10.01.2008 9:40 pm
Has Neal E. Boyd got ‘Talent’? Oh, yeah!
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Congratulations, Neal E. Boyd! After an agonizing hour of filler and manufactured suspense Wednesday night, our guy Neal was announced as the $1 million winner of “America’s Got Talent.”
It came down to him and Eli Mattson, with just one-half of 1 percent separating the two in the voting; the closest result ever, host Jerry Springer said.
Neal cried, as he always does; his friends from Sikeston and St. Louis and even Mizzou were in the audience, cheering and hugging. The Las Vegas gig that’s part of the prize is Oct. 17; the $1 million isn’t as much as it sounds like, since it’s delivered as a 40-year annuity (just $25,000 a year?)
But hey, he’s the winner, and his hero Placido Domingo sent him a message of congratulations. So yay Neal!
Neal is fantastic and great singer
I thought this was the best year ever of America’s Got Talent. The final 5 talents in the finale were GREAT! This was a difficult year to pick a favorite. I think all 5 final standing talents will have a future. I will look for their CD’s in the stores!
40 year annuity??? You’ve got to be kidding!! That’s just plain WRONG!! What if the Sinatra impersonator had won? Excuse me for whinning but we sat through a series of 20 commercials (can you say “MEGA BUX”?) between EVERY act and the prize money is ammortized of a freaking 40 years!? $25K is chump change. Try getting even a washed up 80’s hair spray band to play at your birthday bash for $25,000! Not only did I predict that Neal would win (when I first heard him), I also predicted the other 4 AND the order in which they would place. I also said that the difference between Neal and Eli would be miniscule. Just for the record (not that anyone gives a ratsass) I also predicted Buddy Jewell would win the first Nashville Star and Brad Cotter the second time. I also got this years “star” too but that’s a stretch calling her a star. At least the judges were top shelf this year and they finally gave Anastasia Brown the boot. I also picked Terry Fater last year on AGT. My most sincere congrats to Neal E. Boyd, the man that gave me three layers of goose bumps the first time I heard him!! I told my wife last week (after it was down to the top 5), “Neal Boyd is a national treasure!”. Yep, I said that. No, I’m not psychic; I’m a musician and a darn good judge of talent. I can’t wait for Eli Mattson’s first album!! He has such a great and distinctively different voice, one that I could listen to for a whole album and not get tired, and he’s a great pianist too as well as a writer. Queen E is right there too but the last two shows she botched her choice of songs; she should have done something Motown, up tempo; she totally rocked my world the first time out. I’m sure Donald Braswell will get a record deal too; he’s very deserving of it. Nutin’ but strings? Well… I just thought they had a lot more fluff than stuff - good but not great. Everybody thinks that Pierce Morgan is a total A-hole but I see him as a very straight shooting man with the balls to stand up to morons and less discriminating people. I watched him in Celebrity Apprentice and, even though I thought he screwed over Trace Adkins by getting such a huge donation from his Brit bud, Simon Crowell, he still won; that’s the rules. I would have liked Trace to win because of the way he played but that’s just life.
You’ve seen nothing from this man till you have seen him in person. In 2001 he did his internship here in Sikeston. He was my choir teacher. To see his passion of music for just those few short weeks was enough to move anyone. He is a great and talented singer and will do bigger and better things. Go Neal Sikeston is proud of you.
Wonderful He was over the top I am so glad he won
Now living in North Carolina, but born and raised in St. Louis, married a man from Poplar Bluff, and still have two grown children in the Bluff, I am ALWAYS proud when someone from MO does something fantastic. Contgratulations!
I now live in North Carolina but was born and raised in St. Louis. I married a man from Poplar Bluff and have two grown children living in the Bluff. I am always very PROUD AND HAPPY for anyone from MO that accomplishes a lifelong dream. Way to go!
Congradulations Neal! You had my votes from the beginning! When you won, I yelled and cheered more than I did when “The Bears” won the Super Bowl!
A hard working guy trying to make the most out of his life has made a miracle come true ,the voice that will rock the world with his talented voice and he is who he is and Neal will go on touching our hearts as the great Luciano Pavorotti did ,but Neal you deserve nothing but the best and you are the best and from all of our heart congradulation,we all cannot wait till you CD come out because it will be a sell out your we will be waiting ,so let the emotions out an may god bless you and your mother
Hello Neal,
I just want to congratulate you for the talent that God has given you.You have an outstanding voice and make a use to spread the word of God to this world that we live in.Im trying to listen to your music,but other people around the world are listening too.I would appreciate if you can keep me posted of any Gospel music,or if you can forward me all of your Gospel music,especially Amazing Grace.Thank you for your time,and God Bless you and your family.