Neal Boyd belts out "All By Myself" on Heroes Night

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Sikeston, Mo., native Neal E. Boyd performed as one of the final 10 contestants on NBC's "America's Got Talent" Wednesday night. Tonight he'll find out if he stays in the live competition, or if he's sent home without the $1 million prize.

Boyd stepped out of his normal genre, taking on the pop song "All By Myself." All three judges said after the performance that Boyd started weak, but finished strong on the tune's bombastic climax.

All three - Sharon Osbourne, Piers Morgan and David Hasselhoff - commended the power of Boyd's voice when the singer unleashed his full tenor voice.

Morgan compared Boyd to a dormant volcano at first that exploded at the finish.

"Right now you're absolutely the frontrunner," Hasselhoff said.

But later on Morgan declared another contestant, soulful singer Queen Emily, as the leader of the competition. And similar praise followed by Nuttin' But Stringz, a brother duo that plays violin to hip hop backing music.

The show's theme was "Heroes Night," and Boyd dedicated his performance to one of his childhood heroes, former Sikeston choir director William Grega. Grega was the man who heard Boyd imitating Luciano Pavoratti as a student and convinced him to sing in the choir. Boyd, who labeled himself an unpopular "fat kid" as a child, said it was his singing prowess that finally made others accept him. Boyd would go on to study opera at Southeast Missouri State University and the University of Missouri.

Tonight, five of the final 10 will be eliminated, based on audience voting. The "America's Got Talent" results show airs at 7 p.m.