When our favorite singers call it quits after a long, successful career, it can make us feel sad and happy at the same time. But having them come back for a special performance can be very satisfying. Neil Diamond, a famous singer and songwriter, gave his fans a nice surprise on the opening night of “A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical.”
He sang “Sweet Caroline,” which was his most famous song, to cheers and applause from the crowd. Ben Philips posted a clip of the performance on Twitter with the caption, “I don’t know who needs to hear this but Neil Diamond, who retired from performing five years ago because of Parkinson’s, just had a Broadway show of him open and it at the opening night he did this.” People were shocked by Diamond’s ability to deal with his illness and find the strength to perform live again after almost four years. This caused the tweet to go viral.
I don’t know who needs to hear this but Neil Diamond, who retired from performing five years ago because of Parkinsons, just had a Broadway show of him open and it at the opening night he did this pic.twitter.com/eJ02YUAzr5
— Ben Phillips (@benphillips76) December 6, 2022
Diamond’s life and legendary music career are told in the musical “Beautiful Voice.” The show is about a “Brooklyn kid who made it big” and had “10 Top 10 Hits and 140 million album sales,” according to their website. Diamond was later inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, as well as winning a Grammy award. In later years, he was honored with not only the Grammy for lifetime achievement but also the Kennedy Center Honors.
Unfortunately, following the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in January 2018, he was forced to call an end to his tour. While making the announcement of his retirement, he stated, “The onset of the disease has made it difficult to travel and perform on a large scale basis. It is with great reluctance and disappointment that I announce my retirement from concert touring. I have been so honored to bring my shows to the public for the past 50 years.”
Opening night @beautifulnoise. @NeilDiamond you are a legend. NYC you were glowing tonight. pic.twitter.com/76GIvqDnsJ
— Dr. Rita Meyerson, EdD (@ritameyerson) December 5, 2022
This was a setback for the musician, who acknowledged in 2019 that he still hopes to play live again at some point. He said Parade “I love performing. But I’ll have to deal with it. In my heart, I secretly think, well, maybe I can do a few more shows.” In order to maintain a connection with his fans after his retirement, he did a few one-off performances, and the musical based on his life allowed him another opportunity to do that.
I woulda sobbed. And I mean sobbed.
— Kathleen Smith (@KikkiPlanet) December 6, 2022
Neil Diamond isn’t just a performer. He’s an experience, an era, a vibe, an icon.
He is legend ♥️ https://t.co/QLVGcMnabJ