Neil Diamond (born Neil Leslie Diamond on January 24, 1941) is an American singer/songwriter who had a number of hits in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s,and who maintains 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.
Neil Diamond has been a pop music star since the mid-1960s, writing and singing hit songs such as "Kentucky Woman" (1967), "Song Sung Blue" (1974) and "Love on the Rocks" (1980). 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. His 2005 album 12 Songs was hailed as a return to his early days of songwriting and was the basis for one of the top grossing tours of the year. He followed up with 2008's Home Before Dark -- his first album to debut at the top of Billboard's charts.
Diamond's other songs include: "Cherry, Cherry" (1966); "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon" (1967); "Red, Red Wine" (1968); "Sweet Caroline" (1969); "Cracklin' Rosie" (1970); "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" (1978, a duet with Barbra Streisand); and "America" Diamond songs that were hits for others include "Red, Red Wine" by the U.K. group UB40, and "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon" by Urge Overkill (from the Quentin Tarantino film Pulp Fiction)... Diamond announced in 2007 that a childhood photo of Caroline Kennedy inspired him to write the hit tune "Sweet Caroline."
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. Neil married Marcia Murphey, whom he had met while doing a television appearance. They had two sons, Jesse Michael Diamond born in 1970 and Micah Diamond, born February 14, 1978. Neil and Marcia divorced in 1995.
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, he 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. He is currently recording a new album with producer Rick Rubin that is expected to be released on July 26, 2005. As of May 2005 he has sold 120 million records – source http://www.short-biographies.com
Neil Diamond has been a pop music star since the mid-1960s, writing and singing hit songs such as "Kentucky Woman" (1967), "Song Sung Blue" (1974) and "Love on the Rocks" (1980). 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. His 2005 album 12 Songs was hailed as a return to his early days of songwriting and was the basis for one of the top grossing tours of the year. He followed up with 2008's Home Before Dark -- his first album to debut at the top of Billboard's charts.
Diamond's other songs include: "Cherry, Cherry" (1966); "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon" (1967); "Red, Red Wine" (1968); "Sweet Caroline" (1969); "Cracklin' Rosie" (1970); "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" (1978, a duet with Barbra Streisand); and "America" Diamond songs that were hits for others include "Red, Red Wine" by the U.K. group UB40, and "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon" by Urge Overkill (from the Quentin Tarantino film Pulp Fiction)... Diamond announced in 2007 that a childhood photo of Caroline Kennedy inspired him to write the hit tune "Sweet Caroline."
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. Neil married Marcia Murphey, whom he had met while doing a television appearance. They had two sons, Jesse Michael Diamond born in 1970 and Micah Diamond, born February 14, 1978. Neil and Marcia divorced in 1995.
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, he 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. He is currently recording a new album with producer Rick Rubin that is expected to be released on July 26, 2005. As of May 2005 he has sold 120 million records – source http://www.short-biographies.com
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