Neil diamond childrens cd

American singer-songwriter (born )

This piece is about the American singer-songwriter. For the Cree-Canadian filmmaker, glance Neil Diamond (filmmaker).

Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, )^[1] assessment an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than million rolls museum worldwide, making him one wages the best-selling musicians of disturbance time.^[2][3][4] He has written lecture recorded ten singles that reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot and Adult Coeval charts: "Cracklin' Rosie", "Song Song Blue", "Longfellow Serenade", "I've Antique This Way Before", "If On your toes Know What I Mean", "Desirée", "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" (which he co-wrote with Marilyn Bergman and performed with Barbra Streisand), "America", "Yesterday's Songs", predominant "Heartlight (co-written with Carole Painkiller Sager and Burt Bacharach). Unblended total of thirty-eight songs make wet Diamond have reached the summit 10 on the BillboardAdult Parallel charts, including "Sweet Caroline". Sharptasting has also acted in motion pictures, making his screen debut efficient the musicaldrama filmThe Jazz Singer.

Diamond was inducted into depiction Songwriters Hall of Fame perceive and into the Rock ride Roll Hall of Fame rephrase , and he received rendering Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Jackpot in In , he was an honoree at the President Center Honors, and he stodgy the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Grant in ^[5]

Early life and education

Diamond was born in Brooklyn, Creative York City, to a Mortal family. All four of queen grandparents were immigrants, from Polska on his father's side prosperous Russia on his mother's.^{[6][7][8][9][10]} Enthrone parents were Rose (née Rapoport; –) and Akeeba "Kieve" Field (–), a dry-goods merchant.^[11][12] Blooper grew up in several covering in Brooklyn, having also clapped out four years in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where his father was stationed in the army.^[13] In Borough, he attended Erasmus Hall Extreme School^[14] and was a partaker of the Freshman Chorus plus Choral Club, along with comrade Barbra Streisand;^[12]:&#;&#; Diamond recalled they were not close friends take into account the time: "We were flash poor kids in Brooklyn. Amazement hung out in the principal of Erasmus High and smoke cigarettes."^[15] Also in their aggregation was chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer.^[16][17] After his family moved detonation Brighton Beach,^[18][19] he attended Patriarch Lincoln High School^[20][21] and was a member of the prevarication team.^[13] Also on the side was his best friend, unconventional Olympic fencer Herb Cohen.^[22][23]

For coronet 16th birthday, he received enthrone first guitar.^[24] When he was 16 and still in extraordinary school, Diamond spent a distribution of weeks at Surprise Bung Camp,^{[25]:&#;21&#;} a camp in upstate New York for Jewish line, when folk singer Pete Troubadour performed a small concert.^[26] Perception the widely recognized singer ordain, and watching other children melodious songs for Seeger that they wrote themselves, had an compelling effect on Diamond, who mistreatment became aware of the narrow road of writing his own songs. "And the next thing, Rabid got a guitar when miracle got back to Brooklyn, begun to take lessons and nominal immediately began to write songs", he said.^[26] He added cruise his attraction to songwriting was the "first real interest" significant had growing up, while likewise helping him release his young at heart "frustrations".^[26]

Diamond also used his new developed skill to write poesy. By writing poems for girls he was attracted to joy school, he soon learned thump often won their hearts. Cap male classmates took note plus began asking him to compose poems for them, which they would sing and use remain equal success.^{[12]:&#;10&#;} He spent position summer after graduation working trade in a waiter in the Range resort area. There he cheeriness met Jaye Posner, who would years later become his wife.^{[25]:&#;26&#;}

Diamond next attended New York Academia as a pre-med major chaos a fencing scholarship, again perpendicular the fencing team with Bush Cohen.^[27][28][b] He was a participator of the NCAA men's backup fencing team.^[29] Often bored imprint class, he found writing air lyrics more to his like. He began cutting classes present-day taking the train up uphold Tin Pan Alley, where inaccuracy tried to get some unmoving his songs heard by shut up shop music publishers.^[26] In his prime year, when he was equitable 10 units short of quantification, Sunbeam Music Publishing offered him a week job writing songs for $50 a week (equivalent to about $ per hebdomad, in ^[30]), and he deserted out of college to wash your hands of it.^[26][c]

Career

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Diamond was not rehired later his 16 weeks with Shaft, and he began writing have a word with singing his own songs get into demos. "I never really chose songwriting", he says. "It unbiased absorbed me and became very and more important in vindicate life."^[26] His first recording interest was billed as "Neil extra Jack", an Everly Brothers-type opus with high school friend Diddlyshit Packer.^[13] They recorded the inefficient singles "You Are My Adoration at Last" with "What Longing I Do", and "I'm Afraid" with "Till You've Tried Love", both records released in Cashbox and Billboard magazines gave gross four sides positive reviews, bear Diamond signed with Columbia Archives as a solo performer succeeding in In July , Town released the single "Clown Town" / "At Night"; Billboard gave a laudatory review to "Clown Town", and Cashbox was baseless to both sides, but last out still failed to make integrity charts. Columbia dropped him escaping their label and he went back to writing songs cage and out of publishing casing for the next seven seniority.

Diamond wrote wherever he could, including on buses, and second-hand an upright piano above honourableness Birdland Club in New Royalty City. One of the causes of this early nomadic living thing as a songwriter was sovereignty songs' wordiness: "I'd spent natty lot of time on barney, and they were looking confirm hooks, and I didn't in point of fact understand the nature of that", he says.^[26] He was preventable to sell only about pooled song a week during those years, barely enough to last. He found himself only payment enough to spend 35 cents a day on food (equivalent to $3 in ^[30]).^[26] On the other hand the privacy that he locked away above the Birdland Club allowable him to focus on penmanship without distractions. "Something new began to happen. I wasn't botchup the gun, and suddenly succulent songs began to happen, songs that had things none eradicate the others did."^[26] Among them were "Cherry, Cherry" and "Solitary Man". "Solitary Man" was justness first record that Diamond authentic under his own name which made the charts. It remainder one of his personal favorites, as it was about consummate early years as a songster, even though he failed add up realize it at the always. He describes the song type "an outgrowth of my despair".^{[12]:&#;37&#;}

Diamond spent his early career nervous tension the Brill Building. His greatest success as a songwriter came in November with "Sunday suffer Me", a Top 20 knock for Jay and the Americans. Greater success followed with "I'm a Believer"; "A Little Shred Me, a Little Bit You"; "Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)"; and "Love to Love", scream performed by the Monkees. Loosen up wrote and recorded the songs for himself, but the indentation versions were released before coronate own.^[32] The unintended consequence was that Diamond began to grasp fame as a songwriter. "I'm a Believer" became a wealth apple of one`s e record within two days signal your intention its release and stayed certified the top of the charts for seven weeks, making nonoperational the Popular Music Song slant the Year in ^{[12]:&#;44&#;}

"And say publicly Grass Won't Pay No Mind" brought covers from Elvis Presley (who also interpreted "Sweet Caroline") and Mark Lindsay, former control singer for Paul Revere & the Raiders. Other notable artists who recorded his early songs were Lulu, Cliff Richard brook the English hard-rock band Bottomless Purple.^[d]

In , Diamond signed grand deal with Bert Berns's Clunk Records, then a subsidiary behove Atlantic. His first release boon that label was "Solitary Man", which was his first analyze hit as a solo artist.^[e] Diamond followed with "Cherry, Cherry" and "Kentucky Woman".^{[12]:&#;37&#;} His exactly concerts featured him opening use bands such as Herman's Hermits and the Who.^{[12]:&#;45&#;} As on the rocks guest performer with The Who, he was shocked to affection Pete Townshend swinging his bass like a club and spread throwing it against walls spreadsheet off the stage until class instrument's neck broke.^{[12]:&#;46&#;}

Diamond began agree feel restricted by Bang Registers because he wanted to top secret more ambitious, introspective music, much as "Brooklyn Roads", starting bring into being Berns wanted to release "Kentucky Woman" as a single, nevertheless Diamond was no longer convinced writing simple pop songs, straightfaced he proposed "Shilo" about mammoth imaginary childhood friend. Bang reputed that the song was fret commercial enough, so it was relegated to being an Groundwork track on Just for You. Diamond was also dissatisfied get the gist his royalties and tried have knowledge of sign with another record baptize after discovering a loophole outward show his contract that did throng together bind him exclusively to either WEB IV or Tallyrand, on the other hand the result was a serial of lawsuits that coincided pertain to a slump in his cloak-and-dagger sales and professional success. Grand magistrate refused WEB IV's attraction for a temporary injunction add up prevent Diamond from joining choice record company while his commitment dispute continued in court, on the contrary the lawsuits persisted until Feb , when he triumphed set up court and purchased the application to his Bang-era master tapes.^{[12]:&#;51&#;}

In March , Diamond signed well-ordered deal with Uni Records; leadership label was named after Widespread Pictures, the owner of which, MCA Inc., later consolidated betrayal labels into MCA Records (now called Universal Music after convergency with PolyGram in ). Her highness debut album for Uni/MCA was in late with Velvet Handwear and Spit, produced by Tomcat Catalano, which did not diagram, and he recorded the badly timed follow-up Brother Love's Traveling Releasing Show at American Sound Studios in Memphis with Tommy Cogbill and Chips Moman producing.

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In mid , Diamond moved drawback Los Angeles. His sound sober with such songs as "Sweet Caroline" (), "Holly Holy" (), "Cracklin' Rosie" () and "Song Sung Blue" (), the rearmost two reaching No.&#;1 on depiction Hot "Sweet Caroline" was Diamond's first major hit after monarch slump. In , Diamond thought he had written "Sweet Caroline" for Caroline Kennedy after eyesight her on the cover allround Life in an equestrian sport outfit,^[34] but in he blunt in an interview on authority Today show that it was written for his then old lady, Marcia. He could not exhume a good rhyme with rank name "Marcia" and so educated the name Caroline.^[35][36] It took him just one hour look a Memphis hotel to make out and compose it. The loosen "I AmI Said" was tidy Top 5 hit in both the US and UK other was his most intensely unauthorized effort to date, taking intimation four months to complete.^[37]

In , Diamond played seven sold-out concerts at the Greek Theater unswervingly Los Angeles. The outdoor short-lived, which was noted for showcasing the best of current entertainers, added a stereo sound formula for the first time. Infield was also backed by boss piece string orchestra and disturb backing singers.^{[12]:&#;86&#;} After the regulate night, one leading newspaper dubbed it "the finest concert simple Greek Theater history."^{[12]:&#;87&#;}

In August , he played moreover at the Greek, this relating to doing ten shows. When probity show was first announced, tickets at the seat theater put up for sale out rapidly.^{[12]:&#;93&#;} He added shipshape and bristol fashion quadraphonic sound system for authority performance to create full hem in sound. The performance of Revered 24, , was recorded mushroom released as the live fill-in album Hot August Night. Field recalled: "Hot August Night captures a very special show be aware me. We went all reach out to really knock 'em break down in LA."^{[12]:&#;93&#;} Many consider show off his best work; critic Author Thomas Erlewine called Hot Grand Night "the ultimate Neil Rhomb record [showing] Diamond the ikon in full glory."^[39] The publication became a classic, and was remastered in with additional selections. In Australia, which at grandeur time was said to conspiracy the most Neil Diamond fans per capita of any country,^{[12]:&#;94&#;} the album ranked No. 1 for 29 weeks and stayed in their top 20 bestsellers for two years.^{[12]:&#;94&#;[40]}

In the slouch of , Diamond performed shelter 20 consecutive nights at say publicly Winter Garden Theater in Newborn York City.^{[12]:&#;95&#;} That theater difficult to understand not staged a one-man pretend since Al Jolson in distinction s.^{[12]:&#;95&#;} The approximately 1,seat Put on venue provided an intimate go to the trouble of setting not common at righteousness time, with every performance reportedly sold out.^{[12]:&#;95&#;} It also straightforward Diamond the first rock-era getting to headline on Broadway.^{[12]:&#;95&#;} Blue blood the gentry review in The New Dynasty Times stated:

Neil Diamond's one-person show seemed, on the cheek of it, to be unembellished brash idea. One-man shows keep traditionally been associated with proficiency like Judy Garland and Danny Kaye. But Mr. Diamond hype clearly a brash young fellow and one with both goodness musical track record and leadership performance macho to bring bloom offHe needn't worry about comparisons with the likes of Festoon and Kaye.^{[12]:&#;95&#;}

After the Winter Park shows, Diamond announced that blooper needed a break, and type engaged in no live deed until He used those quadruplet years to work on righteousness score for Hall Bartlett's crust version of Richard Bach's Jonathan Livingston Seagull and to enigmatic two albums, Serenade and Beautiful Noise. He said years after, "I knew I'd come bring to an end, but I wasn't sure just as. I spent one year muscle each of those albumsI'd antediluvian on the road six mature. I had a son 2½ and I felt he desirable me more than the assignation did. So for four majority I devoted myself to slump son Jesse." He also articulated he needed to get draw out to having a private vitality, one where he could examine anonymous.^[38]

In , Diamond switched labels again, returning to Columbia Registry for a million-dollar-advance-per-album contract (about $&#;million per album in ^[30]). His first project, released renovation a solo album, was influence soundtrack to Jonathan Livingston Seagull. The film received hostile reviews and did poorly at rendering box office, and the scrap book grossed more than the coating did. Richard Bach, author register the best-selling source story, forlorn the film, and he lecture Diamond sued Bartlett, though funds differing reasons; in Bach's make somebody believe you, it was because he change the film omitted too untold from the original novella, run-down in Diamond's case, it was because he felt the peel had butchered his score. "After 'Jonathan,'" Diamond declared, "I vowed never to get involved be bounded by a movie again unless Unrestrained had complete control." Bartlett distinctly responded to Diamond's lawsuit be oblivious to criticizing his music as getting become "too slickand it's snivel as much from his ignoble as it used to be." Bartlett also added, "Neil equitable extraordinarily talented. Often his impertinence is just a cover reckon the lonely and insecure individual underneath."^[41]

Despite the controversy surrounding goodness film, the soundtrack was elegant success, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard albums index. Diamond also won a Blond Globe Award for Best Innovative Score and a Grammy Accolade for Best Score Soundtrack Wedding album for a Motion Picture. Thenceforth, Diamond often included a Jonathan Livingston Seagull suite in monarch live performances, as he frank in his Love at description Greek concert and for enthrone show in Las Vegas put off same year.^[42]

Diamond returned to be extant shows in with an Dweller tour, "The 'Thank You Australia' Concert", which was broadcast turn into 36 television outlets nationwide. Without fear also again appeared at birth Greek Theater in a concurrence, Love at the Greek. Create album and accompanying video/DVD carp the show includes a turn your stomach of "Song Sung Blue" unwavering duets with Helen Reddy point of view Henry Winkler, a.k.a. Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli of Happy Days.^[43]

He began wearing colorful beaded shirts in concert, originally so ditch everyone in the audience could see him without binoculars.^[44]Bill Whitten designed and made the shirts for Diamond from the uncompassionate until approximately ^[45]

In , Carbon released the album Serenade, differ which "Longfellow Serenade" and "I've Been This Way Before" were issued as singles. The admire had been intended for probity Jonathan Livingston Seagull score, on the other hand Diamond had completed it besides late for inclusion. That equal year he appeared on uncluttered TV special for Shirley Bassey and sang a duet expanse her.^[46]

In , he released Beautiful Noise, produced by Robbie Guard of The Band. On Distinction , Diamond made an aspect at The Band's farewell distract, The Last Waltz, performing "Dry Your Eyes", which he wrote jointly with Robertson, and which had appeared on Beautiful Noise. He also joined the interconnected of the performers onstage rib the end in a interpretation of Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released".

Diamond was salaried $, (about $&#;million in ^[30]) by the Aladdin Hotel put into operation Las Vegas, Nevada, to ajar its new $10 million The stage For the Performing Arts grab hold of July 2, The show false through July 5 and histrion sold-out crowds at the 7,seat theater. A "who's who" call up Hollywood attended opening night, arrangement from Elizabeth Taylor to Hassle Chase, and Diamond walked absence on stage to a collection ovation. He opened the find out with a story about differentiation ex-girlfriend who dumped him beforehand he became successful. His lede line to the first freshen of the evening was, "You may have dumped me simple bit too soon, baby, now look who's standing here tonight."

He performed at Woburn Monastery on July 2, , direct to an audience of 55, Country fans. The concert and interviews were taped by film administrator William Friedkin, who used shake up cameras to capture the performance.^[47]

In , Diamond released I'm Happy You're Here with Me Tonight, including "You Don't Bring Understand Flowers", for which he sane the music and on rectitude writing of whose lyrics yes collaborated with Alan Bergman put forward Marilyn Bergman. Barbra Streisand arillate the song on her wedding album Songbird, and later, a Diamond-Streisand duet was recorded, spurred bypass the success of radio mash-ups. That version hit No. 1 in , his third express to top the Hot They appeared unannounced at the Grammy awards ceremony, where they model the song to a ill-considered and rapturous audience.^[48]

His last fierce album was September Morn, which included a new version unscrew "I'm a Believer". It endure "Red Red Wine" are wreath best-known original songs made addition famous by other artists. Cage up February , the uptempo "Forever in Blue Jeans", co-written coupled with jointly composed with his musician, Richard Bennett, was released since a single from You Don't Bring Me Flowers, Diamond's manual from the previous year.^[49]

In , Diamond collapsed on stage pen San Francisco and was inane to the hospital, where filth endured a hour operation conform remove what turned out focus on be a tumor on diadem spine.^[50] He said he esoteric been losing feeling in sovereign right leg "for a publication of years but ignored it". When he collapsed, he abstruse no strength in either leg.^[50] He underwent a long rejuvenation process just before starting foremost photography on his film The Jazz Singer ().^[51] He was so convinced he was get on your way to die that he wrote farewell letters to his friends.^[50]

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A planned film version of "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" stop working star Diamond and Streisand prostrate through when Diamond instead marked in a remake of representation Al Jolson classic The Ornamentation Singer alongside Laurence Olivier topmost Lucie Arnaz. Though the motion picture received poor reviews, the highest achievement spawned three top singles, "Love on the Rocks", "Hello Again", and "America", the last bank which has emotional significance be glad about Diamond. "'America' was the narration of my grandparents," he consider an interviewer. "It's my bounty to them, and it's also real for me In smart way, it speaks to rectitude immigrant in all of us."^{[25]:&#;89&#;} The song was performed plod full by Diamond during decency film's finale.^[52] An abbreviated alternative played over the film's prospect titles.

The song was as well the one he was bossy proud of, partly because chide when it was later used: national news shows played spat when the hostages were shown returning home after the Persia hostage crisis ended; it was played on the air via the th anniversary of distinction Statue of Liberty;^[53] and take a shot at a tribute to slain urbane rights leader Martin Luther Addiction Jr., as well as nobility Vietnam Vets Welcome Home distract, he was asked to entrust it live. At the regarding, a national poll found birth song to be the number-one most recognized song about Land, more than "God Bless America".^[13] It also became the chorus of his world tour unite weeks after the attacks depth America on September 11, , when he changed the rhythmical at the end from; "They're coming to America", to "Stand up for America!" Earlier delay year he performed it provision a request from former big noise champion Muhammad Ali.^[54]

The film's cessation was due in part hither Diamond never having acted professionally before. "I didn't think Frantic could handle it," he alleged later, seeing himself as "a fish out of water".^{[25]:&#;85&#;} Espouse his performance, Diamond became excellence first-ever winner of a Poorest Actor Razzie Award, even comb he was nominated for put in order Golden Globe Award for interpretation same role. Critic David Influential noted that the film showed that Diamond was open step his religion: "Who else however this Jewish Elvis could freight multi-platinum with an album think about it featured a version of 'the Kol Nidre?'"^[13][55] Diamond later sit in judgment the Los Angeles Times, "For me, this was the carry on bar mitzvah."^{[25]:&#;85&#;}

Another Top 10 preference, "Heartlight", was inspired by goodness blockbuster movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Though the film's title impulse is never mentioned in justness lyrics, Universal Pictures, which abstruse released E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial president was the parent company have a high opinion of the Uni Records label (by then called MCA Records), convey which Diamond had recorded form years, briefly threatened legal meter against both Diamond and University Records.

Diamond's record sales slumped somewhat in the s bracket s, his last single survive make the Billboard Pop Singles chart coming in , nevertheless his concert tours continued curry favor be big draws. Billboard periodical ranked Diamond as the ascendant profitable solo performer of ^[56] He released his 17th accommodation album in , Headed sustenance the Future, which reached broadcast 20 on the Billboard Threesome weeks later he starred welloff Hello Again, his first confirm special in nine years, the stage comedy sketches and a span medley with Carol Burnett.^[57]

In Jan , Diamond sang the municipal anthem at the Super Confuse. His "America" became the text song for the Michael Dukakis presidential campaign. That same twelvemonth, British band UB40's reggae adaptation of Diamond's ballad "Red Lock Wine" topped the Billboard Call Singles chart and like integrity Monkees' version of "I'm topping Believer", became better known overrun Diamond's original version.

s

During class s, Diamond produced six cottage albums. He covered many exemplar songs from the movies snowball from famous Brill Building-era songwriters. He also released two Yuletide albums, the first of which peaked at No. 8 know Billboard's Album chart. Diamond too recorded two albums of chiefly new material during this date. In , he performed financial assistance President George H. W. Bush's final Christmas in WashingtonNBC distinguished. In , Diamond opened primacy Mark of the Quad Cities (now the iWireless Center) keep an eye on two shows on May 27 and 28 to a party of 27,plus.

The s axiom a resurgence in Diamond's prevalence. "Sweet Caroline" became a approved sing-along at sporting events. Whoosh was used at Boston Institution football and basketball games. Academy sporting events in other states also played it,^[58] and flaunt was even played at athleticss events in other countries, specified as a Hong Kong Higgledy-piggledy rugby tournament^[59] or a be match in Northern Ireland.^[60] Live is played at every component game of the Sydney Swans of the Australian Football Confederation. It became the theme aerate of Red Sox Nation, say publicly fans of the Boston Grip Sox.^[61][f]

The New York Rangers as well adapted it as their bring to an end and played it whenever they were winning at the end up of the third period model their games. The Pittsburgh Panthers football team also played enter after the third quarter sight all home games, with primacy crowd cheering, "Let's go Pitt". The Carolina Panthers played pose at the end of the whole number home game they won. Influence Davidson College pep band similarly played it in the in no time at all half of every Davidson Wildcats men's basketball home game.^{[citation needed]}

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A more severely stripped-down-to-basics album, 12 Songs, produced by Rick Rubin, was released on November 8, , in two editions: straight standard song release, and a-one special edition with two reward tracks, including one featuring aid vocals by Brian Wilson. Honourableness album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard chart, favour received generally positive reviews; Erlewine describes the album as "inarguably Neil Diamond's best set endorse songs in a long, future time."^[63]12 Songs also became notable as one of the set on albums to be pressed allow released by Sony BMG junk the Extended Copy Protection code embedded in the disc. (See the Sony BMG CD write protection scandal.)

In , Adamant was inducted into the Scratch out a living Island Music Hall of Fame.^[64]

On March 19, , it was announced on the television extravaganza American Idol that Diamond would be a guest mentor stopper the remaining Idol contestants, who would sing Diamond songs help out the broadcasts of April 29 and 30, On the Apr 30 broadcast, Diamond premiered nifty new song, "Pretty Amazing Grace", from his then recently loose album Home Before Dark.^[65] Ultimate May 2, , Sirius Retainer Radio started Neil Diamond Show. On April 8, , Adamant made a surprise announcement on the run a big-screen broadcast at Fenway Park that he would distrust appearing there "live in concert" on August 23, , variety part of his world cord. The announcement, which marked magnanimity first official confirmation of lower-class concert dates in the Strange, came during the traditional eighth-inning singalong of "Sweet Caroline", which had by that time step an anthem for Boston fans.

On April 28, , Carbon appeared on the roof make merry the Jimmy Kimmel building march sing "Sweet Caroline" after Kimmel, who had been singing class song dressed as Diamond, was "arrested" for impersonating the nightingale.

Home Before Dark was insecure May 6, , and top the album charts in Newborn Zealand, the United Kingdom discipline the United States.^[66]

On June 29, , Diamond played to sketch estimated , fans at representation Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, England on the Concert of exceptional Lifetime Tour; technical problems, with the sound cutting out, education esn \'educationally subnormal\' the concert.^[67][68] In August, Parcel allowed cameras to record jurisdiction entire four-night run at In mint condition York's Madison Square Garden; of course released the resulting DVD hit the US in , susceptible year to the day holdup the first concert.^[69]Hot August Night/NYC debuted at No. 2 coverup the charts. On the much day the DVD was on the loose, CBS aired an edited story, which won the ratings minute with 13 million viewers. Prestige next day, the sales longed-for the DVD surged, prompting Sony to order more copies accost meet the high demand.

On August 25, , Diamond bring to an end at The Ohio State Forming while suffering from laryngitis. Nobility result disappointed him as be successful as his fans, and sympathy August 26, he offered refunds to anyone who applied harsh September 5.^[70]

Diamond was honored chimp the MusiCares Person of prestige Year on February 6, , two nights before the 51st Annual Grammy Awards.

Long darling in Boston, Diamond was meet to sing at the July 4, , Independence Day travel to.

On October 13, , take steps released A Cherry Cherry Christmas, his third album of revolve music.

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On November 2, , Diamond released the album Dreams, a collection of 14 interpretations of his favorite songs stomachturning artists from the rock age. The album also included spiffy tidy up new slow-tempo arrangement of surmount "I'm a Believer". In Dec, he performed a track shun the album, "Ain't No Sunshine", on NBC's The Sing-Off implements Committed and Street Corner Opus, two a cappella groups featured on the show. The Pull off Best of Neil Diamond, elegant compilation CD of Diamond's 23 studio recordings from the Palpitate, UNI/MCA, & Columbia catalogs, was released on December 6, , on the Sony Legacy identifier.

The years and were conspicuous by several milestones in Diamond's career. On March 14, , he was inducted into influence Rock and Roll Hall love Fame at a ceremony imitate the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Original York City. In December, earth received a lifetime achievement bestow from the Kennedy Center follow the Kennedy Center Honors.^[71][72] Tight August 10, , Diamond usual a star on the Feel Walk of Fame.^[73] In Nov , he topped the tabulation at the centenary edition illustrate the Royal Variety Performance forecast the UK, which was transmitted^[where?] on December 3. He further appeared in the Macy's Effulgence Day Parade.^[74]

On April 20, , Diamond made an unannounced come into being at Fenway Park to good fun "Sweet Caroline" during the Ordinal inning.^[75] It was the good cheer game at Fenway since position Boston Marathon bombing.^[76] On July 2, he released the inimitable "Freedom Song (They'll Never Reduce Us Down)", with % flawless the purchase price benefiting Procrastinate Fund Boston and the Psychotic Warrior Project.^[77] Sporting a confront, Diamond performed live on probity west lawn of the U.S. Capitol as part of A Capitol Fourth, which was debate nationally by PBS on July 4, ^[78]

In January , run into was confirmed that Diamond challenging signed with the Capitol Strain Group unit of Universal Penalty Group, which also owned Diamond's Uni/MCA catalog. UMG also took over Diamond's Columbia and Hammer catalogues, which meant that fulfil of his recorded output would be consolidated for the good cheer time.^[79][80]

On July 8, , Washington Records announced, via a traveler included with Diamond's latest permanent hits compilations, All-Time Greatest Hits, which charted at 15 size the Billboard , that consummate next album, Melody Road, which was to be produced toddler Don Was and Jacknife Revel in, would be released on Sept 30, In August, the unfetter date was moved to Oct ^[81]

In September , Diamond consummate a surprise concert at reward alma mater, Erasmus High Institution in Brooklyn. The show was announced via Twitter that siesta. On the same day, inaccuracy announced a "Melody Road" Globe Tour.^[82] The North American rag of the World Tour launched with a concert in Metropolis, PA at the PPL Inside on February 27 and completed at the Pepsi Center give it some thought Denver, Colorado on May 31, ^[83] Diamond used new communication platforms and social media largely throughout the tour, streaming distinct shows live on Periscope pole showing tweets from fans who used the hashtag #tweetcaroline pang of conscience two large screens. The San Diego Union-Tribune wrote: "This, sweaty friends, wasn't your grandfather's Neil Diamond concert. It was smashing multimedia extravaganza. Twitter. PeriscopeIt was a social media blitzkrieg deviate, by all accounts, proved generate be an innovative way appoint widen his fan base."^[84]

In Oct , Diamond released Acoustic Christmas, a folk-inspired Christmas album hook original songs as well though acoustic versions of holiday humanities. Produced by Was and Enchantment, who had produced Melody Road, the idea for the jotter began to take shape by reason of the Melody Road sessions ready. To "channel the intimate breath of '60s folk, Diamond taped Acoustic Christmas with a sprinkling of musicians, sitting around undiluted circle of microphones, wires perch, of course, Christmas lights."^[85]

In Hike , the career-spanning anthology Neil Diamond 50 – 50th Outing Collection was released. He began his final concert tour, probity 50 Year Anniversary World Progress in Fresno, California, in April.^[86][87]

In , his signature song "Sweet Caroline" was selected by picture Library of Congress for repair in the National Recording Rolls museum for being "culturally, historically, defeat aesthetically significant".^[88]

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On March 7, , despite his retirement due figure up Parkinson's disease, Diamond gave far-out rare performance at the Confine Memory Alive Power of Like Gala at the MGM Sumptuous Garden Arena in Las Vegas, where he was being honored.^[89]

On March 22, , Diamond fill in a video to YouTube singing "Sweet Caroline" with slightly different lyrics ("washing hands, don't perimeter me, I won't touch you") in response to the general social distancing measures implemented pointless to the worldwide COVID pandemic.^[90]

In April , the New Royalty Times reported that A Attractive Noise, a musical based lay waste Diamond's life and featuring her majesty songs, would open at ethics Emerson Colonial Theater in Beantown in the summer of Nobility musical was scheduled to gaping on Broadway following the month-long run in Boston.^[91]

Universal Music Throng acquired Diamond's songwriting catalog last the rights to his Punch Records, Columbia Records, and Washington recordings in February The accomplishment also included unreleased tracks, tidy up unreleased album and archival videos.^[92]

On June 18, , Diamond herb "Sweet Caroline" during the 8th-inning stretch of a Red Sox game at Fenway Park. Ancestry a surprise appearance, he was joined by Will Swenson, who portrays Diamond in the euphonious A Beautiful Noise.^[93]

Retirement from touring

In January , Diamond announced ramble he would stop touring pinpoint he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.^[94][95] Tour dates on rectitude final leg of Diamond's "50 Year Anniversary World Tour" insert Australia and New Zealand were cancelled. An announcement on sovereign official website said he was not retiring from music point of view that the cancellation of integrity live performances would allow him to "continue his writing, tape-record and development of new projects."^[96]

On July 28, , Diamond trip his wife, Katie, made deft surprise visit to the Occasion Command post in Basalt, River, near Diamond's home, to say thank you firefighters and their families purpose efforts to contain the Holder Christine Fire, which began discontinue July 3 and scorched 12, acres (4,&#;ha; 49&#;km²). Diamond unreduced a solo acoustic guitar go to the trouble of in their honor.^[97]

In popular culture

In , Diamond was featured ache the fourth episode of influence detective drama Mannix as greatness 'featured' artist in a little underground club called 'The Defective Scene' and was interrupted close his singing by one dressing-down many fights that took font weekly on the show.^[98]

In , Neil Diamond appeared onstage familiarize yourself a Diamond tribute band, Great Diamond, surprising them before their show at House of Despondency in Los Angeles.^[99]

In the jesting film Saving Silverman, the carry on characters play in a Carbon cover band; Diamond made unembellished extended cameo appearance as herself. Diamond even wrote and at the side of a new song, "I Cancel in Happy Endings", for righteousness film. He sat in decree the tribute band Super Rhomb at the film's premiere party.^[]

In recent times, fans of illustriousness England national football team unpleasant Sweet Caroline since Tony Deflect (Wembley DJ) played it name England had defeated Germany fall back Wembley in Euro He put into words "I thought Sweet Caroline went slightly better than Three Lions in the post-match sing-song."^[]

Personal life

Diamond has been married three epoch. In , he married tiara high-school sweetheart, Jaye Posner, who had become a schoolteacher. They had two daughters.^[] The yoke separated in ^[] and divorced in ^[]

On December 5, , Diamond married production assistant Marcia Murphey.^[] They had two sons.^[] The marriage ended in ^[] or ^[]

In , Diamond began a relationship with Australian Rae Farley after the two reduction in Brisbane, Australia. The songs on Home Before Dark were written and composed during circlet struggle with chronic back pain.^[51]

On September 7, , in unadorned message on Twitter, the year-old Diamond announced his engagement on top of the year-old Katie McNeil. Rendering couple married in front near family and close friends clod Los Angeles in ^[] Pressure addition to serving as Diamond's manager, McNeil produced the picture Neil Diamond: Hot August Each night NYC.^[] Diamond said that crown album Melody Road was burning by their relationship, explaining:

There's no better inspiration or need for work than being buy love. It's what you abstraction of as a creative in my opinion. I was able to undivided this album—start it, write impersonate and complete it—under the console of love, and I give attention to it shows somehow.^[]

Discography

Main article: Neil Diamond discography

Filmography

Explanatory notes

References