This season of America’s Got Talent is slowly coming to a close, but contestant Jimmie Herrod delivered a quality performance ahead of the finale. On Tuesday (Sept. 14), Herrod took to the stage to sing his rendition of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World,” which earned him a standing ovation from the crowd.
Herrod kept his performance of the 1967 jazz hit stripped back to highlight the beauty of his vocals. A single spotlight illuminated the singer on the stage, and a simulated waterfall streamed in the background as Herrod sang onstage to the judges and the hushed audience. Though the singer’s delivery of the cover was serene, he gave the audience a big finish by the end, and used his rich vibrato to sustain the final note of the song for 12 seconds. Before Herrod could finish the song, the judges and audience members were on their feet.
“What a Wonderful World” is a staple of Armstrong’s catalogue — the track spent 35 weeks on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart after the jazz singer’s death, where it peaked at No. 7. The song also enjoyed success on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it spent 32 weeks, peaking at No. 2. “What a Wonderful World” is often hailed as one of the best songs to come out of the jazz era.
The America’s Got Talent finals continue on Wednesday (Sept. 15) on NBC. Watch Herrod’s performance of “What a Wonderful World” below.