America’s Got Talent contestant Robert Finley has been through a lot over his lifetime. But through all the challenges, the 65-year-old Vietnam veteran has never stopped pursuing his dream of being a professional singer. His uplifting spirit and love for music clearly left a mark on judge Simon Cowell, who had nothing but wonderful things to say about the blues vocalist on Tuesday night.
“You’ve got this great soul about you,” Simon told the Louisiana native after Robert auditioned with his own original bluesy song
“The finest wines are the ones that stay in storage for a few years and then they become beautiful, and that’s how I feel about your voice.” Fellow judges Julianne Hough, Howie Mandel, and Gabrielle Union agreed with Simon and tacked on several more compliments.
Robert’s outstanding feedback from the judges was well-deserved after a lifetime of hard work and perseverance. Rolling Stone reports that as a child Robert grew up singing in a church choir. At 10 years old, he bought his first guitar and got hooked on blues, soul, and R&B music.
Despite his talent, fame never came to Robert at a young age. Still, he continued to perform wherever he could — nursing homes, prisons, and more. At 18, he joined the military and served in the Vietnam War. After the war ended, he got married, had kids, and took up carpentry.
Years later though, Robert got divorced and lost his house and trailer to a fire. Then, at 60 years old, he started going blind due to glaucoma, which resulted in him losing his job.
“The bad things sometimes bring out the best in you. I began to play the music again. It made me reach inside to find myself,” he said on the show.
NBC
Always keen on staying positive, Robert interpreted his life’s misfortunes as a sign that he should get back to pursuing his dream. And that’s when things started to turn around for the better.
While belting out a few tunes on a street one day, Timothy Duffy, founder of Music Maker Relief Foundation, an organization that helps aging and struggling musicians, noticed the singer’s incredible gift. Loving Robert’s style, Timothy helped him secure a record deal. And so, in 2016, Robert released his debut album . He has since worked on music with Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys and released a second album entitled .
“If you have a light bulb, it doesn’t matter how many watts it is or how bright it can shine. Until you put electricity to it, it just sits there,” Robert told the New York Daily News about working with Dan and making music. “These guys were my electricity. They gave me a chance to shine.”
Now, on season 14 of America’s Got Talent, Robert will get the opportunity to shine even more.
News Editor Kayla Keegan is the news editor at GoodHousekeeping.com who covers all things in the entertainment, pop culture, and celebrity space.