Early years: The son of a dry-goods merchant in Brooklyn, Neil moved around the city a lot as his father relocated near the different stores he owned in the area. Neil made few friendly relationships as a result, and like many such teens, he turned to music. A lifelong folk lover, Diamond was first introduced to the music when Pete Seeger played Neil’s summer camp. In 1958, the neophyte musician enrolled at NYU (major: pre-med), but he was already looking for a way to make it as a professional songwriter.

Success: Diamond scored minor hits with songs he’d written for Pat Boone, the Rocky Fellers, and Cliff Richard, but when he met Brill Building songwriters Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich his career started to take off. Neil’s demos earned him a reputation as a singer AND a songwriter, and eventually resulted in a contract with Bang Records. In January 1966, “Solitary Man” was released, and while it wasn’t a huge hit at first, it paved the way for his next single, an instant smash called “Cherry, Cherry.”

Later years: Several similar singles followed, and as the Sixties blossomed, the singer found it easier to get more introspective (and, it must be said, less rocking). His dynamic stage show garnered him quite a reputation, one solidified by 1972′s “Hot August Night,” one of rock’s great live recordings. As the Seventies wore on, Neil settled into a soft-rock mode, but his stadium shows continued to sell out well into the late Eighties. Diamond still records periodically today, but is mainly a concert draw.

Website: Neil Diamond Official Website