Neil Diamond is a singer-songwriter and actor who began his career in the 1960s. His recordings have been both commercially and critically successful, and he has sold over 100 million records worldwide. He is known for his distinctive voice and his catchy, often emotional songs. Diamond's early life was marked by poverty and tragedy. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a Jewish family. His father, Akeeba "Kieve" Diamond, was a dry-goods merchant. His mother, Rose, was a homemaker. Diamond has four sisters: Miriam, Ruth, Lily, and Phyllis. His father died of a heart attack when Diamond was just nine years old, and his mother later remarried. Diamond began writing songs when he was young, and by the time he was a teenager, he had already composed several hundred tunes. He was inspired by popular music of the day, particularly the work of Elvis Presley and the Beatles. After graduating from high school, he attended college for a short time before dropping out to pursue a career in music. Diamond's first album, "The Feel of Neil Diamond," was released in 1966. It was not a commercial success, but it did establish him as a talented songwriter. Several of the album's songs were later recorded by other artists, including Barbra Streisand and Johnny Mathis. Diamond's second album, "Just for You," was released in 1967. This time, he found success with the singles "Cherry, Cherry" and "I Got the Feelin' (Oh No No)." The album reached #6 on the Billboard 200 chart and helped to launch Diamond's career as a performer. Throughout the 1970s, Diamond continued to release successful albums and singles. Some of his best-known songs from this era include "Sweet Caroline," "Cracklin' Rosie," and "Song Sung Blue." He also appeared in several films, including "The Jazz Singer" (1980), for which he received a Golden Globe Award nomination. In the 1980s and 1990s, Diamond continued to be a popular recording artist. He also became more involved in philanthropy, establishing the Neil Diamond Foundation to support various charitable causes. In 2001, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Diamond's latest album, "Melody Road," was released in 2014. It debuted at #3 on