Neil Diamond delivered a deeply moving surprise performance at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles over the weekend.
Seven years after retiring from touring following his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, the beloved 84-year-old music legend stunned the audience with an impromptu rendition of his 1969 classic, Sweet Caroline, from his seat in the crowd.
The incredible moment happened as the Grammy Award-winning legend attended the musical, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, which tells the story of his life and career through his music.
In a touching Instagram video from the show, the musical’s lead, Nick Fradiani, introduced Diamond—who didn’t miss a beat as he began to sing, his voice ringing out strong and familiar, as the entire room joined in.
Despite his health battle, his spirit and voice soared, filling the theatre with joy and nostalgia.
By his side stood his wife, Katie McNeil, visibly moved as she watched him sing.
Neil Diamond delivered a deeply moving surprise performance at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles over the weekend
As the audience erupted in cheers, he turned to her and gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek.
After leading the crowd in son, Diamond expressed his gratitude to those around him.
The comments section was flooded with sweet messages as fans called his performance electric.
‘I was lucky enough to be in the room. Great show, wonderful surprise, still have goosebumps. Thank you!!’ one shared.
Another gushed: ‘Story teller, song writer, musician, poet, all put together in a name to live on in music forever, glad to be part of the generation living with Neil Diamond.’
‘Omg that was incredible, I’m so glad I got to see this,’ a third raved.
On Sunday, Fradiani, who stars as Diamond in the Broadway musical, shared his heartwarming reaction to the Forever In Blue Jeans hitmaker attending the show.
‘I built up this day in my head for over 2 years. The day where Neil Diamond himself would see this show,’ he wrote on Instagram. ‘It sounds cliché, but I don’t have the exact words to describe how it felt portraying a music icon as he sat and watched from an audience. But mostly I felt honored and fulfilled.’
Seven years after retiring from touring following his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, the beloved music legend, 84, stunned the audience with an impromptu rendition of his 1969 classic, Sweet Caroline, from his seat in the crowd
Fradiani concluded: ‘He’s a great man, a great musician, and he’s changed so many of our lives. I was able to tell him how much he’s changed mine. Thank you for letting me share your songs and story across the country every night my friend.’
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s numerous hits include Sweet Caroline, America, Love on the Rocks and Hello Again.
Diamond has sold well over 125 million records over his 50 year career and is in both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
The hitmaker was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1941 and previously described his upbringing, with a father in the Army, as ‘poor.’
He got his first guitar at age 16 for his birthday. However, he did not pursue music immediately.
It was only after attending New York University as a pre-med student, on a fencing scholarship, that he discovered his true calling.
Finding himself bored in class he began cutting school to write music and less than a semester shy of graduating he dropped out of college for a songwriting gig at Sunbeam Music Publishing for $50 a week.
The incredible moment happened as the Grammy Award-winning legend attended the musical, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical
The musical’s lead, Nick Fradiani, introduced Diamond—who didn’t miss a beat as he began to sing, his voice ringing out strong and familiar, as the entire room joined in
Despite his health battle, his spirit and voice soared, filling the theatre with joy and nostalgia
In 2023, Diamond reflected on his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis and learning to live with the condition.
‘I’m still doing it. And I don’t like it,’ he explained on CBS Sunday Morning. ‘OK, so this is the hand that God’s given me, and I have to make the best of it, and so I am.’
The I Am I Said crooner first revealed his condition in 2018, though he was diagnosed more than a decade ago and said of that time that he was ‘in denial’ and ‘not ready to accept it.’
‘I was in denial for the first year or two. When the doctor told me what it was, I was just not ready to accept it,’ he admitted. ‘I said, “Oh, OK. I’ll see you, you know, whenever you wanna see me. But I have work to do, so I’ll see you later.”‘
The singer explained that it took years for him to truly accept his diagnosis.
‘I can’t really fight this thing, so I had to accept it, this Parkinson’s disease,’ he said. ‘There’s no cure. There’s no getting away from it.’
By his side stood his wife, Katie McNeil, visibly moved as she watched him sing
Overall, he said he’s ‘come to accept what limitations’ he has and still has ‘great days.’
Since his acceptance, he said, ‘a calm has moved into the hurricane of my life, and things have gotten very quiet, as quiet as this recording studio.’
‘I find that I like myself better,’ he continued. ‘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.’
The Song Sung Blue singer is celebrating the fact that he can still sing and he hasn’t totally given up on the idea of touring again someday – even if its in a limited way.
‘I just have to take life as it comes to me, enjoy it, be thankful that I’ve had it, especially having the life that I’ve had,’ he said.
Since his acceptance, he said, ‘a calm has moved into the hurricane of my life, and things have gotten very quiet, as quiet as this recording studio.’
‘I find that I like myself better,’ he continued. ‘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.’
As the audience erupted in cheers, he turned to her and gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek
After leading the crowd in son, Diamond expressed his gratitude to those around him
Parkinson’s disease is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world and there is currently no cure.
It causes muscle stiffness, slowness of movement, tremors, sleep disturbance, chronic fatigue, an impaired quality of life and can lead to severe disability.
It is a progressive neurological condition that destroys cells in the part of the brain that controls movement.
Sufferers are known to have diminished supplies of dopamine because nerve cells that make it have died.
Around 18,000 Brits and 90,000 Americans are diagnosed every year, with charities estimating that one in 37 people alive today will be diagnosed in their lifetime.
Celebrities who have battled the condition include Michael J. Fox, Muhammad Ali, Billy Connolly, Alan Alda, George H.W. Bush and Ozzy Osbourne.
