Born in January 1941, Neil Diamond is an American composer, singer, musician and actor. With 38 songs in the Top 10 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts, Diamond has sold more than 125 million albums worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. Diamond was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. In 2018, Diamond received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Diamond was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a Jewish family descended from Russian and Polish immigrants. He attended Erasmus Hall High School and was a member of the Freshman Chorus and Choral Club, along with classmate Barbra Streisand. “We were two poor kids in Brooklyn. We hung out in the front of Erasmus High and smoked cigarettes.”
At the age of 16, Diamond spent a number of weeks at Surprise Lake Camp, a camp for Jewish children, where folk singer Pete Seeger performed a small concert. Watching the children singing songs they wrote themselves had an immediate effect on Diamond who became aware of the possibility of writing his own songs. For his 16th birthday, he was given his first guitar, started lessons and began to write songs. He said his attraction to writing songs was the “first real interest” he had growing up, besides helping him release his youthful frustrations.
Often bored in class, he found writing song lyrics more to his liking. Diamond also used his newly-developing skill to write poetry. By writing poems for girls he was attracted to in school, he soon learned it often won their hearts. His male classmates took note and began asking him to write poems for them which they would sing and use with equal success. He began cutting classes and taking the train up to Tin Pan Alley, where he tried to get some of his songs heard by local music publishers. Ten units short of graduation in his senior year, Sunbeam Music Publishing offered him a 16-week job writing songs for $50 a week and he dropped out of college to accept it.
Diamond spent his early career as a hired songwriter in the Brill Building where some of the most popular American hit songs were written, published and recorded. His first success as a songwriter came in November 1965, with Sunday and Me and greater success followed with The Monkees recording I'm a Believer which became a gold record within two days of its release, voted the Popular Music Song of the Year in 1966. Other notable artists who recorded his early songs were the English hard-rock band Deep Purple, Lulu, Cliff Richard and UB40 with Red Red Wine.
His early concerts saw him as an opening act for artistes including Herman's Hermits and The Who and he was shocked to see Pete Townshend swinging his guitar like a club, then throwing it against walls and off the stage until the instrument's neck broke. It was the first time he had seen a band smashing their instruments and amplifiers to pieces.
Developing into a dynamic concert performer, in 1971 Diamond played seven sold-out concerts at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. A leading newspaper called it “the finest concert in Greek Theater history.” Throughout the decades up to 2017, Diamond recorded over 40 albums and has toured the world marking his ascension to superstar status. In January 2018, Diamond announced his retirement from concert touring after 50 years. ‘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. My thanks go out to my loyal and devoted audiences around the world. You will always have my appreciation for your support and encouragement. This ride has been ‘so good, so good, so good’ thanks to you.’
Paying respect to the music of this legendary artist composer and performer are Durban’s own tribute band The Reals with Barry Thomson on guitar and vocals, musical director Dawn Selby on keyboards and vocals, Mali Sewell on drums and vocals and Trevor Donjeany on bass guitar and vocals. Included in the repertoire of Hot August Night are Diamond’s hit songs Cracklin' Rosie, Song Sung Blue, Longfellow Serenade, Desiree, You Don't Bring Me Flowers, America, Heartlight, Sweet Caroline and I’m A Believer. A show not to be missed!
Hot August Night has performances at 14h00 on August 21 and 22, 2021, at Rhumbelow Durban. (Venue opens 90 minutes before show for snacks/drinks)
“We would ask that if you are able to please assist us and the performers by donating a higher ticket price,” says Roland Stansell who runs the Rhumbelow circuit.
Tickets minimum R160 (no discounts for this show). Bring food picnic baskets or buy at the venue. A full bar is available (no alcohol may be brought on to the premises).
All seating will be at separate tables and the venue will obviously be seating co-habiting couples and/or family members together.
Limited secure parking available.
With the current Covid levels capacity is limited to 50 people max. Booking is essential on email: roland@stansell.co.za or through Computicket.
Strict Covid protocols will be observed.
For more information contact Roland Stansell on 082 499 8636 or visit http://events.durbantheatre.com/
Rhumbelow Theatre is situated at 42 Cunningham Road off Bartle Road, Durban.
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