The currently running 12th season of “America’s Got Talent” on NBC had promised some of the most incredible talented acts to grace the show yet. This was plenty clear from some of the previews they posted on YouTube building up to the start of the season proper last May. Auditions ranged from ridiculously awesome (a chicken pecking out “America the Beautiful” on keyboard) to inspiring (deaf singer-songwriter Mandy Harvey, who got iconic super-critical judge Simon Cowell’s golden buzzer press). And then there’s talent that had a promising audition but get their “AGT” campaign cut tragically short.
Medical doctor contestant Brandon Rogers, who auditioned last May but died in June, was honored by the show with the showing of his audition.
The singing doctor
Dr. Brandon Rogers, a practitioner of family medicine in Portsmouth, Virginia went in for his audition on “America’s Got Talent” season 12 this May. The episode that covers his audition piece before judges Simon Cowell, Mel B, Howie Mandel and Heidi Klum would have been set to air sometime in July (due to the weekly timeslot). Unfortunately he was involved in a car accident over a June weekend and died in hospital care on Sunday June 11. To honor his memory, his family had requested that his audition piece be shown, which NBC did one month later on its June 11 episode, which covered the sixth and final auditions week.
On his audition segment for that episode, Dr. Rogers first explained his choice of career, having been impressed by the doctors that saved his mother’s life from a grave injury. His singing hobby he ascribed as a means to cope with the stress of his job, although it also led him to be an internet sensation. He then sang Stevie Wonder’s “Ribbon in the Sky” to a standing ovation from the the audience and the four judges, who gave him all “Yes” votes.
Ascended fan
The day of his audition on “America’s Got Talent” Dr. Brandon Rogers had written on Instagram that while he was uncertain what episode he will show up on the show, he invites everyone to tune in. And despite his unexpected passing NBC saw fit to make sure his time in the limelight would be seen by all.
One of the uploaded songs that made Dr.
Rogers a viral sensation was his rendition of “On Bended Knee” by Boyz II Men. The band had been impressed enough to invite him to one of their performances at the Mirage Casino last January. When word came out of Rogers’ death the members of Boyz II Men posted a tribute of theirs for him, praising his “great spirit and great voice.”
The twelfth season of "America's Got Talent" airs Tuesdays 8 PM(ET) on NBC.
