'AGT' Season 17: Who is Ben Waites? Meet the gospel singer who had Sofia Vergara in tears
From music to magic and everything in between, Season 17 of 'America's Got Talent' has it all. With an array of new contestants hoping to bag the $1 million prize, "Cowell returns to the star-studded judging panel with global fashion icon Heidi Klum, fan-favorite comedian Howie Mandel and acclaimed actress and international superstar Sofia Vergara."
Can't get enough of people doing cool things with their exceptional talent? Check out other shows like -- 'American Song Contest', 'American Idol' and 'So You Think You Can Dance'.
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Who is Ben Waites?
Born in Louisiana, Ben Waites is a 32-year-old gospel singer and vocal coach who now lives in Nashville. Waites was born with arthrogryposis, a condition in which the body's joints are affected, resulting in him having to use a wheelchair. Waites was inspired by his grandfather, Jim Waites, who was also a gospel singer and the founder of the Gospel Tones Quartet. As per Waites' website, he was initially tone-deaf, but after relentless practice, he soon honed his skill. “It baffled me at first because in my head were all these different colors,” Waites explained. “When I sing ‘It Is Well’, there is a deep red, and some green. Through it, I can match the pitch and read the style of the song. It’s almost like a connection through that. That was really what helped me with music. I couldn’t read music or understand the technique; all I had was color.” he added.
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Inside his 'AGT' audition
Taking on the main stage, Waites performed the song 'True Colours'. His soulful rendition had Sofia Vergara in tears. Fans too, gushed about his talent. "Wow, what a voice, what a personality. He didn't need any sob story to even get the crowd hypnotized. You could tell he's not interested in his past just the present. You could tell he sees his voice as a gift to others not just about him. This is a legend, I'll be waiting for you in the finals." wrote a fan. "Ben looks like he praying in the beginning. His gentle ownership of this song translates through his expression just as if he had written the song himself. There are people who going to feel Ben sang this to them. It’s just exactly what I needed to hear today. What a lovely song you wrote Cyndi Lauper!" noted a fan. "This is what professional singing and music sounds like. Total control over every little run. Every choice that he made was well thought off and spot on." agreed another.
'America's Got Talent' airs on Tuesdays at 8 pm on NBC. For viewers who wish to tune in to the show without cable, they can do so using any of the following streaming services: Sling TV, fuboTV, Hulu With Live TV, AT&T TV or YouTube TV.