Cross & Crescent

Since childhood, Neal E. Boyd (Southeast Missouri 2001) had a dream to become a great singer.

His dream came true on October 1, 2008, when Boyd was declared the “Best New Act in America,” winning the NBC hit television series, “America’s Got Talent,” and becoming the winner of a $1 million prize.

“This is something I’ve been waiting for my whole life,” says Boyd, an insurance salesman from Missouri. “Dreams do become a reality.”

Ever since this year’s season of “America’s Got Talent” started, Boyd has been a star of the NBC ratings blockbuster, which is produced by “American Idol” producers Fremantle Media North America and Simon Cowell’s SYCO Television.

From the beginning, the Missouri native was a standout in the pool of the more than 200,000 people who tried out for the show. He began appearing in national commercials weeks before the season premiere in June, and was featured in an emotional 10-minute segment that closed that premiere.

NBC had the No. 1 ratings hit on television from that point forward.

Upon being declared the winner during the live season finale, Boyd thanked his mother, Esther; Sikeston, Missouri; the State of Missouri; and America.

He was then celebrated by his idol, the world renowned tenor Placido Domingo, who said to him, “Congratulations Neal. By participating in ‘America’s Got Talent,’ you have brought to America’s ears opera, so be proud of it. And I’m sure from today on that you are starting a brilliant career.”

College, Politics, and Insurance

At Southeast Missouri State University, Boyd was an active student leader and a speech communication major, with minors in music and political science. In addition to his Southeast Missouri degree, he also holds a degree in music from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a master’s degree in management from the University of Phoenix.

While at Southeast Missouri, Boyd was a frequent soloist for the university choir and performed many lead roles with the Opera All-Stars.

Along with his academic and musical activities, Boyd also was very active in Student Government and was a member of the Interfraternity Council, the Residence Hall Association, and the Student Activities Council. He served as a presidential ambassador and spent a semester in Jefferson City, Missouri, as an intern in the Missouri House of Representatives, where he was elected speaker of the entire Intern Caucus.

In 2000, Boyd gained more attention when he became the National Young Artist Vocal Champion. He was the winner of the 2000 National Collegiate Artist Voice Competition of the Music Teachers National Association; a frequent winner at the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition; a guest soloist for the 2001 Missouri All-State Choir; and a member of the 1996 Missouri All-Collegiate Choir.

Boyd has become known for appearances throughout Missouri, including solo performances at the memorial service for the late Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan, the Inaugural Ball for Gov. Bob Holden, the dedication of the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, the opening of the 2004 Missouri Senate General Session, and the Inauguration of Gov. Matt Blunt.

He has performed at world-class national venues including Carnegie Hall in New York, and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

When Boyd began his involvement with “America’s Got Talent” earlier this year, he was working in St. Louis as a District Sales Coordinator for Aflac (American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus). His title as “Insurance Salesman Opera Singer” would stick throughout the “America’s Got Talent” season.

Although Hollywood and Las Vegas have demanded much of his time lately, Neal has maintained his Missouri residency and looks forward to the opportunity to spend some more time “back home.”

He is proud of his continued involvement with the State of Missouri, where he was appointed by Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt to the Missouri Training and Employment Council (MTEC) in April 2007. Earlier this year he was appointed to the Missouri Workforce Investment Board for a four-year term.

Boyd is often referred to as “The Voice of Missouri.”

Fraternity Brothers

When Boyd enrolled at Southeast Missouri as a freshman, he had no plans to join a fraternity.

“I said I would never go Greek,” he says.

One day when he was in the gym, he was invited to visit Lambda Chi Alpha so he decided to check it out. He immediately loved the atmosphere and knew he had found a place where he could just be himself.

“It just felt right,” he says.

Also when he joined, Boyd met his best friend and big brother Jason LeGrand (Southeast Missouri 1997) and since then the two have been there for each other during the good times and bad times.

They also were roommates in Los Angeles during much of this season of “America’s Got Talent.”

Through the Fraternity, Boyd and LeGrand discovered they were two people with very similar values and ideals. Both men placed a very high value on loyalty and honesty, and those simple things became the foundation of a lifelong friendship.

“Neal came to college a skilled communicator, but the Fraternity made for an incredible laboratory where he sharpened those skills and developed a truly amazing ability to connect with people from all sorts of backgrounds and perspectives,” LeGrand says.

When LeGrand first met Boyd, he saw a likable, compassionate young man with an incredible ability to disarm anyone with a few words.

“Our friendship developed over time through college — based on our loyalty to our friendship and to the fraternity, an unspoken commitment to protect each other, a love of politics, a love of Imo’s Pizza, and a strong drive to be successful in our lives,” LeGrand says.

The great benefit of “America’s Got Talent” is that it showcased Boyd’s personality — his heart and soul — and not just his voice

“It was the perfect way to expose America to the real Neal E. Boyd — the same one I know.”

Officially, LeGrand resides in the Washington, D.C. area and works as a major fundraiser for the University of Maryland-College Park, with a specific emphasis on the West Coast. Because of his job’s focus in California, he was able to be there for much of the production and he was in the audience and behind the scenes for all but one of Boyd’s live “America’s Got Talent” episodes.

Boyd returns to the Southeast Missouri chapter at least twice a year, providing advice and support to the undergraduates.

“I can never forget becoming part of something that is bigger than you,” he says about joining Lambda Chi Alpha. “That’s why I always sign ‘In ZAX.’ It’s always great to go back.”

On October 25, 2008, Boyd did make a special return visit to Southeast Missouri to receive a Distinguished Service Award.

“I think this is going to be one of the best years of my life,” he told the crowd.”

The Next Chapter

The day after Boyd won “America’s Got Talent,” he, LeGrand, and his new management team from Octagon Music met with Epic Records to discuss a recording contract.

During the meeting, legendary manager Peter Rudge (The Rolling Stones, The Who, Duran Duran, Lynyrd Skynyrd) turned to LeGrand and said, “Are you interested in getting into the recording industry?”

“Without thinking about it I said back, ‘What I’m interested in is Neal’s success and happiness.’”

Today, Boyd is currently in the studio recording his album.