When Austin Edwards and Joey Kar, known together as Broken Roots, stepped onto the stage of America’s Got Talent, they had a surprising story to share. Both men had backgrounds in law enforcement, but music had become an important outlet in their lives. They had been performing separately around Chicago before meeting at one of Joey’s shows. After discovering their shared passion, they decided to join forces and create a musical duo. However, there was one incredible detail: they had met only six months earlier, and this audition would be their very first performance together!
For their audition, Broken Roots chose the legendary Bon Jovi hit “Wanted Dead or Alive.” Despite having never performed together on stage before, the two musicians showed impressive chemistry, combining their distinctive voices with acoustic guitar playing. Their heartfelt and energetic interpretation brought a fresh country-rock feel to the familiar classic. The judges were pleasantly surprised by how naturally the two men worked together, especially considering that this was their first time performing as a duo.
When the performance ended, the judges shared their positive reactions. Heidi Klum praised their voices, Sofia Vergara loved the emotional quality of their performance, and Howie Mandel congratulated them on their service in law enforcement. Simon Cowell also highlighted the friendship between the two musicians, saying that it represented what the show was all about. With four enthusiastic yes votes, Broken Roots earned their place in the next round, beginning a remarkable journey that would eventually take them all the way to the AGT Season 15 finale, where they finished as runners-up.
