Richard Goodall, an elementary school janitor from Terre Haute, Indiana, was declared the winner of America’s Got Talent on Tuesday night (September 25th). Not only did the singer win $1 million, he performed “Don’t Stop Believin’” with members of Journey.
The 55-year-old Goodall was joined onstage by Journey’s Neal Schon, Deen Castronovo, Todd Jensen, and Jason Derlatka for the finale performance, which preceded the announcement later in the show that the janitor had won Season 19 of America’s Got Talent.
Schon told the audience, “We’ve been on tour for the last six months but I’ve been watching this phenomenon. He’s an amazing singer, an amazing man, and I’m proud to be here today for him.”
After the show aired, Schon took to social media to write, “Richard Goodall won! It was great to be a part of this! Congratulations!”
Goodall, whose longtime wife Patty died of cancer in 2021, told Indy Star back in May, “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 since became engaged to another woman, Angela, and the two were married a week before the AGT finale. He plans on using his winnings to buy a double-wide trailer and settle in a retirement community in Florida.
Goodall’s big win serves as a positive moment for Journey, who’ve been dealing with some turmoil in recent weeks. Lead singer Arnel Pineda was criticized for his vocal performance at Rock in Rio, while Schon and Jonathan Cain had been embroiled in a legal dispute over finances that was eventually resolved.
Watch Richard Goodall perform “Don’t Stop Believin’” with members of Journey on the America’s Got Talent finale below.