NJ family totally ruins perfectly good classic rock song on ‘AGT’

Did you ever see the hysterical and weird scene in the movie “Step Brothers” where the family in the car sings “Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses? It’s sung a capella so perfectly (except for the mom, “$1,200 a week for voice lessons and this is what I get!?) and it’s hysterical.

Even though that scene involves a horrific near-car crash, it’s still a better performance than what was on “America’s Got Talent” this week.

A New Jersey family of a capella singers that formed an act called Sharpe Family Singers performed on the show with another classic rock song. They went with the soaring Kansas tune “Carry On Wayward Son” sans music, sans that iconic guitar riff, and it wasn’t pretty.

In fact, Howie Mandel fired off the red X button in the middle of their performance.

He’d later explain his decision saying, “It felt a little bit corny, it felt outdated. You shouldn’t be singing rock ‘n’ roll. Stay in your lane, musical theater.”

Ouch. But he’s right. The corn factor was like an ancient Up With People halftime performance at a Super Bowl. These folks from Basking Ridge make the Osmonds from the 70s look hip.

Take a listen, and a look. It’s not just the singing, which is technically perfect but doesn’t have a rock soul, it’s also the tries-too-hard facial expressions.

Sofia Vergara said, “I felt like I was in a church service.”

Simon Cowell compared them to a Disney act.

Yet the family from New Jersey must be doing something people like. They’re still growing on social media with 340,000 Facebook followers, 423,000 on Instagram, and a whopping 8,600,000 followers on TikTok.

So 🎶 Carry On Wayward Sharpes 🎵.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

You can now listen to Deminski & Doyle — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite afternoon radio show any day of the week. Download the Deminski & Doyle show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.