Neil Diamond

Neil Leslie Diamond, born on January 24, 1941, in Brooklyn, New York City, is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His early life involved moving between Brooklyn and Cheyenne, Wyoming, as his father was in the army. He attended Erasmus Hall High School, where he was a member of the Freshman Chorus and Choral Club, alongside classmate Barbra Streisand. He later attended Abraham Lincoln High School and was part of the fencing team. At 16, he received his first guitar, an event that led him to discover a passion for songwriting after witnessing Pete Seeger perform at Surprise Lake Camp. He initially pursued a pre-med major at New York University on a fencing scholarship but left to accept a songwriting job at Sunbeam Music Publishing, working for $50 a week.

Diamond’s career began in the 1960s, a period marked by his time in the Brill Building. His first recording contract was as “Neil and Jack,” an Everly Brothers-type duo, releasing unsuccessful singles in 1962. After signing with Columbia Records, he released the single “Clown Town” / “At Night” in 1963, which also failed to chart, leading to his departure from the label. He continued writing songs, often struggling financially, selling about one song a week. A significant turning point came in 1965 with “Sunday and Me,” a Top 20 hit for Jay and the Americans. He achieved further success writing for The Monkees, especially with “I’m a Believer,” which topped the charts in 1966. In 1966, he signed with Bang Records, releasing his first true hit as a solo artist, “Solitary Man,” followed by “Cherry, Cherry” and “Kentucky Woman.” He grew dissatisfied with Bang Records, desiring to create more introspective music, leading to legal disputes over his contract that lasted until 1977. In March 1968, Diamond signed with Uni Records, and in 1969, he released “Sweet Caroline,” his first major hit after a challenging period.

The 1970s saw Diamond’s career flourish. Hits like “Cracklin’ Rosie” (1970) and “Song Sung Blue” (1972) both reached No. 1 on the Hot 100. In 1971, he played seven sold-out concerts at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles, which a leading newspaper called “the finest concert in Greek Theater history.” His 1972 performance at the Greek Theater was recorded and released as the live double album *Hot August Night*, which became a classic. The album spent 29 weeks at No. 1 in Australia and remained in the top 20 bestsellers for two years. In 1973, he signed a record-breaking $5 million advance-per-album contract with Columbia Records. His first project was the soundtrack for the film *Jonathan Livingston Seagull*, which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score and a Grammy Award. Despite mixed film reviews, the soundtrack was a commercial success. Diamond continued to release successful albums, including *Beautiful Noise* in 1976, produced by Robbie Robertson. He collaborated with Barbra Streisand on “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,” which became a No. 1 hit in 1978. In 1980, he starred in *The Jazz Singer*, a film that, despite poor reviews, produced three Top 10 singles, including “America.” Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, while record sales declined, his concert tours remained highly popular. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011, and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.