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Neal McCoy

Facts: Born Hubert Neal McGaughey, Jr. When he first got his record deal, Neal changed the spelling to McGoy, and then to McCoy. Hometown: Jacksonville, Texas. Resides: Longview, Texas. Birthdate: July 30, 1958. Height: 6 ft. l in. Parents: father Hubert Neal McGaughey and stepmother Dolores; mother Virginia McCoy and stepfather Don. "It's funny that I changed my name from McGaughey to McCoy for the sake of spelling and pronunciation...and then my mom married a guy named McCoy," Neal laughs. "Of course my stepdad loves it, because now people believe him when he says, 'That's my son.' My dad has a hard time convincing people he's my father because of the way I spell my last name." Heritage: Neal's father is a Texan of Irish decent and his mother is Filipino. He often refers to himself as a "Texapino." Influences: Charley Pride, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson. Favorite stage wear: Starched, pressed Wrangler jeans. Favorite road lunch: Double cheeseburger with mayonnaise and lettuce only. Skincare: "I've got a lot of wrinkles, and I think it's from smiling so much. At least that's what I write them off to." First concert: The Carpenters in Nacodoches, Texas.

Beginnings: McCoy got his start as an opening act for Charley Pride, soon earning his own slot on the show. "Charley was so good onstage, making people feel relaxed," McCoy recalls. "And offstage, he was still the same guy, very approachable. I tried to learn that from him."

Good deeds: Neal and his wife Melinda founded the East Texas Angel Network (ETAN) in 1995. The foundation provides financial assistance to families of children with serious illnesses. In its first few years, the organization raised over $700,000 for the children of East Texas.

Matchmaker: Neal introduced Bryan White to his wife, soap opera star Erika Page.

Smooth moves: "I like to move around when I sing. I guess that's why those 'groove" songs come natural to me."

Legacy: "I hope to teach my kids right from wrong, and teach them to have a decent attitude about life. I enjoy life, and I hope my kids will get that from me."

Philosophy: "Some people say, 'I don't care if they like me or not.' Not me! I want people to like me, and if they don't like me, I want to do something about it. And the way I'm able to do that is by singing and entertaining. It's the best way I know to get through to people. I am in this business to enjoy it, to have fun, to entertain people, and hopefully to make enough money to provide for my family. And thankfully, so far we've been able to do that."

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