America’s Got Talent 2023 preview: Country singer Mitch Rossell shares a deeply personal story in his original song
In a new America’s Got Talent 2023 audition preview airing June 6, country singer Mitch Rossell shares a tragic family story.
He and his dad would listen to country music together in the car. “We both just loved it so much,” he said. “We definitely had a connection through music.” His father bought him a guitar when he was a kid and always encouraged him to play, but Mitch was more into sports at that time.
Three members of Mitch’s family, including his father, died in drunk driving accident
But when Mitch was 10 years old, his father died in a “drunk driving incident.” Mitch describes it as a “freak accident” that astonishingly also involved his grandfather and grandmother in-law. His dad and his grandmother in law were in one vehicle, and his grandfather in another. The two cars headed toward each other in the opposite direction.
A drunk driver hit Mitch’s grandfather from behind and sent him into his dad’s lane and crashed into him head on. All three of his relatives lost their lives. The news for Mitch was devastating, and the next few years “challenging.” After high school, in an effort to connect with his dad, Mitch finally picked up a guitar and learned how to play it. “It was really the only thing he asked me to do,” Mitch says.
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Mitch pursued music after high school “The only thing he asked me to do”
Next, Mitch began playing shows on weekends for tips. At this point, he’s 35 years old and an established independent singer from East Tennessee who has toured with Garth Brooks. He collaborated with Trisha Yearwood on a song, “Ran Into You.” His song “All I Need to See” has 20 million streams on Spotify. Recently, he made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry.
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In front of the judges, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara and Simon Cowell, Mitch calls “Son,” the song he is about to sing, “the most personal thing I’ve ever written” and a “true story about my life.” The song involves memories he has of his father and sharing how much he loves him. It’s a real tear jerker. It explains Mitch’s backstory explicitly. In the end, he shares how the birth of his son helped heal him.
Howie Mandel predicts the song will be the No. 1 download
Afterward, the crowd and the judges are on their feet.
“You wrote a beautiful song there, says Heidi. “I feel like everyone in this room was feeling everything that you were singing. Howie added, “The words and the emotion that you sing with. As a father also…what a great sentiment, what great beautiful words. Such simple brilliance.” He then predicts that the song will be the No 1 download on Wednesday morning.
Sofia calls it “spectacular” and his voice and song “amazing.” Simon “loved every part of that.” He adds, “I love your voice, I love the song. It was a compliment the fact that you could hear a pin drop during the entire performance.” Simon continues, “And it was sincere. I really think people are going to connect with you. This was a great audition.”
All four judges give him a yes. “I million billion percent yes,” says Simon. “That’s a star,” says Howie. Off stage, host Terry Crews says, “I can’t wait to play that song for my son. You hit every heart in this room.” After his performance, Mitch calls his wife and family to share that he made it to the next round.
America’s Got Talent airs on NBC Tuesdays at 8 pm. Mitch’s audition airs this week, June 6.
