Nolan Neal, ‘The Voice’ and ‘America’s Got Talent’ Contestant, Dies at 41
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Nolan Neal, a singer who competed on NBC’s “The Voice” and “America’s Got Talent,” has died. He was 41. The singer’s cousin, Dylan Seals, confirmed Neal’s passing with Variety. TMZ first reported Neal’s death. No official cause of death has been given. Neal had spoken openly in the past about his history of substance abuse and going to rehab to stay clean.
Nolan appeared on the 15th season of “America’s Got Talent,” auditioning with a song called “Lost” that he said was an original he wrote after getting clean. Nolan made it to the quarterfinals of the NBC competition series and performed another original song, “Send Me a Butterfly.”
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As a contestant on the 10th season of “The Voice,” Nolan was chosen to join Adam Levine’s team and made it to the knockout rounds before he was eliminated. All four judges turned their chairs for Neal during his audition, where he sang a cover of Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer.”
Neal was open about his struggles with substance addiction, once telling a local NBC affiliate, “I remember I got clean in 2010; May 15, went to rehab. Stayed clean. I joined the rock band Hinder, they were all about drinking and partying. This is not their fault. I had decided I wanted to drink like a normal person. I remember trying to be normal and fitting in. I remember going to a bar and ordering a drink. I tried to hide it. I remember pretending to be normal. I was just lying to myself telling myself that I could control it.”
During his time on “The Voice,” Neal said he was still battling his addiction. “I kind of lost my way on ‘The Voice’ and continued drinking,” Nolan said. “You can see it. I can see it.”
Neal was born in Nashville and raised in East Tennessee.
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