This unassuming guitar teacher’s epic America’s Got Talent audition went viral. Here’s how he landed – and nailed – the gig of a lifetime

John Wines performs on America's Got Talent
(Image credit: Trae Patton/NBC via Getty Images)

America’s Got Talent is a TV show that’s known for many things, but loud shredding guitars certainly isn’t one of them. That all changed a few weeks back when 59-year-old British guitarist John Wines turned up with a Charvel Pro-Mod DK24 (HH FR M Mahogany with Quilt Maple in a Dark Amber finish, to be more precise) and gave judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Sofía Vergara the thrill of a lifetime.

Wines started his audition with motorbike noises reminiscent of Mick Mars’ work on Mötley Crüe classic Kickstart My Heart before reimagining Freddie Mercury’s immortal vocal melodies from 1977 hit We Will Rock You on his trusty six-string.

@oldgreyguitarist

♬ original sound - Old grey guitarist
@oldgreyguitarist

♬ original sound - Old grey guitarist
@oldgreyguitarist

♬ original sound - Old grey guitarist

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Amit Sharma

Amit has been writing for titles like Total GuitarMusicRadar and Guitar World for over a decade and counts Richie Kotzen, Guthrie Govan and Jeff Beck among his primary influences as a guitar player. He's worked for magazines like Kerrang!Metal HammerClassic RockProgRecord CollectorPlanet RockRhythm and Bass Player, as well as newspapers like Metro and The Independent, interviewing everyone from Ozzy Osbourne and Lemmy to Slash and Jimmy Page, and once even traded solos with a member of Slayer on a track released internationally. As a session guitarist, he's played alongside members of Judas Priest and Uriah Heep in London ensemble Metalworks, as well as handled lead guitars for legends like Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols, The Faces) and Stu Hamm (Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, G3).