Diamond, Neil

NEIL DIAMOND

Born: Brooklyn, New York, 24 January 1941

Genre: Pop, Rock, Country

Best-selling album since 1990: Tennessee Moon (1996)

Asinger/songwriter who has enjoyed a long and varied career, Neil Diamond first achieved recognition during the mid-1960s, writing and recording hits in an exuberant, breezy style associated with the tuneful "Brill Building" sound popular during the era. By the late 1960s and early 1970s he had evolved into a moody rock star, achieving success with powerful songs such as "Holly Holy" (1969) and "Solitary Man" (1970). Never popular among critics, who often lambasted his lack of subtlety and blunt singing style, Diamond gained increased popularity during the 1970s and 1980s, releasing a string of heavily orchestrated pop hits that many writers described as bombastic. Despite critical reservations, Diamond fostered an ardent cult following, its members known informally as "Diamondheads." Always seeking new opportunities as an artist, Diamond in the 1990s made successful forays into country and classic pop standards before returning in 2001 to his former rock-based style.

Raised in Brooklyn, New York, where as a child he was a friend of future music superstar Barbra Streisand, Diamond began writing songs and performing during his mid-teens. He made his first singles for the small Duel label in 1960 before becoming a full-time songwriter in 1962. After writing pop group the Monkees's number one hit, "I'm a Believer" (1966), Diamond returned to performing, signing with the small Bang label and releasing youth-oriented hits such as the engaging "Cherry Cherry" (1966). In 1968 he moved to Uni Records, a subsidiary of major label MCA, and pursued a tougher, sharper style in the mold of rock stars Paul Simon and Bob Dylan. During this period, he enlisted the services of the American Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, popular with rock and R&B performers such as Dusty Springfield, Wilson Pickett, and, most famously, Elvis Presley. There, he recorded the hits often judged by critics to be his finest: "Sweet Caroline," "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show," and the brooding "Holly Holy" (all 1969).

In the 1970s and 1980s, Diamond began to take himself more seriously as an artist, recording songs about poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ("Longfellow Serenade," 1974) and scoring the film soundtracks Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1973) and The Jazz Singer (1980), a film in which he starred. Criticized by music reviewers for his over-wrought vocal style and lack of humor, Diamond nonetheless built up a loyal fan base through the strength of his dynamic, entertaining live performances. In 1978 he released one of his biggest hits, "You Don't Bring Me Flowers," a glossy ballad duet with Streisand.

In the 1990s Diamond recorded Lovescape (1991), a sophisticated pop album, before returning to his roots on Up on the Roof—Songs from the Brill Building (1993). A celebration of the hit music created at the famous edifice in Manhattan, where songwriters such as Carole King and Burt Bacharach crafted pop hits during the 1960s, the album features versions of classic songs such as "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," "Spanish Harlem," and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin," a duet with country star Dolly Parton. While Diamond captures a yearning romantic quality on songs such as "A Groovy Kind of Love," his melodramatic tendencies are often in evidence on other tracks. For instance, in the middle of "Up on the Roof," a hit made famous by the pop and R&B group the Drifters in 1963, he shouts out, "Look at those stars, darlin'!" Aside from moments such as these, Diamond largely retains the phrasing and sound of the original versions, although his new arrangements substitute synthesizers for strings.

Given the nostalgic pop orientation of Up on the Roof, Diamond's next move came as a surprise: a legitimate country album, recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, the country capital. Critics inclined to dismiss Tennessee Moon (1996) were impressed by Diamond's credible, assured performances of songs such as the romantic "Deep Inside of You" and the breezy title track. Recorded in the streamlined, polished style popular within the world of 1990s country radio, Tennessee Moon became a substantial hit, reaching the number three position on the country album charts. Next, Diamond collaborated with legendary film arranger Elmer Bernstein on The Movie Album: As Time Goes By (1998), a collection of classic pop songs including "Secret Love" and "Moon River." Despite the effulgence of Bernstein's arrangements, Diamond often sounds unsuited to this type of material, primarily because his gruff vocal style does not translate easily to lush ballads. In 2001 Diamond returned to form with Three Grand Opera, an album that comes close to capturing the drive and energy of his late 1960s hits. On songs such as "You Are the Best Part of Me," nicely arranged with steel drums, he achieves power through a new sense of restraint.

Beginning his career in the mid-1960s as a songwriter, Diamond assumed a variety of roles—ranging from hard rocker to dramatic pop belter—as the decades progressed. Although critical acclaim for the most part eluded him, Diamond attained unwavering support from listeners who responded to his heart-on-sleeve brand of romanticism.

SELECTIVE DISCOGRAPHY:

The Feel of Neil Diamond (Bang, 1966); Tap Root Manuscript (Uni, 1970); Hot August Night (MCA, 1972); You Don't Bring Me Flowers (Columbia, 1978); Heartlight (Columbia, 1982); Lovescape (Columbia, 1991); Up On the Roof—Songs from the Brill Building (Columbia, 1993); Tennessee Moon (Columbia, 1996); The Movie Album: As Time Goes By (Columbia, 1998); Three Chord Opera (Columbia, 2001). Soundtracks: Jonathan Livingston Seagull (Sony, 1973); The Jazz Singer (Sony, 1980).

WEBSITE:

www.neildiamond.com.

david freeland