Neal E. Boyd From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Neal E. Boyd Neal Boyd 08-10-08.jpg Neal E. Boyd signing an autograph after performing at St. John Lutheran Church-Ellisville, MO, USA Background information Born November 18, 1975 (age 38) Origin Sikeston, Missouri, U.S. Genres Operatic pop Occupations Singer Years active 2008–present Labels Decca (2009-present) Website nealeboyd Neal E. Boyd (born November 18, 1975) is an American pop opera singer. He is best known as being the winner of the third season of Americas Got Talent. Contents [hide] 1 Early life 2 Americas Got Talent 2.1 Performances and results 2.2 Post Talent 3 Politics 4 Discography 4.1 Albums 4.2 Singles 5 See also 6 References 7 External links Early life[edit] Neal E. Boyd grew up in Sikeston, Missouri, the son of an African American man and a white woman. Boyd and his brother were raised by their single mother in poverty.[1] He discovered operatic music in junior high school when his older brother was doing a school project involving classical music and brought home a CD of the Three Tenors. Boyd was so enamored by the passion and skill of the famous trio that he started learning to sing in Luciano Pavarottis and Plácido Domingos operatic styles. Boyd graduated from Sikeston High School in May 1994, where he was high school class president.[2][3] He has a bachelors degree in speech communications from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Missouri (May 2001), a Bachelors degree in music from the University of Missouri–Columbia in Columbia, Missouri (May 2001)[4] and a Master’s degree in management from the online University of Phoenix.[5][6] Boyd was president of the Student Senate at Southeast Missouri State University,[7] where he was also a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity.[8] While in college, Boyd interned at the capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri.[9] 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 University of Missouri–Columbia. This national win led to his solo debut at New York Citys famed Carnegie Hall in March 2001. After teaching music for the 2001-2002 school year in his hometown of Sikeston, Missouri, in 2002, he attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts to study opera.[10][11] This led to a role as the slave York in Michael Chings World Premier Opera Corps of Discovery, A Musical Journey, commissioned by University of Missouri–Columbia. Americas Got Talent[edit] Boyd was the winner of Americas Got Talent in 2008, and was awarded the $1-million prize and a headline show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Performances and results[edit] Week Theme Song choice Original artist/composer Performance order Result Audition Inspiration Nessun Dorma Puccini Final Advanced Vegas Verdicts Classical Singers Unchained Melody Todd Duncan 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[edit] Neal was awarded the $1-million prize and a headline show in Las Vegas, Nevada, hosted by Jerry Springer. On October 2008, Neals hometown declared the month of October Neal E. Boyd Month.[12] 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 Americas 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.[13][14] 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[edit] Boyd is a Republican.[15] He ran for a seat in the Missouri House of Representatives in 2012,[16] but lost to Democrat Steve Hodges by 66 to 34%.[17] On September 5, 2013 Boyd announced that he would again seek to be elected to the Missouri House of Representatives from the 149th district in 2014. Hodges, his Democratic opponent in 2012, is term-limited by Missouri law and cannot run again.[18] 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. On August 28, 2012, Boyd performed Lee Greenwoods God Bless the USA at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida.[citation needed] Various Missouri state and local officials nicknamed Boyd The Voice of Missouri due to his appearances at many prominent statewide events.[19] Discography[edit] Albums[edit] Year Album Peak chart positions Certifications (sales threshold) US US Class US Heat Year End Class 2009 My American Dream [20] Label: Decca Released: June 23, 2009 Format: CD, digital download 195 3 10 29 US sales: 6,000[21] Singles[edit] Year Single Peak Album US 2009 God Bless the USA — My American Dream See also[edit] Paul Potts References[edit] 1.Jump up ^ amazon/My-American-Dream-Neal-Boyd/dp/B001WT3EF6 2.Jump up ^ semissourian/story/1441245.html 3.Jump up ^ standard-democrat/story/1342810.html 4.Jump up ^ semissourian/story/1441220.html 5.Jump up ^ semissourian/story/1899552.html 6.Jump up ^ semissourian/story/1826057.html 7.Jump up ^ semissourian/story/1762003.html 8.Jump up ^ semo.edu/news/archive/28269.htm 9.Jump up ^ semissourian/story/1764132.html 10.Jump up ^ standard-democrat/story/1342810.html 11.Jump up ^ Darnell, Kathryn (2008-05-15). Holding a High Note. Retrieved 2008-10-01. 12.Jump up ^ October declared Neal E. Boyd month in Sikeston. Sikeston Standard Democrat. September 25, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-01. 13.Jump up ^ Missourian Neal E. Boyd to perform for President Obama during visit (Mar 10, 2010) KSCK 14.Jump up ^ Singer Neal E. Boyd looking forward to meeting president at St. Louis event (March 9, 2010) Southeast Missourian 15.Jump up ^ Singer Neal E. Boyd to run for Missouri House seat (September 13, 2011) Southeast Missourian 16.Jump up ^ Americas Got Talent winner Neal E Boyd to run for Missouri legislature (Sep 14 2011) Digital Spy 17.Jump up ^ Ruch, Amber (November 7, 2012). Hodges wins Mo. House seat in 149th District. KVFS. 18.Jump up ^ Realty TV star ready for run at House seat. Associated Press via KTVO-TV website. 6 September 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2013. 19.Jump up ^ Neal Boyd timeline. Retrieved 2008-10-01. 20.Jump up ^ Neal E. Boyd. Decca Records. Retrieved 2009-06-19. 21.Jump up ^ Catch up with singer Neal E. Boyd, winner of America’s Got Talent (Summer 2010) Mizzou External links[edit] Neal E. Boyds official website[dead link] Neal E. Boyds political website[dead link] NBC Show Profile[dead link] Preceded by Terry Fator Americas Got Talent winner Season 3 (Summer 2008) Succeeded by Kevin Skinner [hide] v· t· e Americas Got Talent Seasons 1· 2· 3· 4· 5· 6· 7· 8 Hosts Current Nick Cannon (2009–) Former Regis Philbin (2006)· Jerry Springer (2007–08) Judges Current Howie Mandel (2010–)· Howard Stern (2012–)· Mel B (2013–)· Heidi Klum (2013–) Former Brandy Norwood (2006)· David Hasselhoff (2006-09)· Piers Morgan (2006–11)· Sharon Osbourne (2007–12) Winners Bianca Ryan· Terry Fator· Neal E. Boyd· Kevin Skinner· Michael Grimm· Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr.· Olate Dogs· Kenichi Ebina Runners-up All That!· The Millers· Cas Haley· Eli Mattson· Bárbara Padilla· Jackie Evancho· Silhouettes· Tom Cotter· Taylor Williamson Third place contestants Butterscotch· Nuttin But Stringz· Recycled Percussion· Fighting Gravity· Team iLuminate· William Close· Jimmy Rose Notable contestants Season 1 Taylor Ware· Alexis Jordan· Celtic Spring· The Passing Zone· Rappin Granny· At Last· David and Dania: Quick Change· Leonid the Magnificent· Jessica Sanchez Season 2 Jabbawockeez· Julienne Irwin Season 3 Nuttin But Stringz· Donald Braswell II· Kaitlyn Maher Season 4 Recycled Percussion· Grandma Lee· The Texas Tenors· Thia Megia Season 5 ArcAttack· Haspop· Alice Tan Ridley· Fighting Gravity· Prince Poppycock· Connor Doran· The Strange Familiar· Lindsey Stirling Season 6 Geechy Guy· Anna Graceman· POPLYFE· Professor Splash· Team iLuminate Season 7 David Garibaldi and His CMYKs· American BMX Stunt Team· Cast in Bronze· Melinda Hill· Rudy Coby Season 8 Marty Brown· Jim Meskimen· Eric Schwartz· John Wing, Jr. Authority control VIAF: 101498102 Categories: 1975 births African-American singers American male singers Americas Got Talent contestants American tenors American opera singers Musicians from Missouri Opera crossover singers People from Sikeston, Missouri Living people New England Conservatory alumni Southeast Missouri State University alumni University of Missouri alumni Got Talent winners Missouri Republicans.
Posted on: Sat, 31 May 2014 21:52:32 +0000
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