Biography
An immensely talented singer-songwriter, Neil Diamond first penned hits like "I'm a Believer" for The Monkees as a Brill Building songwriter before scoring big with his own self-penned hits like "Solitary Man," "Cherry, Cherry," "Kentucky Woman," "Sweet Caroline," "Holly Holy" and "I Am I Said. " A 1970s musical phenomenon, he hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts three times with "Cracklin' Rosie," "Song Sung Blue" and his duet with Barbra …
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Career Milestones
| Dropped out during his junior year of college to work for Sunbeam Music on Manhattan's famous Tin Pan Alley | ||
| Rented a storage room in a printer's shop located above the famed Birdland nightclub on Broadway, where he lived and wrote songs | ||
| Saw a career resurgence in the late 1990s and 2000s after "Sweet Caroline" played at various sporting events | ||
1956 | Wrote his first song "Here Them Bells" at 15 | |
1965 | Made his Billboard Top 20 debut as a songwriter with the Jay and the Americans track "Sunday and Me" | |
1966 | Released his debut single as an artist, "Solitary Man"; peaked at No. 55 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart | |
1966 | Wrote the No. 1 song "I'm a Believer," recorded by The Monkees | |
1969 | Released his signature track "Sweet Caroline"; Diamond later said the song was inspired by John F. Kennedy's daughter Caroline | |
1970 | Moved to Los Angeles, CA | |
1971 | The single "I Am...I Said" reached the Top 5 in the U.S. and U.K. charts | |
1972 | Released the live double album "Hot August Night," recorded during his concert at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles | |
1973 | Recorded the soundtrack for the film "Jonathan Livingston Seagull"; album landed at No. 2 | |
1977 | Released second live double album recorded at the Greek Theatre, "Love at the Greek"; album featured appearances by Helen Reddy and Henry Winkler | |
1978 | Topped the Billboard Hot 100 with the Barbra Streisand duet "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" | |
1980 | Starred in first and only feature film of his career, playing a Jewish Cantor who dreams of becoming a pop star in "The Jazz Singer"; film was a remake of the 1927 Al Jolson classic; soundtrack featured the hits "America" and "Love on the Rocks" | |
1986 | Named by Billboard magazine as the most profitable performer of the year | |
1994 | Urge Overkill recorded a cover version of Diamond's "Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon" (1967) for the soundtrack of Quentin Tarantino-directed "Pulp Fiction" | |
2001 | Made a cameo (as himself) in the comedy feature "Saving Silverman," starring Jason Biggs and Jack Black | |
2002 | Appeared on "Saturday Night Live" (NBC) alongside Will Ferrell, who impersonated Diamond on the variety sketch show | |
2005 | Released the Rick Rubin-produced album "12 Songs" | |
2008 | Appeared on Fox's "American Idol" as a celebrity mentor | |
2009 | Named "MusiCares Person of the Year" by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences | |
2011 | Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame | |
2011 | Recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors | |
Awards
1973 | Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score - Motion Picture in Jonathan Livingston Seagull |
1973 | Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song - Motion Picture in Jonathan Livingston Seagull |
1977 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special - Comedy-Variety or Music in The Neil Diamond Special |
1978 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special - Comedy-Variety or Music in The Neil Diamond Special: I'm Glad You're Here With Me Tonight |
1980 | Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song - Motion Picture in The Jazz Singer |
1980 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in The Jazz Singer |