(WBIR - Pineville, Ky.) On Wednesday night, Jimmy Rose's whirlwind experience on NBC's "America's Got Talent" officially came to an end.
With a packed gymnasium cheering him on back in his hometown of Pineville, Ky., Rose made it all the way to third place before he was sent home.
Although there was disappointment among his friends and family watching together in Pineville, his brother, Chris Rose, said he was speechless over Jimmy's incredible ride.
Jimmy Rose, a Marine veteran and former coal miner, first auditioned for America's Got Talent in New Orleans and won all four judges over with his original song "Coal Keeps the Lights On."
America's votes carried Rose all the way to the final six where he faced off against singer Cami Bradley, acrobatic dancer Kenichi Ebina, operatic trio Forte, magician Collins Key and comedian Taylor Williamson.
Ebina would eventually go on to win the grand prize, $1 million and a headline spot on a show in Las Vegas.
"You know it wasn't a loss, it was a victory and in our hearts it will always be," said Jimmy's mother Virginia Middleton. "Because you know he got this far and that's something some people don't get you know?"
Throughout his time on the show, Jimmy Rose was always a class act, said his friend Brian O'Brien, who owns the local radio station "The Big One 106.3 FM".
"The whole thing with Jimmy is, he was Jimmy the whole time, he never changed, he stayed genuine and he represented our area in a positive way, which is something you don't get very often," O'Brien said.
Before the results were revealed, his uncle back in Pineville said Jimmy's appearance on "America's Got Talent" meant a lot to the coal industry.
Although Jimmy didn't win the million dollar prize, there's still a possibility he will be a part of the nationwide America's Got Talent tour. The tour will be headlined by this year's winner, Kenichi Ebina, and some of this season's fan favorites.
Jimmy Rose's father, Larry Middleton, said he thinks Rose will go far.
"I don't think it will be long until he gets signed to a record label," Middleton said.
Whether or not Jimmy is a part of that tour, you can catch him performing a free concert this Sunday in Pineville as part of a thank you party. The festivities are scheduled to kick off around 4 p.m. with the stage set up in front of the Bell Theatre on Kentucky Avenue.
