Profile of the Day: Neil Diamond

Neil Diamond

Happy birthday to Neil Diamond! Today the “Sweet Caroline” singer turns 77.

Diamond was born on January 24, 1941 in Brooklyn, New York to a Jewish family. In high school, Diamond was a member of the Freshman Chorus and Choral Club alongside future music icon Barbra Streisand. The former classmates would later record the hit duet, “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,” in 1978. He attended New York University on a fencing scholarship intending to study medicine, but dropped out shorty before graduation to pursue a career as a singer and songwriter.

With a successful career that has spanned five decades, Diamond has sold over 130 million albums worldwide. Some of his biggest hits include, “Sweet Caroline,” “Solitary Man,” and “Holly Holly.” The award-winning singer was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.

Just two days before his 77th birthday, Diamond officially announced his retirement from concert touring due to his diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease. Although he will no longer be touring, Diamond has stated that he will continue to remain active writing and recording music. This coming Sunday, Diamond will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys.

What’s your favorite Neil Diamond song?

Explore Neil Diamond’s family tree on Geni!
 

View Neil Diamond’s Geni Profile

Image: Irisgerh / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)