Neal E. Boyd
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Artists:
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Neal E. Boyd
- Genres: Vocal Music
Biography
Singer Neal E. Boyd's life reads like the script to a Hollywood movie, one of those movies from the 1940s when rags-to-riches was a dominant motif and believing in a dream was enough to make it happen. In Boyd's case, that's exactly what happened. Born in the rural town of Sikeston, MO, the son of an African-American father and a Caucasian mother who separated shortly after he was born, Boyd was raised, along with his younger brother, by a hard-working single mom, so money was frequently tight or nonexistent. Always overweight, Boyd had a difficult childhood socially, but his love of music helped him through, particularly after he discovered opera. Blessed with a strong and expressive lead tenor voice, Boyd began singing in school choirs and stage productions, continuing to sing while attending college, working a variety of low-paying jobs to pay his way and somehow still finding time to moonlight as a political intern for the Missouri State House of Representatives on the side. Eventually he earned a music degree at Missouri University and a speech degree at Southeast Missouri State University. He continued his political affiliations, often singing at dinners and testimonials, even as he sang on the competition circuit, winning the Music Teachers National Association Vocal Collegiate Championship in 2000, which led to his solo debut at New York City's famed Carnegie Hall in March 2001. But Boyd had grown into a practical man, and he shifted his focus to a more practical business career, becoming a successful agent for a national insurance company. All of that ended, though, when Boyd auditioned for NBC's America's Got Talent television show. He ended up winning the 2008 competition, earning thousands of fans in the process, then taking home a million dollars and headlining his own concert in Las Vegas. It was rags to riches, just like in the Hollywood script, and Boyd said goodbye to the insurance industry. From now on he was a singer, and with his strong sense of civic duty, Boyd sang at countless political and state events, including audiences with the past three sitting governors in Missouri, appearances that have earned him the unofficial title of "The Voice of Missouri." His debut album, My American Dream, appeared in 2009 from Decca Records. ~ Steve Leggett, RoviWikipedia on Answers.com:
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Neal E. Boyd
| Neal E. Boyd | |
|---|---|
 Neal E. Boyd signing an autograph after performing at St. John Lutheran Church-Ellisville, MO, USA |
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| Background information | |
| Born | November 18, 1975 |
| Origin | Sikeston, Missouri, U.S. |
| Genres | Operatic pop |
| Occupations | Singer |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Labels | Decca (2009-present) |
| Website | www.nealeboyd.com |
Neal E. Boyd (born November 18, 1975) is an American pop opera singer. He is best known as the 2008 winner of America's Got Talent.
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Early life
Neal E. Boyd, known as "The Voice of Missouri,"[citation needed] grew up in Sikeston, Missouri. He discovered operatic music in junior high school when his older brother was forced to do a school project involving classical music and brought home a CD of the Three Tenors. His brother had little appreciation for classical music, but Neal was so enamored by the passion and skill of the famous trio that he started learning to sing in Luciano Pavarotti's and Plácido Domingo's operatic styles. A creative seed was planted, and Neal went on to study Speech Communications, Political Science, and Vocal Music at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, MO, and the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO, graduating from both universities simultaneously in May 2001. He was the winner of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Vocal Collegiate Championship in 2000 while in the voice studio of Professor Ann Harrell of the UM-Columbia. This national win led to his solo debut at New York City's famed Carnegie Hall in March 2001. After teaching music for a year in his hometown of Sikeston, MO, he later attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA to study opera — which led to a lead role as the slave "York" in Michael Ching's World Premier Opera "Corps of Discovery, A Musical Journey," commissioned by MU.
Boyd was his high school's student body president in 1993–94 and the president of the Student Senate at Southeast Missouri State University, where he was also a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. He has a bachelor's degree in speech communications from Southeast Missouri State University, a Bachelor's degree in music from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a Master’s degree in management from the University of Phoenix. In 2001, he had planned to attend Yale University, but plans changed when he decided to study with another professor at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston.[1]
In 2000, he sang at the memorial service for former Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan who died in a plane crash during his U.S. Senate run against then Senator and later U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. In 2005, he sang the National Anthem at the inauguration of Missouri Governor Matt Blunt. While in college, Boyd interned at the capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri. Various Missouri state and local officials nicknamed Boyd "The Voice of Missouri" due to his appearances at many prominent statewide events.[2]
America's Got Talent
Boyd was the winner of America's Got Talent in 2008, and was awarded the $1-million prize and a headline show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Performances/Results
| Week | Theme | Song choice | Original artist/composer | Performance order | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audition | Inspiration | "Nessun Dorma" | Puccini | Final | Advanced |
| Vegas Verdicts | Classical Singers | "Unchained Melody" | Righteous Brothers | Advanced | |
| Top 40 | Group 1 | "Somewhere" | Leonard Bernstein | 10 | Advanced |
| Top 20 | Group 1 Heroes |
"Mama" | Il Divo | 7 | Advanced |
| Top 10 | Inspirations | "All By Myself" | Eric Carmen | 8 | Advanced |
| Top 5 | Finals | "Nessun Dorma" | Puccini | 3 | Winner |
Post Talent
Neal was awarded the $1-million prize and a headline show in Las Vegas, Nevada, hosted by Jerry Springer.
On October, 2008, Neal's hometown declared the month of October "Neal E. Boyd Month."[3]
Neal signed to Decca Records and released his debut album, My American Dream, on June 23, 2009, the day of the fourth season premiere of America's Got Talent. It debuted at #195 on the Billboard 200 and #3 on the Top Classical Albums Chart.
On March 10, 2010, Neal performed for the current U.S. President Barack Obama while visiting Missouri.[4][5] Since 2000, Boyd has also performed for Presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.
Neal is the co-owner of Cox & Boyd, an insurance agency with locations in St Louis and Sikeston Missouri, and the Vice President of sales for Voluntary Benefit Services which is located in St. Louis, Missouri.
Politics
Neal is a Republican.[6] He also plans on running for office in Missouri in the 2012 election.[7]
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Class | US Heat |
Year End Class |
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| 2009 | My American Dream [8]
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195 | 3 | 10 | 29 |
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Singles
| Year | Single | Peak | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | |||
| 2009 | "God Bless the USA" | — | My American Dream |
References
- ^ Darnell, Kathryn (2008-05-15). "Holding a High Note". http://www.voxmagazine.com/stories/2008/05/15/holding-high-note/. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
- ^ "Neal Boyd timeline". http://www.semissourian.com/article/20080701/ARTS04/868609906/-1/nealboyd. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
- ^ "October declared Neal E. Boyd month in Sikeston". Sikeston Standard Democrat. September 25, 2008. http://www.standard-democrat.com/story/1464691.html. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
- ^ "Missourian Neal E. Boyd to perform for President Obama during visit" (Mar 10, 2010) KSCK
- ^ "Singer Neal E. Boyd looking forward to meeting president at St. Louis event" (March 9, 2010) Southeast Missourian
- ^ "Singer Neal E. Boyd to run for Missouri House seat" (September 13, 2011) Southeast Missourian
- ^ "'America's Got Talent' winner Neal E Boyd to run for Missouri legislature" (Sep 14 2011) Digital Spy
- ^ "Neal E. Boyd". Decca Records. http://www.deccarecords-us.com/nealeboyd/releases/. Retrieved 2009-06-19.
- ^ "Catch up with singer Neal E. Boyd, winner of America’s Got Talent" (Summer 2010) Mizzou
External links
| Preceded by Terry Fator |
America's Got Talent winner Season 3 (Summer 2008) |
Succeeded by Kevin Skinner |
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