By admin 
HangupsMusic.com – New York, Sixty years ago this month, a singular voice emerged from the hallowed halls of New York’s Brill Building, shifting from behind-the-scenes songwriting to center stage. Neil Diamond, then a fledgling recording artist, unleashed his debut album, The Feel of Neil Diamond, marking the genesis of a career that would redefine popular music. Now, at 85, Diamond reflects on this pivotal moment and the extraordinary journey that followed, a testament to the power of a melody and a lyric to capture hearts across generations. His enduring influence, despite stepping back from touring due to Parkinson’s disease in 2018, continues to captivate new audiences through theatrical productions, film, and fresh musical releases, proving that the magic of Neil Diamond is, indeed, forever.
The transition from a quiet songwriter to a public persona was immediate and striking for Diamond. He vividly recalls the tangible shift: "There was a lapel button that said, ‘I love The Feel of Neil Diamond,’ and marketing around the album," he shared in a recent email interview. "You don’t get that when you’re just a songwriter and other people are singing your songs! It was a new era." This early exposure, complete with novelty merchandise, signaled a profound change in his professional life, transforming him from a craftsman of tunes for others into the interpreter of his own deeply personal narratives.
Released in 1966 on Bang Records, The Feel of Neil Diamond not only introduced the world to his distinctive baritone but also spawned two of his earliest and most iconic hits: the brooding "Solitary Man" and the ebullient "Cherry Cherry." These tracks quickly propelled Diamond onto a path that would see him become one of music’s most successful and beloved singer-songwriters. His prolific output gifted the world an unparalleled string of anthems, including "Holly Holy," the evocative "Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon," the vibrant "Cracklin’ Rosie," the deeply introspective "I Am… I Said," the universally relatable "Song Sung Blue," the timeless "Forever in Blue Jeans," the poignant duet "You Don’t Bring Me Flowers," the patriotic "America," and, of course, the communal juggernaut "Sweet Caroline."
Diamond’s statistical dominance in the music industry is staggering. He has charted an impressive 53 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, with 13 reaching the top 10. His albums have consistently performed well, landing 18 titles in the top 10 of the Billboard 200. His consistent appeal places him at No. 2 on Billboard‘s Greatest Adult Contemporary Artists of All Time list, surpassed only by the legendary Elton John. With over 130 million albums sold worldwide, a figure confirmed by Universal Music Group following their acquisition of his extensive song catalog and master recordings in 2022, his commercial success is matched only by his profound cultural impact.
Remarkably, this global phenomenon initially harbored no aspirations of performing his own material. Born in Brooklyn, Diamond spent the early to mid-1960s immersed in the creative crucible of the Brill Building, New York’s legendary hit factory. Here, he rubbed shoulders with songwriting giants like Ellie Greenwich, Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller, a pantheon of talent that shaped the sound of a generation. "Working in the Brill Building, I had a thrilling sense of belonging and I was impressed by the people who inhabited the building," Diamond recounts. "I didn’t have any premeditation of being a new star. I was making a living." His modest ambition quickly blossomed into a career that would earn him induction into both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and a coveted Kennedy Center Honor.
While the curtain fell on his touring career in 2018 following his Parkinson’s diagnosis, Neil Diamond’s music continues to find new life and new listeners. The critically acclaimed A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, an evocative stage production chronicling his life and career, debuted on Broadway in 2022. Having enjoyed over 650 performances, it is now captivating audiences globally, with an Australian premiere slated for this month. Furthermore, the upcoming 2025 film Song Sung Blue, starring Hugh Jackman and Academy Award nominee Kate Hudson, promises to introduce his indelible songs to an even younger, broader demographic through the narrative of a Diamond tribute band.
Beyond re-interpretations, new musical offerings from Diamond himself continue to surface. May saw the release of Wild at Heart, the third installment in his acclaimed series of albums recorded with iconic producer Rick Rubin in 2007, recently fleshed out by Diamond as he revisited the archival material. This ongoing engagement with his art underscores his unwavering creative spirit.
In his conversation with Billboard, the 85-year-old artist revisited pivotal moments from his storied career, emphasizing his profound belief in the intrinsic power of a well-crafted song – its ability to forge a deep connection between writer and listener. Interestingly, he attributes the very inception of his musical journey to a childhood heartbreak: the Brooklyn Dodgers’ departure from New York in 1957. "When the Dodgers left Brooklyn immediately after finally winning the pennant, I was devastated, along with the rest of the loyal Brooklyn Dodgers fans," Diamond recalls. "Guitar lessons were a small consolation but led to big things." He ponders the alternate history: "Was it worth losing the Brooklyn Dodgers because it led to guitar lessons, which grew into a lifelong career and success? I don’t know. Who knows where I’d be if that didn’t happen, but I think my path would have still led me to music. It was always inside me and needed to get out. The guitar lessons helped."
His early days in the Brill Building were a formative period, a hive of creativity where he found kinship among fellow writers. "At the Brill Building, I had a newfound connection with other songwriters and professionals," he says. Prior to this, his "office" was a humble space on Broadway, little more than a "utility closet" with thin walls that allowed him to eavesdrop on others’ melodies. To project an image of success, he even faked autographs of popular singers on his wall. Despite having a piano, he became known as "The Cowboy" because he was one of the few writers composing on a guitar, setting him apart in a piano-dominated landscape.
Diamond initially envisioned a life solely as a songwriter. Yet, experiencing the thrill of live performance irrevocably altered his trajectory. "I would have been perfectly happy being a songwriter forever if I never got a taste of what it was actually like to perform," he admits. "Once I started doing live shows, the energy and connection with the audiences left me wanting more. More shows meant more songs, and so the cycle began." The modest chart success of "Solitary Man," reaching No. 55 on the Hot 100 in 1966, was an unexpected "defining moment" that cemented this new direction.
When asked about the secret to a good song, Diamond offers an intuitive response: "I don’t know exactly what makes a good song; for me, it just had to feel right. The feel of it. ‘The feel of Neil Diamond.’" He never discarded songs, viewing each as a potential conduit. The recording studio, he explains, serves as a "test of truthfulness." "Many times, I’ve gone into a studio with a song that I didn’t feel quite right about or didn’t love, and that’s part of the test of truthfulness that every writer and every initiator of a song feels because the writer has to have the thought that this song is special and will stand the test of listening. Then the weaning process in the studio, the crème de la crème of the songs would come to the fore: What was the attraction to the song or a particular arrangement that put it into a different realm?"
"Sweet Caroline" stands as a monumental example of a song transcending its origins. Sung universally at sporting events, weddings, and celebrations, it has become a global anthem of joy and unity. Diamond describes its creation as a channeled experience: "I always felt that ‘Sweet Caroline’ came through me and not from me. I just sort of channeled that song after I had the inspiration [from feeling the] pressure of desperately needing a song for a recording session." Its embrace by the world fills him with a unique sense of pride. "Once it was released to the world and embraced by so many people as an anthem of happiness, unity, joy and togetherness, I felt that it no longer was my song. It belonged to the world. It’s kind of amazing the life it’s taken on."
His landmark double live album, Hot August Night, recorded 54 years ago at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, set a new benchmark for live recordings. Diamond fondly recalls the ten sold-out shows, despite battling an illness. "I was sick for those shows, but it didn’t dim my enthusiasm. I thought the cold I had would come and go in a week, but the recording would be heard for years, and it still is." He remembers the unique energy of each performance: "Each one lasted two or more hours and it wasn’t the same every night. I could tell it was special when I was doing it. One of my biggest regrets is that we didn’t film those shows."
When asked whether he identifies more as a singer-songwriter or an entertainer, Diamond offers a clear hierarchy: "Both. There’s no entertainer without songs. The songs come first. The songwriter is most important. The songs carry the singer. Once you have those, you can entertain. Perform. That’s the easy part. Songwriting is the hardest."
The global expansion of A Beautiful Noise, particularly its debut in Melbourne, Australia, this August, continues to broaden his audience. "I know at my shows, whole families would go: grandparents, their kids and grandchildren all together. The musical is the same. I’m told the audiences are multigenerational," he notes, highlighting the enduring, cross-generational appeal of his music.
Among his vast discography, Hot August Night holds a special place as his favorite album. "It was such a magical live experience and was captured so beautifully. It was like capturing magic in a bottle – a beautiful, vinyl bottle." Choosing a favorite song proves more challenging, yet "I Am… I Said" emerges. "It’s hard to choose a favorite. They all ring a little bell inside me that has made them stand out and shine. They’re all my creations." He describes "I Am… I Said" as a "tough song" to write and perform, akin to an "open wound" that refused to heal easily. "It’s almost an exotic song because it goes to places that I never would have discussed. I could never go there until I finally opened up. There was difficulty in putting it out there, but it was very cleansing. It was painful at times to perform it. It doesn’t let me off the hook. It doesn’t say what I want to say in a way that excuses me. It’s my most vulnerable song."
Looking ahead, Diamond’s hope for his legacy is simple yet profound: "I hope my songs still resonate with people." Six decades after his debut, as new generations discover his catalog and existing fans revisit cherished memories, there’s little doubt that the resonant melodies and heartfelt lyrics of Neil Diamond will continue to echo for many years to come.
