- [Narrator] On June 22nd, Portland singer
Jimmie Herrod took the stage in Los Angeles.
- [Simon] Hello.
- Hi there.
- [Narrator] Auditioning for the hit competition show
"America's Got Talent."
- So you're a singer.
- Yes, I hope so. (laughs)
♪ You fill my eager heart ♪
- [Narrator] Jimmie sings on stages around Portland
and he travels the world with Pink Martini.
- Jimmie Herrod.
(audience cheering)
♪ Though I am just a man ♪
- [Narrator] But this was different.
- How are you?
- I am great, a little nervous, but-
- Nervous means you're alive.
(audience cheering)
- The audition process is nerve wracking
'cause you really get one chance
to go out there and give it your best.
- [Narrator] And before Jimmie even started to sing,
his audition hit a bump.
- What song are you gonna sing?
- I'm gonna sing "Tomorrow" from "Annie."
- That is my worst song in the world.
(audience gasping)
- [Heidi] You're kidding me.
- I think when people think of Simon,
I don't want to say he's difficult, but he's cutting.
- You should do another song.
- And so I got my own little Simon moment.
- Well look, all I can say is good luck.
(audience cheering)
♪ Just thinking about tomorrow ♪
♪ Clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow ♪
♪ 'til there's none ♪
- And I felt good about the performance.
I, of course, was nervous.
But no matter how this goes,
like somebody believes in what I do
enough that they're gonna let me possibly be on TV.
♪ Away ♪
(audience cheering)
- Oh!
I'm finishing the last note of "Tomorrow"
and Simon seems positively surprised.
(audience cheering)
- It's not my worst song anymore.
(audience laughing)
Unbelievable, unbelievable.
- I loved it!
(Heidi yelling)
(audience cheering)
- Everyone's like cheering you on
and applauding and you realize oh wow,
that possible moment actually happened for you.
- [Terry] Jimmie Herrod!
- [Narrator] Over the next six weeks,
Jimmie performed three more songs.
- The performances and the live shows are much different
because you get one chance to really perfect
this in a small amount of time.
♪ I see skies of blue ♪
♪ And clouds of white ♪
Each performance you're trying
to give everything you've got
and you're trying to up the level of the last one.
♪ What a wonderful world ♪
- [Narrator] Jimmie's performances propelled him
into the coveted Top 10 and the show's final round
where he had the chance to sing
with Broadway superstar Idina Menzel.
♪ Something is not the same ♪
- Getting to sing with Idina Menzel was
like a full circle moment for sure.
I remember I started to fall in love
with her in high school.
I was just super grateful to get to even spend
five minutes with her on that stage singing that song.
♪ Too late to go back to sleep ♪
♪ It's time to trust my instincts ♪
- [Narrator] In the end, Jimmie didn't snag the grand prize.
But it's estimated his audition video alone
was watched by over 40 million people.
- I'm super humbled and grateful
that the opportunity has like opened these doors
and the people who really like me are gonna stick around.
- [Narrator] Jimmie's taking a moment
to rest now, but not for long.
With millions of new fans he'll be back on stage soon.
- That's the biggest gift of all is more people wanting
to hear me share my voice with them.
And that's exactly what I'm working on.
♪ If you truly wish to be ♪
(audience cheering)