2011: HGV Driver Terry Winstanley Took The X Factor by Storm with his Soulful Tone

51-year-old Terry Winstanley wowed the judges with his soulful voice at his audition and could very well turn out to be the find of this years competition.

The talented HGV driver from Essex impressed the judges after singing Michael Bolton’s To Love Somebody at auditions.

Performance Summary Age : 51. Auditioned In : London. Song Title : To Love Somebody . Recorded By : Michael Bolton. Available From : Amazon.

Speaking before his audition, Terry revealed: “I’m currently working as an HGV driver for a scaffolding company, we take the goods to the sites, and the I hump it, lump it and grump it… I’ve got four children and two step-children, I adore my grandchildren.”

Asked about his singing, he added: “I’ve just done the odd bit here and there …I got married relatively young, I was only 21, the kids came along early as well and I really lost touch with music…it wasn’t until the kids grew up a bit that I started to realise what I was missing and by then I was in the thirties, I just thought maybe I’m too old.

“I would love to get the music back in my life, this is a huge day for me, I haven’t slept properly in a week…this is it, there’s no more after this, it’s finished, if I don’t progress then I shall just say thank you for a lovely experience and that’ll be it.”

Judges Comments

After his rather impressive performance, the judges were overwhelmed.

Kelly Roland: “Terry, I am so happy for you that you had the courage enough to come back on this stage and follow your dream because this is where you belong.”

Louis Walsh: “I was not expecting that at all, it was a brilliant song choice, it was an amazing performance…you know what Terry, it’s never too late, you’re living proof of that.”

Tulisa: Terry, you just showed The X Factor how it’s done, old school style…that just blew me out of the water, I don’t want to hear anything current from you, I want to hear what you do best and that’s what you do.”

Gary Barlow: There’s a reason we have an Overs category in this competition and it’s for people like you, well done.
With four yeses, Terry was through to bootcamp.