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Neil Leslie Diamond -

Neil Leslie Diamond was born on January 24, 1941, in Brooklyn, New York City.

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Early years -

Diamond's interest in music developed after receiving his first guitar on his 16th birthday.

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Music career -

In high school, Diamond was a member of the Freshman Chorus and Choral Club. One of his classmates was Barbra Streisand. He later attended New York University with the intention of studying medicine. By now, however, Diamond was actively pursuing a career as a musician and songwriter.

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Songwriting talent -

An offer of a job as a staff songwriter for the Sunbeam Music Company was too good to refuse, and he quit college. His tenure at Sunbeam, however, was short. But by 1962 Diamond had signed with Columbia Records as a solo performer.

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Working in the Brill Building -

Diamond was based out of New York's famed Brill Building, an office and studio complex on Broadway where some of the most popular American songs were written.

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'Solitary Man' -

Having now signed to Bang Records, Diamond enjoyed his first solo success as a recording artist with 'Solitary Man,' which he wrote and composed in 1966. It remains one of his personal favorites.

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Writing hits for others -

Meanwhile at Brill, Diamond continued working with fellow songwriters and producers Ellie Greenwich, Bert Berns, and Jeff Barry (pictured), among others. In late 1966 he wrote 'I'm a Believer,' which was performed by The Monkees. A huge hit for the band, it went gold within two days of its release.

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Writing and touring -

Further success followed, with Diamond dividing his time between writing and touring, opening for such acts as Herman's Hermits and British band The Who. He's pictured here in 1967 clutching a foil (Diamond was a member of his high school fencing club and later, in 1960, the NCAA men's championship fencing team).

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In demand -

Among the artists he wrote for was Scottish singer Lulu, who recorded and performed 'The Boat That I Row,' a top 10 UK hit for her in 1967.

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Productive period -

In early 1968 Diamond signed with Uni Records. The late 1960s and early 1970s proved especially productive, with Diamond releasing some of his best-known songs, tracks that included 'Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show' (1969), 'Sweet Caroline' (1969), 'Cracklin' Rosie' (1970), 'Shilo' (recorded in 1967 but released in 1970), 'I Am…I Said' (1971), and 'Song Sung Blue' (1972).

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Marriage and divorce -

Neil Diamond married first wife Jaye Posner in 1963. Their marriage lasted six years and produced two daughters. Ten days after the divorce in 1969, the 'Sweet Caroline' crooner tied the knot with his production assistant Marcia Murphey (pictured). They had two sons before parting company in 1995.

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Concert tours and television shows -

To promote his hit songs, Diamond took to the road on a busy schedule of concert tours and television appearances, both in the United States and abroad. His August 24, 1972 gig at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles was recorded and released as the live double album 'Hot August Night.' In Britain, a television concert show was filmed by the BBC (pictured).

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Headlining Broadway -

In the fall of 1972, Neil Diamond performed for 20 consecutive nights at the Winter Garden Theater in New York City—the first rock-era star to headline on Broadway.

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'Jonathan Livingston Seagull' (1973) -

In 1973, Diamond again switched record labels, this time signing once again with Columbia Records. His first solo project was writing and recording the soundtrack to the film 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull.' A critical and commercial success, it garnered Diamond a Grammy Award and a Golden Globe Award.

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Studio time -

Back in the studio, Diamond recorded the albums 'Serenade' (1974) and 'Beautiful Noise' (1976), the latter produced by Robbie Robertson of The Band.

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Touring and recording -

Diamond spent the second half of the 1970s again touring and recording. He opened the new Theater for Performing Arts in Las Vegas on July 2, 1976. The following year saw him perform in the regal grounds of Woburn Abbey in England (pictured). The July 2, 1977 concert was taped by film director William Friedkin of 'The French Connection' and 'The Exorcist' fame.

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'You Don't Bring Me Flowers' -

In 1978, Neil Diamond reunited with his old high school friend Barbra Streisand to re-record his song 'You Don't Bring Me Flowers' as a duet with her. One of the most celebrated duets ever produced, the duo performed the song at the 1980 Grammy Awards show, with the single eventually going platinum.

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'The Jazz Singer' (1980) -

Diamond's last album of the decade was 1979's 'September Morn,' the eponymous single becoming an international chart hit. In 1980, the singer-songwriter made his acting debut alongside Sir Laurence Olivier in 'The Jazz Singer.' While the film itself was somewhat of a disappointment, the movie soundtrack spawned three top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: 'Love on the Rocks,' 'Hello Again,' and 'America.'

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Slump in popularity -

Another notable 1980's album was 'Heartlight' (1982), which also achieved platinum status. By now, however, Diamond's record sales had begun to slump. Indeed, the remainder of the decade and into the early 1990s saw his popularity wane, at least as a recording artist. His concert tours and live appearances, meanwhile, continued to draw huge audiences. He's pictured singing the national anthem prior to Super Bowl XXI between the Denver Broncos and New York Giants on January 26, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

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New career phase -

Neil Diamond produced six studio albums during the 1990s, the best among them being 'Live in America' (1994), 'In My Lifetime' (1996), and 'The Neil Diamond Collection' (1999). Still in demand as a live performer, he closed the decade with a spectacular New Year's Eve concert at Pepsi Center (today known as the Ball Arena) in Denver, Colorado, on December 31, 1999.

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New relationship -

Having divorced his second wife Marcia in 1995, Neil Diamond began a relationship the following year with Australian Rachael Farley. The couple are pictured in March 2005 during a Sydney press conference to promote the singer's tour of Australia.

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'American Idol' -

In March and April of 2008, Neil Diamond mentored the remaining 'American Idol' contestants, during which he premiered a new song, 'Pretty Amazing Grace,' from his then recently released album 'Home Before Dark.'

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Glastonbury Festival -

In June of that year he performed at Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, England, to an estimated 108,000 music fans.

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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -

A little over 45 years after the release of 'Solitary Man,' Neil Diamond was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, on March 14, 2011. In fact, the years 2011 and 2012 marked several milestones in the singer's long career.

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Kennedy Center Honors -

In December 2011, Diamond joined cellist Yo-Yo Ma, actress Meryl Streep, musician Sonny Rollins, and actress Barbara Cook to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

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Hollywood Walk of Fame -

On August 10, 2012, Diamond received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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By appointment -

In November 2012, Neil Diamond topped the bill at the centenary edition of the Royal Variety Performance in the UK, which was attended by Queen Elizabeth II. He is pictured with Kylie Minogue and Rod Stewart meeting the late British monarch before the show.

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Parkinson's disease -

In 2018, Neil Diamond was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The disclosure shocked the music world and the condition forced him to retire from touring. However, he said he planned to continue writing and recording. He's pictured in March 2020 being honored at the Keep Memory Alive annual "Power of Love" gala in Las Vegas. Later he gave a rare live performance, one of his last.

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Battling on -

Despite his diagnosis, Neil Diamond continues to champion good causes. He's seen here in October 2020 promoting the Carousel of Hope Ball, which benefits the Children's Diabetes Foundation.

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'A Beautiful Noise' -

On December 4, 2022, 'A Beautiful Noise' opened on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theater. The glittering premiere saw Diamond accompanied by his third wife, Katie McNeil, mingle with celebrities from the world of music, stage, and film, to raise the curtain on a celebration of his life and music.

Sources: (Britannica) (CNN)

See also: The Best of Broadway—the most iconic live musicals

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