
Neil
Diamond
Neil Diamond (born Neil Leslie Diamond on January
24, 1941) is an American singer/songwriter who has had a number
of hits in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, and who has maintained
a very loyal following with popular live performances to this
day.
Diamond was born and raised in Brooklyn, attending
high school with Barbra Streisand (and singing with her in the
school choir). He learned to play guitar after receiving one
as a gift on his 16th birthday.
He spent his early career as a writer in the Brill
Building, and had an early success writing the song "I'm
A Believer" for The Monkees.
When he first auditioned to record, he used the
moniker Eice Cherry, but the name did not stick, so he eventually
used his real name.
He signed a deal with Bang! Records, and had a
string of singles as the primary performer, including "Kentucky
Woman", "Cherry, Cherry", and "Solitary
Man".
He moved to Los Angeles, California in 1970, and
signed a deal with MCA Records (then called Uni Records). His
sound mellowed, with such songs as "Sweet Caroline"
and "Song Sung Blue". "Sweet Caroline" has
since become a rallying cry of Red Sox Nation, however unlikely
this may seem.
In 1973, Diamond hopped labels again, this time
to Columbia Records, where he recorded the soundtrack to Jonathan
Livingston Seagull. In 1974, he released the album Serenade
(songs: "Longfellow Serenade", "I've Been This
Way Before"). In 1976, he released Beautiful Noise, produced
by The Band's Robbie Robertson.
In 1977, Niel released an album I'm Glad You're
Here With Me Tonight, which included the track "You Don't
Bring Me Flowers". The song was covered by Barbra Streisand
on her album Songbird, which led one disc jockey to combine
the two in a virtual duet. The popularity of the virtual duet
motivated Diamond and Streisand to record the real thing, which
became a very large hit in 1978. A movie version of the song
(starring Diamond and Streisand) was planned, but plans fell
through when Diamond starred in a remake of the Al Jolson classic
The Jazz Singer in 1980, opposite Sir Laurence Olivier and Lucie
Arnaz. Though the movie was not a blockbuster hit at the box
office, the soundtrack was a hugely successful album, spawning
the singles "America", "Love On The Rocks",
and "Hello Again". This would be the apex of his recording
career.
In 2000, he was awarded the Sammy Cahn Lifetime
Achievement Award by the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Today, Diamond continues to tour, and still releases
new studio and live compilation box sets of his greatest hits,
and most recently recorded an album of movie songs. Members
of his family now perform in his back-up band.
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