- Do you think I'm ready?
- I think you're show-ready. - You think I'm show-ready?
- Yes.
- Show-ready is better than ready-ready.
- Yeah, let me see you turn around.
- When did you say AGT was the place
that you needed to be?
- It wasn't really my choice...
because I didn't think I was good enough.
- And when did that change?
- It didn't. - Okay.
- Mom was like, "We're signing you up."
- Sometimes you have to let the people
who believe in you do their thing.
- You worked hard for this, and you deserve to be here.
I love you. - I love you, too, Mom.
[cheers and applause]
- Hello.
- Already, I have to say my favorite outfit today.
- Mine too. - Yes.
- Thank you so much.
- Welcome, let's start with your name, please, sir.
- My name is Avery Dixon. - And where are you from?
- I'm from Atlanta, Georgia.
[cheers and applause]
- I love Atlanta. How old are you?
- I'm 21. - 21, okay.
Now I'm guessing you're gonna play the saxophone.
- Yes, I think I'll guess that you're right.
[laughter]
- So I'm really curious, Avery, because I find
with the saxophone, it sort of goes in and out
of fashion over the years.
What do you feel about that?
- It going in and out of fashion
depends on the player.
- Oh, good point.
[cheers and applause] - Yeah!
- Good answer. - That was good--that was good.
- And tell me what got you into this.
- Okay, so at the time I picked up the saxophone,
I was getting bullied in elementary school.
- For what?
- Um, well, my voice sounds a little bit different.
- You got a great voice.
- And I looked a little bit different too.
And my elementary school nickname was "hammerhead,"
because I had these knots on my head because I'm premature.
I was born at 1 pound, 8 ounces.
[audience exclaims] - Whoa!
- And my vocal cords don't close all the way.
So it makes voice sound really airy.
- Right.
- The students were so negative about my voice.
One called me frog and she'd get the class in on the joke.
It was relentless, and I actually--
I was so in such a dark place,
I actually wanted to commit suicide.
- Oh.
- And when you're in that mindset,
the only thing you want to do is quit.
- So you decided to find something to take your mind
away from all those horrible people.
And it was the saxophone?
- Yes.
That's when I started actually learning how to play.
[cheers and applause]
- Good for you, good for you.
And what would you do if you were to win?
- Well, first I'd want to give my mom and my brother a space
where we can actually live as loud as we want to be
because I can't exactly practice where I live now.
Somebody had called the cops on me before I flew out.
- Really? - I was trying to practice.
Because doing a show as big as this,
I want to get everything perfect.
- For sure.
- So they called the cops.
The cops came banging on the door.
They were like, "You need to be quiet."
My goal with the music, with this,
is to be able to do the thing I love.
And if I can do that, I'll have found my purpose
for being on "America's Got Talent."
[cheers and applause]
- Well, look, Avery, here...
you can be as loud as you like.
- Thank you.
[cheers and applause] - Yes!
- My Avery!
- Sweet kid.
- May I please get some water? - Yeah.
- You certainly can. - I'm kind of drying up here.
- I think it will be on-- there they are.
How quick was that?
[cheers and applause]
- He's nervous.
- Yes sir. - He's thirsty.
- Uh-huh. - Yeah.
[cheers and applause]
- Oh, he's nervous. - Are you okay?
- Yes, I'll be fine.
I'm sorry. - Don't worry.
Don't worry.
[cheers and applause]
- Breathe.
- Please be good.
[slow jazz music]
[saxophone plays smoothly]
♪
[cheers and applause]
[upbeat saxophone music]
[cheers and applause]
- Oh! Yeah!
- You know--you know how to dance, I can see it.
♪
[cheers and applause]
- Go, Avery!
[high note]
[cheers and applause]
♪
[cheers and applause]
[inspirational music]
- Wow!
♪
- I mean, can I tell you, Avery,
if Howie Mandel gets up to dance,
that means you're really good, because he never dances.
- I love you. - He never dances.
- I love you, buddy. I love you.
I love who you are.
You need to be here. You're supposed to be here.
- Thank you so much.
- And you will change the world.
[cheers and applause]
- Yeah!
Because when you play with your instrument,
you play with your heart, and we feel it.
- Thank you.
- Avery, that was so emotional!
Look at these people.
It's like, it was special to us
because we could feel how special it is for you,
and I think America is gonna fall in love with you.
[cheers and applause]
- Avery, look, every time I hear a story about
a kid being bullied at school, it breaks my heart.
It breaks it even more now because I have a, you know,
a son myself and I could not think of anything worse.
Any one of those idiots who bullied you now,
I hope, is watching this audition.
[cheers and applause]
Look, you know, I was--all of us were
willing you to be good.
I didn't know you were gonna be great.
[wild cheering]
- It was like listening to a singer.
You know, you have the ups and downs and you--
You got 4,000 people in here on their feet.
So...
[cheers and applause]
It's in your blood. This is your destiny.
If you are looking for validation, you just got it,
because I'm gonna give you your first yes.
- There's no need to vote!
[cheers and applause]
There's no need to vote!
[music swells]
[crowd chanting] Terry! Terry! Terry! Terry!
Avery Dixon, you touched the heart
of every human being in this building right now.
[cheers and applause]
And I want to tell you, man, you've been bullied
all your life, but you tell every bully
that you have a big brother named Terry Crews.
Who is here, who's got your back.
And all those bullies are gonna have to
watch you succeed, my friend!
- ♪ Sometimes in our lives
♪ We all have pain
♪ We all have sorrow
♪ But if we are wise
♪ We know that there's always tomorrow ♪
- I got you. I'm your big brother.
- ♪ Lean on me
- I love you, man. - I love you, too, man.
- Aw.
- Avery Dixon, you are headed to the live show!
- ♪ Carry on, for...
[cheers and applause]
- I got you, man.
I got you. I got you.
- ♪ Somebody to lean on
- That's what it's all about.
That's what it's all about.
- That was beautiful.
- Your talent did this.
You did this.
- I was crying, and I never cry.
- I know, not a dry eye in the house.
- ♪ Need somebody
- I love you, man.
- ♪ To lean on - I love you.
♪