Childhood and Education Journey of Neil Diamond in Timeline

An overview of the childhood and early education of Neil Diamond, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.

Neil Diamond is a highly successful American singer-songwriter. Renowned for his songwriting and baritone vocals, Diamond has achieved immense popularity, selling over 130 million records globally. This makes him one of the best-selling musicians in history. His career has spanned several decades, marked by numerous hit songs and albums that have left a lasting impact on popular music.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

1917: Akeeba "Kieve" Diamond's Birth

In 1917, Akeeba "Kieve" Diamond, Neil Diamond's father, was born. He later married Rose Rapoport and worked as a dry-goods merchant.

1918: Rose Rapoport's Birth

In 1918, Rose Rapoport, Neil Diamond's mother, was born. She later married Akeeba Diamond and raised her family in Brooklyn and Wyoming.

January 24, 1941: Neil Diamond's Birth

On January 24, 1941, Neil Leslie Diamond was born. He would later become a very successful American singer-songwriter, selling over 130 million records and becoming one of the best-selling musicians of all time.

1960: Member of NCAA Championship Fencing Team

In 1960, Neil Diamond, while attending New York University on a fencing scholarship, was a member of the NCAA men's championship fencing team. During this time he started writing songs.

1963: Marriage to Jaye Posner

In 1963, Neil Diamond married his high-school sweetheart, Jaye Posner, who had become a schoolteacher. They had two daughters.

1967: Separation from Jaye Posner

Neil Diamond and his wife, Jaye Posner, separated in 1967.

December 5, 1969: Marriage to Marcia Murphey

On December 5, 1969, Neil Diamond married production assistant Marcia Murphey. They had two sons.

1969: Divorce from Jaye Posner

In 1969, Neil Diamond and Jaye Posner divorced.

1969: Move to Los Angeles and Sound Mellowing

In mid-1969, Neil Diamond moved to Los Angeles. His sound began to mellow, leading to the creation of songs such as "Sweet Caroline" and "Holly Holy" that same year.

1976: Return to Live Performances

After a four-year break following his Winter Garden shows, Neil Diamond resumed live performances in 1976. This break was used to work on film scores and to spend time with his son.

1979: Collapse on Stage and Spinal Tumor Operation

In 1979, Neil Diamond collapsed on stage in San Francisco and had a 12-hour operation to remove a tumor on his spine. He underwent a long rehabilitation process.

1980: Filming of 'The Jazz Singer'

In 1980, shortly after recovering from a spinal tumor operation, Neil Diamond began principal photography on his film The Jazz Singer.

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1985: Akeeba "Kieve" Diamond's Death

In 1985, Akeeba "Kieve" Diamond, Neil Diamond's father, passed away. He was born in 1917 and worked as a dry-goods merchant.

1988: "America" Theme Song for Michael Dukakis Campaign

In 1988, Neil Diamond's song "America" became the theme song for the Michael Dukakis presidential campaign. Also in 1988 British band UB40's reggae version of his song Red Red Wine topped the charts.

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1994: End of Marriage to Marcia Murphey

The marriage between Neil Diamond and Marcia Murphey ended in either 1994 or 1995.

1996: Relationship with Rae Farley began

In 1996, Neil Diamond began a relationship with Australian Rae Farley after the two met in Brisbane, Australia.

1999: MCA Records becomes Universal Music

In 1999, MCA Records was renamed Universal Music after merging with PolyGram.

2000: Onstage Appearance with Super Diamond

In 2000, Neil Diamond appeared onstage with a Diamond tribute band, Super Diamond, surprising them before their show at House of Blues in Los Angeles.

September 11, 2001: Changed Lyric in 'America' after Attacks

After the attacks on America on September 11, 2001, Neil Diamond changed the lyric at the end of his song "America" from "They're coming to America" to "Stand up for America!".

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2007: Inspiration for "Sweet Caroline" Revealed

In 2007, Neil Diamond stated that he had written "Sweet Caroline" for Caroline Kennedy after seeing her on the cover of Life. However, this story changed in later years.

September 7, 2011: Engagement to Katie McNeil

On September 7, 2011, Neil Diamond, then 70 years old, announced his engagement to the 41-year-old Katie McNeil via a message on Twitter.

April 20, 2013: Surprise appearance at Fenway Park

On April 20, 2013, Neil Diamond made an unannounced appearance at Fenway Park to sing "Sweet Caroline" during the 8th inning of the first game at Fenway since the Boston Marathon bombing.

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2014: Revised Story Behind "Sweet Caroline"

In 2014, Neil Diamond revealed on the Today show that "Sweet Caroline" was written for his then-wife, Marcia. He used the name "Caroline" because he couldn't find a rhyme with "Marcia".

January 2018: Announcement of Retirement from Touring

In January 2018, Neil Diamond announced that he would stop touring after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, leading to the cancellation of tour dates in Australia and New Zealand. He stated he would continue writing, recording, and developing new projects.

July 28, 2018: Visit to Incident Command Post and Performance for Firefighters

On July 28, 2018, Neil Diamond and his wife, Katie, made a surprise visit to the Incident Command post in Basalt, Colorado, to thank firefighters for their efforts to contain the Lake Christine Fire. Diamond performed a solo acoustic guitar concert in their honor.

2019: Rose Diamond's Death

In 2019, Rose Diamond (née Rapoport), Neil Diamond's mother, passed away. She was born in 1918.

March 22, 2020: "Sweet Caroline" COVID-19 version

On March 22, 2020, Neil Diamond posted a video to YouTube playing "Sweet Caroline" with slightly modified lyrics ("...washing hands, don't touch me, I won't touch you...") in response to the widespread social distancing measures implemented due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

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2020: England Fans Sing Sweet Caroline

In 2020, after England defeated Germany at Wembley in Euro 2020, fans of the England national football team sang Sweet Caroline. Wembley DJ Tony Parry played it and said "I thought Sweet Caroline went slightly better than Three Lions in the post-match sing-song."

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April 2021: Announcement of A Beautiful Noise musical

In April 2021, the New York Times reported that A Beautiful Noise, a musical based on Neil Diamond's life and featuring his songs, would open at the Emerson Colonial Theater in Boston in the summer of 2022.

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June 18, 2022: "Sweet Caroline" performance at Fenway Park

On June 18, 2022, Neil Diamond sang "Sweet Caroline" during the 8th-inning stretch of a Red Sox game at Fenway Park. He was joined in a surprise appearance by Will Swenson, who portrays Diamond in the musical A Beautiful Noise.

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2024: Estimated Value of Food Budget Adjusted for Inflation

In 2024, Neil Diamond's 35-cent daily food budget from his early songwriting days is equivalent to $4 when adjusted for inflation.

2024: Value of Sunbeam Music Publishing Offer Adjusted for Inflation

In 2024, the equivalent value of the $50 per week offered by Sunbeam Music Publishing in Neil Diamond's senior year of college would be about $530 per week when adjusted for inflation. This offer led him to drop out of college.

2024: Value of Million-Dollar Advance Adjusted for Inflation

In 2024, the million-dollar advance per album that Neil Diamond received in 1973 from Columbia Records would be equivalent to about $7.1 million per album when adjusted for inflation.