Living the Dream

Winning "America's Got Talent" is one thing. But doing it by singing an operatic aria -- a musical form not likely to be found on most Americans' iPods -- is something else entirely.

Yet, Neal E. Boyd pulled off that incongruous twofer dramatically on the 2008 edition of the NBC talent competition with his roof-raising, crowd-pleasing rendition of "Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot."

While Boyd doesn't want to spoil any surprises, he will allow that fans who attend his concert this weekend at the Las Vegas Hilton will hear him perform that unlikely now-favorite along, along with several other more contemporary, pop- and R&B-influenced numbers.

The show, on Valentine's Day, also will feature fellow "America's Got Talent" alumni Queen Emily and Eli Mattson and comedian Steve Bridges.

Since winning "America's Got Talent," Boyd has been touring and has released his first CD. For Boyd, it's still pretty heady stuff.

"It's very exciting," Boyd said during a recent telephone interview, particularly because, pre-"America's Got Talent," he was selling insurance and performing on the side, on weekends and at whatever events he could.

"I mean, it's been a very huge change from my normal routine, back when I was selling insurance, to now travel the country, release the CD and promote the CD," he said.

On that CD, "My American Dream," Boyd displays not only the pop opera stylings that won him the NBC competition, but contemporary songs influenced by his lifelong love of R&B, pop and classic rock.

This weekend's show will be Boyd's third appearance in Las Vegas. He already has played a date here as "America's Got Talent" winner, and performed on last year's Jerry Lewis muscular dystrophy telethon.

"I really didn't have a clue going into the show how successful it would become," Boyd said. "I wasn't expected to win.

"I'm a very competitive guy, so I enjoyed the process. But when you leave it up to America week to week, people's opinion changes."

Boyd, 34, grew up in rural Missouri, and from an early age dreamed of being able to "sing in front of large audiences and make people happy."

When he was about 13, Boyd's musical tastes took an atypical turn when he heard The Three Tenors and found himself taken with the lush, booming voices of Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras.

Boyd pursued his love of music, earning a bachelor's degree in music -- he also holds a bachelor's in speech communication and a master's in management -- and performing whenever he could, but also was practical enough to work up a Plan B, just in case. Thus, that insurance thing.

"I wanted to make sure I could make a living doing something, but, always, music was the dream," Boyd said. "I always knew that if the opportunity ever presented itself I had to be ready for it, I had to put my voice in the best professional shape I could. And, luckily, when the opportunity came, I was ready to perform.

"I've been working for a real long time. They say you're an overnight success, but people don't realize it took 20 years."

What was it that resonated with "America's Got Talent" viewers? "I wasn't really sure until I started to tour," Boyd replied.

But, while talking with fans, Boyd found that many were caught up in the stories about his family and his rural upbringing.

Many people assume that opera is "something more for the East and West coasts," Boyd said. "But they started to see this kid possess this talent and was able to nurture it who grew up in the heartland of America instead of Europe."

Boyd also enjoys the opportunity to develop "more of a pop classical sound, because of all the influences I had growing up. I did have influences in R&B and country music and contemporary music and pop music and things like that, and I like to incorporate that."

In concert, he noted, "I want to make sure I give them just enough of the opera, with 'Nessun Dorma.' But I like to bring out a lot of Broadway tunes, some of the big and bombastic (ones)."

In addition, Boyd will perform songs with a more popular, more contemporary lineage, noting that "one of the biggest songs on the CD is a remake of 'God Bless the USA.' "

Boyd said he'll probably begin work on his second CD about midyear, with the goal of a Christmas release. Meanwhile, upcoming concert dates will take Boyd to Japan, and he hopes to do another tour this year for the military.

He has discovered touring can be a grueling lifestyle. But, he said, "you kind of forget that when you're onstage and the audience is cheering you on. And, you know, one of the things I have found about my audiences is, they truly want me to do well and they like to see that big smile on my face.

"They like seeing how much I enjoy being up onstage. That's what I like."

Contact reporter John Przybys at jprzybys@review journal.com or 702-383-0280.