| America's Got Talent finalist, Donald Braswell II is | | | | another 11 before he auditioned on the |
| proving his mettle in the entertainment world. | | | | professional stage again with America’s |
| Donald impressed audiences last year on the | | | | Got Talent in 2007. He spent the intervening |
| talent show with his astounding big voice, stunning | | | | years supporting his family in mainstream jobs like |
| good looks, and inspirational story. Donald began | | | | selling insurance and cars. |
| singing at age 7. His parents were both noted | | | | Julie initiated his application to America’s |
| opera singers in their own right. His mother, Jane, | | | | Got Talent, who, not surprising, accepted him. |
| at one time was offered a spot on a Broadway | | | | Viewers nationwide were enchanted by his |
| show and had to turn it down. The person who | | | | composure during his audition, when he turned an |
| ended up replacing her was - Julie Andrews. So | | | | ugly booing audience into a cheering one with his |
| Donald was raised in the entertainment business | | | | rendition of Josh Groban’s "You Raise |
| and was performing locally before graduating high | | | | Me Up". His dreams of returning to the |
| school. He had a leaning toward acting but faced | | | | stage were dashed again, when judges voted him |
| the struggles of most young people in entering | | | | out of the competition in the cut to 40 |
| that competitive environment. | | | | competitors. Fans were appalled at the |
| His wife, Julie, encouraged him to apply to the | | | | judges’ decision and succeeded in voting |
| renowned Juilliard School in New York City. He did | | | | Donald back into the show as a wild card. The |
| so, to humor her, never believing he would be one | | | | public kept him all the way to the final top five |
| of the few selected. To his surprise he was not | | | | where he took 4th place in September 2008. |
| only accepted but given scholarships. After | | | | Since then, he has wowed audiences at three |
| graduation this remarkable tenor won The | | | | benefit concerts in San Antonio and at Christmas |
| Liederkranz Foundation Vocal Competition and an | | | | show on TBN. Last month, he mesmerized a |
| artist’s grant from the Licia | | | | sold-out crowd of 1600 people at the Las Vegas |
| Albanese–Puccini Foundation International | | | | Hilton. Noted PBS promoter, Diane Bliss, took an |
| Vocal Competition, which gave him the privilege to | | | | interest and on March 15th he will be performing |
| study briefly with the great Franco Corelli and | | | | live on PBS in Detroit. When the response from |
| become a student of Franco Bertacci. He began | | | | viewers goes as anticipated, PBS will present him |
| playing the great opera houses of the world to | | | | in a nationwide special with the Detroit Symphony |
| great acclaim and saw himself as the next | | | | Orchestra. In the meantime, March 21 he is |
| Pavarotti. | | | | launching a North American concert tour in |
| His fast-rising opera career, however, was cut | | | | Asheville, NC. |
| short in 1995 when he was struck by a car while | | | | Donald has a great desire to use his talent to help |
| bicycling in Wales, where he was on tour. He had | | | | others. His benefit concert for the homeless of |
| severe soft-tissue injuries to his throat, upper | | | | San Antonio was standing room only. He plans |
| chest and upper back. Doctors told him he would | | | | inspirational speaking engagements in his concert |
| never sing again and might never speak normally. | | | | tour locales. Donald is a testament to the powers |
| Relying on his faith, it took nearly 2 years of hard | | | | of the human spirit in difficult times and he inspires |
| work and determination to regain his speech and | | | | all who come to know him. |