Neil Diamond

Born 24^th January 1941 in Brooklyn, New York, Diamond was a teenager when he started writing songs, after seeing Pete Seeger, the radical protest singer who inspired many others like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez perform.

Attending the same high school as Neil Sedaka, Diamond joined the "Brill Building" crowd songwriting home to Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Ellie Greenwich, and many others of the time. He first recorded in 1960 for a small local label, "Duel" in a duo with Jack Packer, called oddly enough "Neil and Jack". But it was as a songwriter, in 1965, after an unsuccessful recording period with CBS, that Diamond achieved his first success. Leiber and Stoller, the legendary writers of hits like "On Broadway" and "Hound Dog" produced one of his songs, "Sunday and me" with Jay and the Americans performing, and it hit the American top 20. From there, success began to flow for Neil, both as a songwriter and as a singer in his own right.

On the strength of "Sunday and me", he got a record deal with Bert Berns’ Bang label and released "Solitary Man", produced by former Brill Building associates Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry, followed by the top 10 hit "Cherry Cherry". He had now hit on a style, a gospel feel with a strong melody and hook, which appealed to the record buyers of the time. Current team sensation, The Monkees, recorded his song "I’m a believer" and had their biggest hit worldwide, following it up with another Diamond song, "A little bit, a little bit you" and achieving another massive hit.

As the 1960’s came to a close, Diamond switched record companies to MCA’s UNI label, moving from New York to LA, recording a progressive Rock-tinged album, "Velvet Glovers & Spit". It was his recording sojourn in Memphis, however, which brought him his biggest success, as from these session came "Sweet Caroline", "Holly Holly" and his first U.S. No. 1 ( and first UK hit) "Cracklin’ Rosie". From there on, Diamond was considered a superstar. His semi-concept album "Tap Root manuscript" broke new ground with the Marty Paich orchestrated African themes such as "Soolaimon" and a cover of the Hollies UK smash, "He ain’t heavy… he’s my brother", which Diamond managed to personalise making it sound like one of own songs. His prowess as an interpreter as well as craftsman with songs was now developing with every new recording. This was followed by a tortuously confessional ballad "I am …. I said", contained in the album "Stones", which continued to develop Diamond’s persona as the introspective singer-songwriter. However, his "live" performances were also becoming legendary, full of energy, passion and a sexuality which increased his legions of female fans to the millions. This aspect of the man was captured on the hugely successful "Hot August night" album. Another No. 1 single "Song sung blue" in 1972 brought to a close this period in the career of Neil Diamond.

He went into semi retirement for three years emerging with the music for the movie "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" which won a Grammy and marked his move from MCA to CBS (Sony) Records, for whom Diamond still records today. He starred in and composed the music for "The Jazz Singer".

The hits in the Billboard Hot 100 :