star Jelly Roll (seen)
Afterwards, judge Howie Mandel was so blown away that he said he believed he had just won.
‘Not only is he a hero, but I’ll make a prediction right now, I think you just sang yourself $1 million dollars,’ he said.
‘You are such an amazing man,’ Heidi Klum, who used her Golden Buzzer to pick Richard back during the audition process, added.
‘You are so humble and so kind. You are also a little bit quiet but not when you are behind that microphone then you are a big rockstar.’
‘We all need a hero right now and you are a hero,’ Simon Cowell agreed.
Just days before winning the show, Richard walked down the aisle with Angie.
She told DailyMail.com that the decision to wed came after they found out that Neal had sent his seal of approval.
‘We found out about Neal, and we were like, this is our whole week of dreams coming true,’ she explained.
