Terry Fator

[2] His success led to him receiving a five-year multi-million dollar contract to headline shows in Las Vegas, Nevada.

[7] A few weeks later, Fator purchased a Willie Talk dummy from Sears[7] and soon won a $25 prize for a performance at a church picnic.

The band dropped plans to sign to a major record label, when a representative from the brand asked Fator to sing in his own voice, upon noticing he sang songs by impersonating their original vocalists.

[13] After leaving the band, Fator began doing solo acts that combined comedy and ventriloquism but struggled for several years to achieve success.

[16] His success eventually landed him opportunities to perform at corporate functions for General Motors and AT&T, and serve as an opening act for Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, Neal McCoy, and Styx.

"[17] After winning the show, Fator actually had to turn the Letterman gig down fourteen times before his schedule was clear so he could appear.

The judges, Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne, and Hasselhoff loved Fator and he eventually won the competition.

[citation needed] Fator performed at Christian singer Larry Norman's 60th birthday party in April 2007.

[19] Later Fator flew Larry to tapings of America's Got Talent and also to his debut show at the Las Vegas Hilton as an honored guest.

Also in 2007, Fator became an official supporter of Ronald McDonald House Charities and is a member of their celebrity board, called the Friends of RMHC.

[20] On March 17, 2008, Fator appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show along with American Idol judge and AGT creator & executive producer Simon Cowell.

"[10] On May 13 of that year it was announced that Fator had signed a five-year, $100 million contract to perform nightly at The Mirage on the Las Vegas Strip.

Winston was not the only puppet that was reconfigured, for on an August 1, 2008, ABC News Now interview, he brought a reshaped Emma Taylor to sing "At Last.

On September 16, 2015, Fator made a guest appearance on America's Got Talent during the finals show, performing alongside the eventual tenth-season winner, ventriloquist Paul Zerdin.

On September 20, 2017, he made another guest appearance during AGT's twelfth-season finale, performing alongside eventual winner Darci Lynne, another singing ventriloquist.

In AGT's 17th season he entered the competition, and although he was eliminated before the finals, he performed with Ana-Maria Mărgean another singing ventiloquist on September 27, 2022.

On May 26 2024 Terry started a new residency at The STRAT in Las Vegas featuring a state-of-the-art theater and combined his natural talent with 21st century technology.

[7] In July 2007 Fator appeared in Montana to raise funds for the Kidsports Sports Complex in Kalispell and said he wanted to come back in 2008 to do another show.

[25] On September 3, 2007, Fator made a special appearance in the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, thanking the crowd for the support.

[citation needed] He returned to the Telethon on September 1, 2008 and brought Julius to sing "Only You" from The Platters, Marvin Gaye's song, "Let's Get It On," and "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley.