"New people, new inspirations, new songs, new president, new beginnings."
"Have worn out Randy Newman's new album "Harps and Angels". Back in the studio- Feels like home."
"Having my first meal as a civilian and it's extraordinary... I no longer care if I become the "Fat Elvis".
"Last show of '08-'09 Tour-- it's been a blast and a half. Sorry to close up shop, but I've got some songs to write" 4:22 PM Jan 8
"Last night's audience was great - they held up thank you signs - got goosebumbs. Taking the weekend off"
DIE-HARD FANs STILL SUPPORT LEGENDARY SINGER JASON BRACELIN MORE COLUMNS Preview Neil Diamond 8 p.m. today MGM Grand Garden Arena, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South $59.50-$190.75 (891-7777) Still one of the top touring acts, Neil Diamond grossed more than $81 million on the road in 2008. Photo by The Associated Press He shaved the mustache, styled the hair and became a new old(er) man. He entered a world of song and sequined jumpsuits that sparkled like his muse's surname. It started in 1978 in Detroit. "What happened was a friend invited me to a Neil Diamond concert," says Michigan native Jay White,...
You wouldn't think of Neil Diamond as someone who needs to reinvent himself. But when an artist signs up to work with mega-producer Rick Rubin, he's not signing up for business as usual. So the Neil Diamond who plays New Year's Eve at Save Mart Center is not only the sauntering showman of the 1960s and 1970s, he's also this new millennium, toned- down, Rick Rubin-ized entertainer. THE SACRAMENTO BEE Neil Diamond says his latest show is different from what Valley audiences have seen from him before, thanks in part to his work with a new producer, Rick Rubin. What: Neil Diamond in concert When: 8 p.m. Wednesday Where...
If you've ever wanted to see Dave Grohl rock for Neil Diamond, your moment has arrived. Diamond, 2008's MusiCares Person of the Year, will be honored at a ceremony featuring performances by the Foo Fighters, Coldplay, John Mayer, Jennifer Hudson and the honoree himself. The gala will take place Friday, February 6th - two days before the Grammys - at Los Angeles' Convention Center. Proceeds from the event will benefit the MusiCares program, which ensures that music people have a place to turn in times of financial, medical and personal need. Over the years, Diamond's charitable contributions have been well-documented, and recently the s...
POP MUSIC Even diamonds in the rough sparkled Sunday, December 28, 2008 3:20 AM By Aaron Beck The Columbus Dispatch JAMES D. DeCAMP | Dispatch Nov. 21: Brian Johnson and his AC/DC mates perform at Value City Arena, in a show that sold out in 15 minutes. Elvis Costello An Australian band sold more than 18,000 tickets to its show in 15 minutes, a growling neo-Vaudeville act sold tickets to his first-ever show in Columbus and a Solitary Man's subpar show resulted in refunds for one and all. It was music in Columbus 2008, and, through the eyes and ears of this reporter, it unfolded in the streets, at the desk and in th...
After 40-plus years in the music business, Neil Diamond has sold more than 125 million records worldwide. He's had 36 Top 40 hits, a Grammy award and a Golden Globe award, but his most recent CD, "Home Before Dark," is his first No. 1 album. Since its release in May, "Home Before Dark" has sold more than 500,000 copies, becoming a certified gold CD. Incidentally, with this CD, Diamond, who is 67, became the oldest artist to have a No. 1, surpassing Bob Dylan who was 65 when his CD "Modern Times" hit the Top Spot in 2006. "Frankly, it came as a surprise to me when I was told that this was my first No. 1," Diamond said during a t...
"There's only one rule," Neil Diamond announces, in that diamond-hard, late Neil Diamond voice of his, that croak you could sharpen knives against. "There are no rules," he continued. Crowd goes nuts. "Except that I follow the noise." Crowd goes nutser. Especially my side, stage left, so Neil Diamond smiles big and heads toward us, much to the chagrin of the people sitting center stage, or stage right, or stage-band's-asses, who all redoubled their appreciation. Suddenly, I understood. "I follow the noise" is Neil Diamond, that showman who sings in self-actualizing thesis statements: I'm a Believer. I Am I Said. I'm a Man of G...
At 67, Neil Diamond still has a No. 1 in him By ALAN SCULLEY Special to The Star Neil Diamond has sold more than 125 million records and has headlined moneymaking arena tours for decades. Yet Diamond still has some uncertainty when there's a new album to do. "You always have that lingering doubt when you take on a project, because I've been doing this since I was 16 years old, and you just never do know whether something is going to come out," Diamond, 67, said in a teleconference with music writers. "You can make all the plans, and you make the commitments, and you sit down with your guitar, and you hope that something wo...
By Melissa Ruggieri Published: December 9, 2008 CHARLOTTESVILLE For years, non-Neil Diamond worshippers carried on about what a joke of a performer he was, that despite his obvious talents as a songwriter (that line about the chair in "I Am, I Said" is an obvious exception), it was difficult to appreciate under the stacks of cheese. But now, this 67-year-old Diamond is a subdued character, a laid-back guy who still might occasionally thrust his fist in the air to punctuate a lyric, but he is more content traveling through his five decades of hits in a simple black suit and on an expansive but clutter-free stage. Nary a hint of ...
You can count on Diamond Singer brings beloved hits back to Atlanta By Sonia Murray The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Friday, December 05, 2008 You can count on Diamond Singer brings beloved hits back to Atlanta By Sonia Murray The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Friday, December 05, 2008 Examining Neil Diamond's career by the numbers is an exercise in ''Wow!'' ''Come on!'' and ''Surely this can’t be true!'' There's two --- the number of times he's been known to play ''Sweet Caroline'' back to back in concert. There's zilch --- the number of Grammys he's won for albums with his name on them. (He does have one --- a...
By Mary Alice Blackwell Published: December 4, 2008 Song sung blue. Everybody knows one or more of Neil Diamond's greatest hits. The man is a legend. With more than 40 years in the music business, he has sold more than 125 million records. He owns a Grammy, a Golden Globe and 36 Top 40 hits. What you may not know, is that Diamond never had the ace - an album to debut at the top of the charts. Not until this year. ''Home Before Dark,'' an intimate guitar-driven collection, went straight to No. 1 when it was released on May 6. ''Frankly, it came as a surprise to me when I was told that this was my first number one,'' ...
By SONIA MURRAY The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Tuesday, December 02, 2008 Examining Neil Diamond's career by the numbers is an exercise in ''Wow!'' ''Come on!'' and ''Surely this can’t be true!'' There's two — the number of times, at least, he's been known to play ''Sweet Caroline'' back to back in concert. There's zilch — the number of Grammys he's won for albums with his name on it. (He does have one - and only one - for best original score written for a motion picture or a television special, ''Jonathan Livingston Seagull''). On and on it goes. Luckily, pop music's legendary singer-songwriter was willing to play...
Diamond -- master showman Aging boomer audience gets what it came for Lynn Saxberg, The Ottawa Citizen Published: Monday, December 01, 2008 Approximately 10,000 music fans will be arriving at work today a little more fatigued than usual for a Monday morning. Be patient in your dealings with them. After all, pop superstar Neil Diamond paid a rare visit to the capital last night, and Scotiabank Place was packed with aging baby boomers on a mission to party. To them, Neil Diamond represents many, many years of good times. To heck with work, who cares about the weather forecast. It was a must-see concert event. Sure enough and exac...
Music legend Neil Diamond, who has crafted such classic songs as Solitary Man, Sweet Caroline, Cherry Cherry, and Cracklin' Rosie - to name only a few - over the past five decades, has no plans to pack it in anytime soon. ''Well, maybe in 20 years from now, but not right now,'' he cracked during a recent teleconference interview with North American music writers, including Sun Media. In fact, the 67-year-old New Yorker has been on the road since mid-July and had Western Canadian dates back in September in support of his latest critically acclaimed disc, Home Before Dark. He's now on the third leg of the tour that will take him ac...
Neil Diamond 'succeeded' beyond his wildest expectations By MARVIN GLASSMAN, Special to The CJN Thursday, 27 November 2008 Singer/songwriter Neil Diamond is proud of his latest accomplishments: The 67-year old grandfather of three boys is the oldest artist both to headline a North American tour of arena shows, and to have a CD debut at No. 1 on the music charts. Diamond has been on a whirlwind, 45-city tour since Home Before Dark, released last May, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. He will be in Toronto on Dec. 2 and 3, performing at Air Canada Centre, and in Ottawa on Nov. 30, at ScotiaBank Place. He ...
Neil Diamond: Underrated icon or guilty pleasure? Diamond has his share of diehard fans and detractors. By Drew Olson Senior Editor E-mail author | Author bio More articles by Drew Olson Published Nov. 20, 2008 at 4:15 p.m. Tags: neil diamond, bradley center, david wild Amy Glinberg is a North Shore housewife with a secret. The 30-something mother of two adorable kids keeps it as quiet as she can, but her family and close friends all know the truth and -- come Monday night -- so will thousands of random Milwaukeeans. Amy is a Neil Diamond fan. That's right. She's a card-carrying, "Cracklin' Rosie"-lovin...
(Neil) Diamond studded Paulette Tobin Grand Forks Herald Published Thursday, November 20, 2008 ''Legendary performer'' is a label that gets tossed around a lot in show biz. But only for some artists - like Neil Diamond - is it truly fitting. With a four-decade career and sales of more than 125 million records, Diamond's career puts him at the top for performing success, not to mention longevity. Diamond, the subject of a new book by a Rolling Stone music critic who calls him ''the Jewish Elvis,'' will be in concert at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Alerus Center. Officials there say they're not authorized to comment on ticket sales, or...
Like red wine, singer gets better with age By Dave Tianen of the Journal Sentinel These are lustrous times for Neil Diamond. His new CD, "Home Before Dark," became his first No. 1 album this summer. Both "Home Before Dark" and 2005's "12 Songs" have garnered Diamond some of the most glowing reviews of his long career. There's also a new biography by Rolling Stone writer David Wild, "He Is . . . I Say: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Neil Diamond" (De Capo Press, $25). And, at 67, Diamond still has the clout to play arenas. He recently answered a few questions in anticipation of his show Monday...
Diamond, Rubin To Get Busy On Third Album Neil Diamond Similar Stories | Topics -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STORIES Neil Diamond Extends North American Tour Ting Tings, Rihanna In Control On U.K. Charts Weller Returns To No. 1 On U.K. Album Chart Bon Jovi, Spice Girls Top Midyear Touring Chart Sarah Brightman Goes Holiday 'Crazy' TOPICS Entertainment | Entertainment Awards | Music | Music Awards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- November 19, 2008 , 12:50 AM ET Gary Graff, Detroit Neil Dia...
Neil Diamond sets up rebuilding fund in Oak Island 05:27 PM CST on Monday, November 17, 2008 Wendell Edwards / 11 News ' OAK ISLAND, Texas - After Hurricane Ike, the rebuilding process in Chambers County has been slow, but steady. Many people are still living in tents, while others are waiting on their trailer from FEMA. "We don't have a choice. We don't have much money," said Van Hieu Nguyen, Oak Island resident. Nguyen's home is now a tent. He sleeps on a cot in his clothes and a few covers. But with the temperatures being so cold, on Monday night, he'll be using a heater to keep him warm. Nguyen is not alone. The...
Wild about Diamond By Tom Teicholz David Wild wants you to know that he is an unabashed Neil Diamond fan. So much so that he has written a book titled, "He Is ... I Say: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Neil Diamond" (Da Capo Press) that is less biography, according to Wild, than "tribute album." Being a Diamond fan (dare we call him a Diamond head?) is as much a part of Wild as, well ... being Jewish. Wild grew up in Tenafly, N.J., not even knowing anti-Semitism existed, he said, "because it took a few years before I knew there were non-Jews." It was at Loomis-Chafee prep school that he discovered, as he put it, that...
Good times never seemed so good at Hackett Elementary School in Beloit. This year, Tom Johnson, Hackett's new principal, has started "Neil Diamond Day." On Fridays during the school's closed-circuit tv morning show, he plays Neil Diamond music and gives one class a Neil Diamond teddy bear as a traveling trophy. "They know they get it for a week they take a picture with it and that means that good things are happening and it gets kids excited about learning and that's what we're aiming for," explained Johnson. Johnson has always been a Neil Diamond fan and got the idea for the special day over the summer. "Been to a few Neil Dia...
Author praises Neil Diamond's legacy Writer says work by musician will continue to endure By Bill Friskics-Warren ? THE TENNESSEAN ? November 6, 2008 Print this page E-mail this article Share Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine Buzz up! Guardians of rock 'n' roll authenticity often dismiss him as a schlockmeister for the melodramatic likes of "America" and "You Don't Bring Me Flowers," but Neil Diamond has gained a bit of hip cred in the wake of his recent collaborations with ?ber-producer Rick Rubin. Rolling Stone contributing editor David Wild has been in Diamond's corner all along. Anointing Diamond his personal ...
The voice was impeccable, ''The Jazz Singer'' poses endless, the black suit subdued in its sparkle and ''Sweet Caroline'' perhaps never sweeter. Neil Diamond's long-awaited return to Green Bay proved worth the four-decade wait, even if his twice-postponed concert was up against what he called ''a good show on television.'' Any preoccupation with election-night results, however, melted away somewhere between the collective goose bump moment of a stirring ''I Am, I Said'' and an uninhibited ''Forever in Blue Jeans'' dance-a-thon. It's hard to recall a Resch Center crowd that has been more engaged, more absolutely giddy over a sing-al...
Neil Diamond in concert: So good! So good! So good! BY HOWARD COHEN hcohen@MiamiHerald.com Neil Diamond gave the thousands who filed into Sunrise's BankAtlantic Center Sunday night an easy way to describe his performance. It's in the lyrics of his most beloved hit, Sweet Caroline: 'So good! So good! So good!" In case we missed it, Diamond sang that audience participation number twice. "I saw two people not singing," he joked after the first pass at the 1969 hit. "So you know what? We'll have to do it again." And so he did. Amusingly, Diamond's tease brought to mind a PE coach who makes his students do 10 more push-ups for slo...
Neil Diamond remains a beautiful noise Jim Abbott | Sentinel Music Critic October 26, 2008 At age 67, Neil Diamond still makes the ladies scream. And, apparently, plenty of men and young people in a demographic that really ought to be out at a Radiohead concert — instead of watching a guy who once wrote songs for the Monkees. It remains to be seen whether Radiohead is still around in 40 years, but this Diamond is still shining. His latest album, Home Before Dark, was a chart-topper. It's his second with producer Rick Rubin, known for his work with Johnny Cash, the Dixie Chicks and Metallica. There are a few new songs...
Alone, Together: Soliltary Diamond Pleases Crowd By CURTIS ROSS cross@tampatrib.com Published: October 25, 2008 Updated: 12:15 am TAMPA - The man who never cared for the sound of being alone had little to worry about Friday night, drawing a crowd of 13,604 to the St. Pete Times Forum. The irony - and what is one of Neil Diamond's greatest gifts - is that even in a boisterous arena he can sound all alone. Sure, he did celebratory, group-hug numbers such as "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show," the evening's closer, and the guaranteed singalong "Sweet Caroline." But at heart, Neil-ness is loneliness, the kind tha...