Neil Diamond is one of the most iconic musicians and has been in the industry since the 1960s. The “Sweet Caroline” singer has spent a lot of his life in the spotlight; however, there are still some things that many people do not know about him. With that in mind, here we present our list of 15 things you probably didn’t know about Neil Diamond. Check out part one below, and stay tuned for part two, coming soon!
Number Fifteen: “Sweet Caroline” Is About a First Daughter. In 2007, Diamond admitted that arguably his most famous hit is about Caroline Kennedy. Diamond wrote the song after he saw the 11-year-old on the cover of Life Magazine wearing an equestrian outfit. Caroline Kennedy is the daughter of late former president JFK.
Number Fourteen: He Went to High School With Barbra Streisand. Diamond and Streisand recorded “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” together, but did you know they have another connection in common? They both attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, and they also both sang in the choir though they were not close friends.
Number Thirteen: He Can Fence. It’s no secret that Diamond is a skilled musician, but he can also fence. He even won a fencing scholarship to New York University, and in 1960 he was part of their championship team. He eventually left NYU to pursue music, although he received an honorary degree from them in 2003.
Number Twelve: He Played a Pretty Polarizing Role. Diamond played the character of Jess Robin in 1980’s The Jazz Singer. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance, but he also received a “Worst Actor” Golden Raspberry Award!
Number Eleven: He Does Not Like Writing Songs. Though Diamond is a brilliant songwriter, he doesn’t actually enjoy the practice. He has even gone so far as to say that he absolutely hates it.
Number Ten: He Has Been Covered by Many Famous Artists. Just some artists who have covered Diamond’s songs include Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Lulu.
Number Nine: He Has Sold More Than 125 Million Records. This is impressive in and of itself, but he may be an even more accomplished songwriter. Even though he hates writing songs, he has made a living of it, and he even wrote “I’m a Believer,” which was made famous by The Monkees.