Like many other music legends, Neil Diamond began his love affair with the medium while still a teenager. A guitar he received as a gift at 16 became the first outlet for the talented singer and musician who has managed to remain relevant and popular for three decades.

Diamond wrote and recorded songs in the 60s and even left college to devote all his time to songsmithing (that may not be a word but it really should be). Recognition first came when the Monkees reached the Top 10 with Diamond's fun and catchy "I'm a Believer" and he hit the Top 10 again singing his own "Cherry Cherry."

The late 60s brought more successes, like "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon" and "Red Red Wine,"  two hits that were not only popular in 1968 but reached the top of the charts years later, covered by Urge Overkill and UB40, respectively. In 1969, Diamond released two more enduring pop singles, "Holly Holly" and "Sweet Caroline." The latter  has become the unofficial anthem for the Boston Red Sox and can be heard often at Fenway Park.

During the 70s, Diamond began to experiment with African and Eastern rhythms in his pop songs, which can be heard in his album Tap Root Manuscript. The hits kept on coming and included the singer's first #1 chart-buster, "Cracklin' Rosie." The introspective "I Am I Said" reached the #5 spot and "Song Sung Blue" hit the #1 spot again.

Diamond was officially on a roll--and had been for a while--when he appeared with The Band during their final concert in 1976; that appearance has been included in The Last Waltz, arguably the best music film ever made. A couple of years later, he recorded the hit duet "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" with the diva herself, Barbra Streisand.

From music to movies, Diamond starred in and provided the score for The Jazz Singer, a modern version of Al Jolson's first talkie. The soundtrack of the movie included several hits, among them "Hello Again," "Love on the Rocks" and the patriotic anthem "America." If he hadn't before, Diamond definitely cemented his status as heartthrob after The Jazz Singer hit the theaters.

Diamond continued to release records in the 80s, like Heartlight and Head for the Future, as well as tour extensively--always playing to sold out large venues, of course. Entering yet another decade, the 90s found Neil still recording and performing in America and abroad.