"Essential Neil Diamond" album cover. Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer/songwriter of Jewish descentcitation needed] who had a number of hits in the '60s, '70s, and '80s, and who maintains a very loyal following with popular live performances to this day. Diamond was born and raised in Brooklyn, attending Abraham Lincoln 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 songs "I'm a Believer" and "A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You" for The Monkees. Neil married school teacher Jaye Posner and they had two children, Marjorie and Elyn. They eventually divorced. Contents 1 Career 2 Discography 2.1 Singles [1] 3 Trivia 4 Quotes 5 External links Career Diamond signed a deal with Bang! Records, and had a string of singles as the primary performer, including "Kentucky Woman," "Cherry, Cherry," and "Solitary Man." Neil's Bang recordings were produced by legendary Brill Building songwriters Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, both of whom can be heard singing backgrounds on many of the tracks. 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 "Cracklin' Rosie", "Sweet Caroline" and the country-and-western tinged "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 Joseph Diamond, born February 14, 1978. Neil and Marcia divorced in 1995. In 1972, Diamond played 10 sold out concerts at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. The performance on Thursday August the 24th was recorded and released as the live double album "Hot August Night". This album demonstrates Diamond's skills as a performer and showman, as he reinvigorated his back catalogue of hits with new energy that make the original studio versions pale by comparison. The album has become a classic, and in Australia, spent a remarkable 29 weeks at number 1 on the music charts. 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. Neil Diamond had a small role playing himself in the 2001 comedy Saving Silverman. 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. In recent years, there has been a resurgence in Diamond's popularity. His songs have become nearly iconic. The 2001 comedy film Saving Silverman (starring Jack Black, Steve Zahn, and Jason Biggs) plays up this theme. The main characters play in a Neil Diamond cover band, and Diamond made a cameo appearance. During this period, Will Ferrell did a recurring impersonation of Neil on Saturday Night Live, with Diamond himself appearing alongside Ferrell on his final show as a cast member in May 2002. As of May 2005 he has sold 120 million records worldwide (Source: NY Times), including 48 million records in U.S. (Source: RIAA). Today, Diamond continues to tour and record. He recently completed and released a new album entitled 12 Songs with producer Rick Rubin. It was released on November 8, 2005 in two editions, one a standard 12-song release, and a special edition with two bonus tracks, including one featuring backing vocals by Brian Wilson. The album debuted at#4 on the Billboard album chart. 12 Songs also ended up being infamous for being one of the last albums to be pressed and released by Sony BMG with the infamous XCP digital rights management software embedded onto the disc (see 2005 Sony CD copy protection controversy). On December 31, 2005 Diamond appeared on Dick Clark's New Year Rockin' Eve 2006. Discography Year Title Label 1966 The Feel of Neil Diamond Bang Records 1967 Just For You Bang Records 1968 Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits Bang Records 1968 Velvet Gloves and Spit Uni Records (MCA Records) 1969 Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show Uni Records (MCA Records) 1969 Touching You, Touching Me Uni Records (MCA Records) 1970 Gold Uni Records (MCA Records) 1970 Shilo Bang Records 1970 Tap Root Manuscript Uni Records (MCA Records) 1970 Do It! Bang Records 1971 Stones Uni Records (MCA Records) 1972 Moods Uni Records (MCA Records) 1972 Hot August Night MCA Records 1973 Double Gold Bang Records 1973 Rainbow MCA Records 1973 Jonathan Livingston Seagull Columbia Records 1974 His 12 Greatest Hits MCA Records 1974 Serenade Columbia Records 1976 Beautiful Noise Columbia Records 1976 And the Singer Sings His Song MCA Records 1977 Love at the Greek Columbia Records 1977 I'm Glad You're Here With Me Tonight Columbia Records 1978 You Don't Bring Me Flowers Columbia Records 1979 September Morn Columbia Records 1980 The Jazz Singer Capitol Records 1981 On the Way to the Sky Columbia Records 1981 Love Songs MCA Records 1982 12 Greatest Hits, Volume II Columbia Records 1982 Heartlight Columbia Records 1983 Classics: The Early Years Columbia Records 1984 Primitive Columbia Records 1986 Headed For the Future Columbia Records 1987 Hot August Night II Columbia Records 1988 The Best Years of Our Lives Columbia Records 1991 Lovescape Columbia Records 1992 The Greatest Hits: 1966-1992 Columbia Records 1992 Glory Road: 1968-1972 MCA Records 1992 The Christmas Album Columbia Records 1993 Up on the Roof: Songs From the Brill Building Columbia Records 1994 Live in America Columbia Records 1994 The Christmas Album - Volume II Columbia Records 1996 Tennessee Moon Columbia Records 1996 In My Lifetime Columbia Records 1998 The Movie Album: As Time Goes By Columbia Records 1999 The Best of The Movie Album Columbia Records 1999 The Neil Diamond Collection MCA Records 1999 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection MCA Records 2001 Three Chord Opera Columbia Records 2001 The Essential Neil Diamond Columbia Records 2002 Love Songs (different version) MCA Records 2002 Play Me: The Complete Uni Studio Recordings Plus! MCA Records 2003 Stages Columbia Records 2005 Neil Diamond Gold MCA Records 2005 12 Songs Columbia Records Singles [1] 1961: You Are My Love At Last/What Will I Do? 1962: I'm Afraid/Till You've Tried Love (above two by "Neil & Jack" - Neil Diamond and Jack Packer) 1963: At Night/Clown Town 1966: Solitary Man/Do It 1966: Cherry, Cherry/I'll Come Running 1966: I Got The Feelin' (Oh No, No)/The Boat That I Row 1966: I'm a Believer/Crooked Street 1967: You Got To Me/Someday Baby 1967: Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon/You'll Forget 1967: Thank The Lord For The Night Time/The Long Way Home 1967: Kentucky Woman/The Time Is Now 1968: New Orleans/Hanky Panky 1968: Red Red Wine/Red Rubber Ball 1968: Brooklyn Roads/Holiday Inn Blues 1969: Shilo/La Bamba 1968: Sunday Sun/Honey-Drippin' Times 1969: Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show/A Modern Day Version Of Love 1969: Sweet Caroline/Dig In 1969: Holly Holy/Hurting You Don't Come Easy 1970: Until It's Time For You To Go/And The Singer Sings His Song 1970: Soolaimon/And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind 1970: Cracklin' Rosie/Lordy 1970: He Ain't Heavy...He's My Brother/Free Life 1970: Solitary Man (1966 version)/The Time Is Now 1970: Do It (new version)/Hanky Panky 1971: I Am...I Said/Done Too Soon 1971: Stones/Crunchy Granola Suite 1971: I'm A Believer (new version)/Crooked Street 1972: Song Sung Blue/Gitchy Goomy 1972: Play Me/Porcupine Pie 1972: Walk On Water/High Rolling Man 1973: Cherry, Cherry/Morningside 1973: The Last Thing On My Mind/Canta Libre 1973: Be/Flight Of The Gull (instrumental) 1973: The Long Way Home/Monday Monday 1974: Skybird/Lonely Looking Sky 1974: Longfellow Serenade/Rosemary's Wine 1975: I've Been This Way Before/Reggae Strut 1975: The Last Picasso/The Gift Of Song 1976: If You Know What I Mean/Street Life 1976: Don't Think...Feel/Home Is A Wounded Heart 1976: Beautiful Noise/Signs 1976: Song Sung Blue/Song Sung Blue (live version; promo only) 1977: Desiree/Once In A While 1978: You Don't Bring Me Flowers (w/Barbra Streisand)/You Don't Bring Me Flowers (instrumental) 1978: Forever In Blue Jeans/Remember Me 1979: Say Maybe/Diamond Girls 1979: September Morn/I'm A Believer (new version) 1979: September Morn/September Morn (alternate take; promo only) 1980: The Good Lord Loves You/Jazz Time 1981: Yesterday's Songs/Guitar Heaven 1982: On The Way To The Sky/Save Me 1982: Be Mine Tonight/Right By You 1982: Heartlight/You Don't Know Me 1983: I'm Alive/Lost Among The Stars 1983: Front Page Story/I'm Guilty 1984: Turn Around/Brooklyn On A Saturday Night 1984: Sleep With Me Tonight/One By One 1984: You Make It Feel Like Christmas/Crazy 1986: Headed For The Future/Angel 1986: The Story Of My Life/Love Doesn't Live Here Anymore 1987: I Dreamed A Dream/Sweet Caroline 1987: Cherry, Cherry/America 1988: This Time/If I Couldn't See You Again 1988: The Best Years Of Our Lives/Carmelita's Eyes 1996: One Good Love (duet w/Waylon Jennings)/Kentucky Woman 1988: Baby Can I Hold You 1991: Don't Turn Around 1991: Hooked On The Memory Of You (duet w/Kim Carnes) 1991: If There Were No Dreams 1992: All I Really Need Is You (studio version/live version) 1992: Morning Has Broken 1993: You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' (duet w/Dolly Parton) 1993: Will You Love Me Tomorrow 1993: Play Me 1994: Marry Me (duet w/Buffy Lawson) 1996: One Good Love (duet w/Waylon Jennings) 1998: As Time Goes By (album version) Trivia Diamond's hit song "Heartlight" was inspired by the blockbuster 1982 movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Is a fan of Australian Rules Football team The Brisbane Lions. In the 1991 film What About Bob?, the protagonist posits,"There are two types of people in the world: those who like Neil Diamond and those who don't". He attributes the failure of his marriage to his ex-wife's fondness for Neil Diamond. Diamond is one of a small number of performers such as Paul Simon and Johnny Rivers who have their name as the copyright owner on the phonograph records they perform. (Most phonorecords have the recording company as the named owner of the recording.) Was forced to pay $150,000,000 to former wife Marcia Murphey in their divorce settlement. This holds the record as the fourth most expensive divorce in history. [2] For his role in The Jazz Singer (1980), Diamond became the first ever "Winner" of a Worst Actor 'Razzie' Award. Went to NYU on a fencing scholarship. Was a top fencer during his time at NYU. Was a Pre-Med student, interested in Biology, at NYU, but left with less than a year left, due to his dislike of Organic Chemistry. Seriously considered "Eyce Charry" for his professional name. When he and Barbra Streisand had a smash hit in 1978 with "You Don't Bring Me Flowers", it was not the first time that the Brooklyn-born superstars had sung together. While students at New York City's Erasmus High School, they both sang in the school choir. His soundtrack to the film Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1973) grossed more than the movie itself. Quotes Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Neil Diamond "It's very difficult for me to say 'I love you' but to sing 'I love you' for me is easier." "My voice is unadorned. I don't try for perfection. I try to be honest and truthful and soulful with the voice I have. If I make mistakes in notes, or there are cracks in notes, I don't fix them. That's the way it is." External links Official Site Neil Diamond's MySpace I Am...I Said A Fan of Neil Diamond Neil Diamond @ the SoundtrackINFO project Neil Diamond Lyrics An Online Neil Diamond Group Neil Diamond's Beautiful Noise Internet Mailing List Neil Diamond Photo Book with unreleased images Search Term: "Neil_Diamond" Categories: Articles with unsourced statements | 1941 births | American male singers | American pop singers | Brooklynites | Boys & Girls Club alumni | Living people | The Monkees | Worst Actor Razzie | American singer-songwriters