America’s Got Talent sensation, Sal Valentinetti, is the definition of an old soul with an olive oil voice and Italian charm. Valentinetti first learned the American standards at his grandmother’s knee and his passion grew further when he discovered his hidden vocal talent in his teenage years. His voice may seem like his strongest asset, but anyone who knows him, knows that it’s his personality that shines brighter than the whitewalls of his Cadillac.
“Sal the Voice,” as he is affectionately known by everyone, can be found on Sundays sipping cappuccino at a café, telling stories, making jokes and planning his next move. Valentinetti is a consummate, classy, old-school entertainer with a heart of gold.
There was Frank, there was Dean and now there’s . . . Sal. After spending the summer of 2016 taping “America’s Got Talent” on the West coast, crooner Sal “The Voice” Valentinetti is making the jump from performing at restaurants between courses of clam casino and chicken Parmesan to packing 1000-plus- seat venues around the country.
“I like to meet the people who voted for me and give them a chance to say hello,” says Valentinetti. “They feel like they know me. That kind of connection is huge,” Valentinetti said.
Valentinetti first made waves back in June, when he sang “My Way” during his “AGT” audition and judge Heidi Klum advanced him straight to the quarterfinals. Then he turned One Direction’s “Story of My Life” into a swing standard for his first performance on live prime-time TV. Valentinetti advanced to the semifinals, where he dipped back into familiar territory performing Sinatra’s hit “That’s Life,” and then came the finals. “I wanted to sing ‘Mack the Knife,’ because it was the first song I sang for anybody ever,” Valentinetti says.
Through it all, one of the best comments he ever received came from the man known for having the sharpest tongue — judge Simon Cowell. “Simon came up to me and said, ‘Do me a favor? Never change!’” Valentinetti says. “I said, ‘Why would I? It got me this far.’”