Neil Diamond Gives Up Touring After Being Diagnosed With Parkinson’s Disease

Last week, one of the biggest names in music announced his retirement. Neil Diamond’s team held a press conference to share that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and would be cancelling his remaining tour dates in New Zealand and Australia.

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According to CBS News, a spokesperson for the star said, “the onset of the disease has made it difficult to travel and perform on a large scale basis.” Obviously Diamond was quite disappointed with his doctor’s advice, saying he made the decision with “great reluctance and disappointment” and that he’d “remain active in writing, recording and other projects for a long time to come.”

Neil Diamond began his career more than 50 years ago, writing songs for other artists. His first hit as a songwriter was “Sunday and Me,” a top 20 hit for Jay and the Americans, followed by several big songs that he wrote for The Monkees. Diamond didn’t have a hit as a solo artist until 1966, when he released “Solitary Man.”

Since then, Diamond’s sold more than 135 million albums, making him one of the bestselling artists of all time.

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