Bill Taylor spends his working life driving trucks in Kentucky, but music has been a major part of his life for years.
In 2025, he stepped onto the America’s Got Talent stage with his band, The Appalachian Heathens, and performed Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.”
Their version brought a country and Appalachian flavor to the classic and earned four yes votes from the AGT judges.
From Truck Driver to the AGT Stage
Bill Taylor is from Middlesboro, Kentucky, and works as a truck driver while pursuing his passion for music.
Music had been part of Taylor’s life from an early age. He sang in church as a child and later performed covers with his father.
After seeing Kentucky musician Tyler Childers perform, Taylor became inspired to begin writing his own music.
That journey eventually led to The Appalachian Heathens and an opportunity to audition for America’s Got Talent.
Why Bill Taylor Chose Bob Dylan
For his AGT audition, Taylor could have performed an original song or a cover.
He chose Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.”
Taylor said he loved the song and believed its familiarity could help connect with a large audience.
He and The Appalachian Heathens then gave the classic their own country and Appalachian interpretation.
The Appalachian Heathens Bring Kentucky to AGT
Taylor was backed by The Appalachian Heathens, a Kentucky-based band with strong Appalachian musical influences.
The group included Taylor’s father Billy Taylor on guitar, along with other musicians on drums, bass and fiddle.
Their arrangement gave the familiar Bob Dylan song a different character.
The combination of guitars, fiddle, rhythm and Taylor’s distinctive voice created a country-rooted performance.
Simon Cowell Calls the Sound “So American”
After the performance, the AGT judges responded positively.
Howie Mandel praised Taylor’s voice and called the sound distinctly American.
Simon Cowell compared the band’s sound to “musical Levi’s” and described it as “so American and so authentic.”
Mel B praised the band as tight and well rehearsed, while Sofia Vergara said she believed they had made the right decision by coming to AGT.
All four judges voted yes.
Four Yes Votes
The unanimous vote sent Bill Taylor and The Appalachian Heathens through the audition stage.
For Taylor, the moment was about more than simply appearing on television.
He had spoken about wanting to support his family while doing the music he loved and representing Kentucky and Appalachia.
AGT gave the group an opportunity to introduce that sound to a much larger audience.
What Happened After the Audition?
The four yes votes allowed the group to move beyond the initial audition.
However, passing the audition did not ultimately guarantee a place in the live shows.
Bill Taylor and The Appalachian Heathens were later eliminated during deliberations and were not selected for the live shows.
Final Thoughts
Bill Taylor’s AGT audition brought together two very different parts of his life: working as a Kentucky truck driver and pursuing his passion for music.
With The Appalachian Heathens behind him, he performed Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” with a country and Appalachian influence.
The performance earned four yes votes, while Simon Cowell described the band’s sound as “so American and so authentic.”
Although the group was later not selected for the live shows, the audition gave Bill Taylor and The Appalachian Heathens a major national platform and introduced their Kentucky-rooted sound to a much wider audience.
