Neil Diamond was in denial about Parkinson’s diagnosis for years
Neil Diamond has opened up about living with Parkinson’s disease in a new interview.
Diamond was diagnosed with the progressive neurological condition in 2018 and retired from touring the same year.
A statement issued on the singer’s official website at the time said that “the onset of the disease has made it difficult to travel and perform on a large scale basis but will allow Mr Diamond to continue his writing, recording and development of new projects”.
In a new interview with CBS, Diamond admitted that he was in denial about the diagnosis for the first year or two. He went on to say that he only accepted it “in the last few weeks.”
“I don’t like it but this is me. This is what I have to accept. And I’m willing to do it,” said Diamond. “Okay, so this is the hand that God’s given me, and I have to make the best of it, and so I am.”
“But somehow, a calm has moved [into] the hurricane of my life, and things have gotten very quiet, as quiet as this recording studio,” he continued. “And I like it. I find that I like myself better. I’m easier on people. I’m easier on myself. And the beat goes on, and it will go on long after I’m gone.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Diamond said that he was “scared” watching A Beautiful Noise, the Broadway musical based on his life.
“It was all pretty hard,” Diamond said. “I was a little embarrassed. I was flattered.”
“Being found out is the scariest thing you can hope, because we all have a façade,” he added “And the truth be known to all of ’em. I’m not some big star. I’m just me.”
He also was in the audience for the first performance of A Beautiful Noise in December, and after the show, Diamond sang ‘Sweet Caroline’.
In addition to his publishing and masters, the deal includes 110 unreleased tracks, an unreleased album and archival video footage.
The post Neil Diamond was in denial about Parkinson’s diagnosis for years appeared first on NME.
Ali Shutler
NME
