Broken Roots Just Missed Winning it All on AGT

The duo known as Broken Roots just missed winning it all on "America's Got Talent" Wednesday night on NBC-TV.

Effingham native Austin Weinstock, now performing as Austin Edwards, and Joey Kar were on stage with eventual winner Brandon Leake when show host Terry Crews announced Leake's name. He wins $1 million and a year's contract to perform in Las Vegas.

Austin is a popular country musician who plays all over the Chicago-land area. Joey, a popular rock/pop musician who also plays all over the Chicago-land area. In 2019, Austin and Joey were being told repeatedly by venues and people that followed both musicians that they should perform together. They finally met at one of Joey’s shows and realized they actually had many things in common – both worked in law enforcement and cancer had affected their lives in devastating ways. They struggled with their decision to come together musically, both wanting to support each other but feeling like their styles were too different to work together. They eventually decided to break their musical roots and give it a shot by joining forces as a duo on “America’s Got Talent.”

Austin and Joey were on "The Drive Home" last week and Austin guested on "The Morning Show" earlier in the process. He also performed recently at the Effingham Performance Center as part of The EPC Social Distancing concert series.