When a person is blessed with a particular talent, it does not care what they look like, where they come from, how much money they have, or how old they are. Certain talents are undeniable, yet often stay hidden from the world.
When 54-year-old Herbie Russ walked on to the “America’s Got Talent” audition stage, it was easy to dismiss him. Perhaps he didn’t resemble a polished, professional singer or star. But, that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have impressive talent.
At one point in his life, Herbie was homeless. But, that didn’t stop him from nurturing his talent. He may have kept it mostly to himself for many years, but when he finally decided to share it, the audience and the judges were extremely impressed by his brilliant performance.
It’s always a risk to take on a well-known song and use it for an audition piece. There’s a chance that people will feel that it doesn’t live up to the original. Still, Herbie decided to sing “With a Little Help from My Friends.” The song originally was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, then performed by the Beatles. It has been covered by many artists over the years, including Joe Cocker. When Herbie started to sing, everyone in the theater recognized a similar gritty tone to Joe’s.
Though his voice was familiar, Herbie added his own emotions to the unique performance and even played the saxophone. After he finished, the entire auditorium erupted in applause. Regular judge Heidi Klum and guest judge Laverne Cox gave Herbie a well-deserved standing ovation. Even Simon Cowell, the notoriously critical judge of the group, called his voice “unbelievable.”
Herbie’s voice lit up the room, but so did his smile and personality. Watch the fantastic performance in the video below.
