Neil Diamond

Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond is one of pop music's most enduring and successful singer-songwriters who scored a number of hits worldwide in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Diamond was ranked third, after Elton John and Barbra Streisand, on the list of the most successful young contemporary artists in the history of the Billboard chart. According to May 2005 estimates, Diamond had sold 120 million records worldwide, including 48 million records in the U.S.

Neil Diamond was born into a Jewish Russian-Polish family, grew up in several homes in the New York City borough of Brooklyn and attended Erasmus Hall and Abraham Lincoln High Schools. At Erasmus Hall, he took part in a competition named 'SING' and sang in the school choir with Barbra Streisand, who then spelled her name 'Barbara'. At Lincoln, he was a member of the fencing team and later attended NYU on a fencing scholarship, specializing in epee.

With a dream to find a cure for cancer in future, Neil Diamond wanted to be a doctor. However, during his senior year a music publishing company made him an offer to write songs for $50 dollars a week and he could not refuse. This started him on the road to stardom. Diamond's first recording contract was paid as 'Neil and Jack', an everly brothers type duo; Diamond gave its appearance with a high school friend, Jack Packer.

The duo recorded its singles one after another including 'What Will I Do' b/w 'You are My Love at Last' and 'I'm Afraid' b/w 'Till You've Tried Love' in 1962. Though these songs didn't make a significant mark, but earned the duo region-wide popularity. In 1962, Diamond signed with the Columbia Records label as a solo performer, which released the single 'At Night' b/w 'Clown Town' in July, 1963. Despite a tour of radio stations, this single too failed to make the music charts. Columbia dropped Diamond from their label for disappointing sales. Soon after, Diamond was back to writing lyrics for songs on an upright piano above the Birdland Club.

Diamond began his career as a writer in the Brill Building, and received an early success for 'I'm a Believer', 'A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You', 'Look Out, Here Comes Tomorrow', and Love to Love which were recorded by The Monkees. Diamond wrote, composed and recorded these songs to release himself, but the cover versions were released before his own. The unintended but happy consequence of this release was that Diamond began to gain popularity not only as a singer and performer, but also as a songwriter.

In 1966 Diamond signed a deal with Bang Records label but he soon began to feel restricted by the company. He wanted to record more ambitious and introspective music. He signed a deal with the MCA Records label of Universal Pictures' parent company, MCA Inc. and moved to Los Angeles, California in 1970. His sound mellowed, with such songs as 'Cracklin' Rosie', 'Sweet Caroline', 'Holly Holy', and many. Sweet Caroline was his first major hit after his slump, written for Caroline Kennedy.

Diamond was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984, and received the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. Though his record sales never made up to the mark, Diamond continues to tour successfully, and maintains a very loyal following. Diamond's songs have also been recorded by a vast array of artistes from many different musical genres.