By Sarah Roebuck
Corrections1
LOS ANGELES — A nurse at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center wowed the audience and the judges with her voice during America’s Got Talent.
Registered nurse Dee Dee Simon performed her own rendition of Teddy Swim’s “Lose Control” during America’s Got Talent’s quarterfinals round 3, which aired results on Aug. 27. She earned high praise from all judges and a Live Golden Buzzer from judge Heidi Klum.
One of the most memorable moments of Simon’s act came about halfway through when she truly connected with the music. As the crowd watched in anticipation, she did something unexpected — she kicked off her high heels, allowing her to move more freely on stage.
This small yet bold gesture ignited the performance, taking it to another level. It was a nod to her initial audition for the show back in June, where she sang Jennifer Hudson’s “And I’m Telling You” and also shed her heels.
During her initial audition, judge Howie Mandel asked Simon if she ever sang for the inmates. Simon said when she first started as a nurse at the prison, she sang and a riot broke out shortly after.
“After I sang a song, a riot broke out. Then I had to triage everybody,” Simon said, adding that she waited years to sing again at the prison. She recently sang at the prison again and she said the more recent performance was peaceful.
Simon has been a nurse at San Quentin for 19 years, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said.
“I want to tell a story. I want to be inspirational to other people to have dreams,” Simon told CCDR. “Find something you love to do and always have something to fall back on, like a good job.”
Simon is one of four acts to move onto the semifinal round, which airs on NBC on Sept. 10.
