Sikeston, Mo., man performs on TV talent program

The producers of NBC's "America's Got Talent" thought enough of Sikeston's Neal E. Boyd to give him a long introductory segment telling his story of growing up poor in Southeast Missouri before making his performance the climax of this season's first show.

And the judges and audience in Los Angeles agreed.

Boyd performed at the end of a program that featured everything from dueling hip-hop violinists to male Britney Spears impersonators. After the tenor sang, judge David Hasselhoff said, "Right now you are the frontrunner" of the competition.

The audience gave Boyd a standing ovation.

Next he'll move on to Las Vegas to continue the competition and have a chance at $1 million and his own Vegas show.

<form method="post" action="http://www.semissourian.com/scripts/poll/vote.php">Did you watch Neal Boyd on "America's Got Talent" Tuesday night?&nbsp;Yes

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