There are moments in life that are kind of like the bumpers inside of a pinball machine, sending us careening in unexpected directions.
For Daphne, Alabama, native Jaycob Curlee, one such moment happened for him 15 years ago, when he was five years old and suddenly found himself in foster care.
“My parents weren’t what you would call ‘model parents,’ whether it be because they were in jail, or because they were doing drugs,” he explains. “It got so bad that at the age of five the police came and picked up my sister and I and took us to foster care. That night laying in bed I wanted my parents more than anything, even though they weren’t the ideal parents. It was all I knew. Visitation periods were the worst because for the first few months my parents actually showed up and brought me things. But eventually they stopped coming. And being a kid, I would beg and beg, even if there was just ten minutes left — ‘No, no, no, no, they’re coming, please, they’re coming, don’t leave, they’re coming.’ Eventually they just stopped coming. It was really lonely. No matter who it was, if someone smiled at me, or showed me any emotion, I would beg them to adopt me. As the years progressed, I gave up. It made me feel like I was nothing.”
Several years later, Jaycob and his sister had another pinball moment.
“At eight years old my life got a lot better,” he said. “One day, a lovely couple came to visit me and it turns out they’re my parents now and I love them so much.”
Since then, Jaycob’s parents have raised him and his sister as their own. And for Jaycob, that meant cultivating his love for music. They bought him a guitar and encouraged him to pursue his dream of a music career.
“Music has always been a big part of my life, even as a young child,” Jaycob recalls. “It helped me get through some of the tough times.”
In 2014, music led to Jaycob having another pinball moment.
On a whim he signed up to audition for America’s Got Talent, the highly rated NBC show with a massive audience around the world.
His personal story and performance of a John Mayer song captured the attention of the judges and TV audience. He was instantly tapped to go forward in the show, making it all the way to the semi-finals.
(Video above: Jaycob Curlee’s America’s Got Talent audition. Article continues after the video.)
The next year of Jaycob’s life was a whirlwind of TV performances, media appearances and shows. He ultimately fell just short of winning the top prize, but decided to postpone college to continue pursuing a career in music. It may have been a blessing, because while winning the contest leads to fame and notoriety, it also means signing contracts that cede control to outside entities.
Jaycob’s next move is to self-release his debut album, “Things I Never Said,” which goes up for pre-sale on iTunes July 1st and is currently available for physical pre-sale at thingsineversaid.com.
The first single, “Sleeping to Dream,” can be heard below.
(Video below: “Sleeping to Dream” from Jaycob Curlee’s upcoming album. Article continues after the video.)
“My dream is to be able to do this for a living,” Jaycob says.
That would be another pinball moment for a young man who’s already lived a hectic life. But not matter what, he’ll never have to wonder again if he’ll have his family by his side.
“I love him, that’s my baby,” his mom says, glowing.
“America loves you, too,” America’s Got Talent co-host Howie Mandel added.
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