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I have been a Neil Diamond fan since 1988. I first got hooked on him when I listened to the Hot August Night 2 Tapes. I have seen him 5 times
and I am amazed at how each time I see him it gets better and better. The last time I saw him I was lucky enough to have 3rd row seats and it
was amazing. Everyone I talk to even though they may not like him appreciate what he has done for music and the fact that he has been
around so long you have to tip your cap to him. All I can wish for is that he comes back soon and that someday I could get to meet him.
IDK 4-15-99 |
It was the summer of 1997 I was bored out of my wits one hot summers day. I
decided to put on my moms Hot August Night part one lp. Then when it was done I
felt like I wanted more of his music. So I became a Die Hard-Hard core Neil
Diamond fan. I am 18 years old, but it is quite odd that I am the only Neil
Diamond fan in School. I am a Junior in High School. I live in the United
States in Indiana. I must admit the first Neil Diamond concert I went to was on
Dec 7th 1998. Once you see Neil Diamond in concert you almost have to go
to all of his concerts.
Alan 4/13/99 |
4-3-99 |
I've been a fan of Neil's since the late '60s. It started with "Girl
You'll Be a Woman Soon" which reflected my being only 16 years old and
on my first date. Time traveled on and each new phase brought along
another Diamond reflection. All this continued through a marriage, a
child, divorce, and ultimately finding my "soul mate" who phoned late
one night to the strains of "Hello, Again."
And "Tennessee Moon" has to have his most "gut-wrenching" lyrics yet... truly grabs the soul and causes my tears to flow as well. Neil's concerts are always the best! For a solid 2 1/2 hours, I am captivated as he takes me from those teen years to the present. His energy never fails and he never ceases to give 100% at each concert I've attended. How can one NOT be a loyal fan? I'm looking forward to his next East Coast tour. For once again, I'll brave the long, long line to get tickets to see this fabulous legend. Linda 4-2-99 |
I have been a Neil Diamond fan all of my adult life. I am 5 years younger than Neil and I first heard him on American Bandstand.
My husband spent 21 years in the Air Force and we had a lot of unwanted separations. He was in air Force Special Forces and was
involved in Vietnam, Grenada, the Panama invasion and Desert Storm and he was also in the arena in Egypt when Anwar Sadat
was assasinated. Neil's music helped me through a lot of those worrisome times...especially his songs, "Hello Again" and
"Comin' Home." I will always be grateful to Neil for his beautiful music which has such personal meaning to me.
Shirley 4-1-99 |
It's absolutely fascinating reading the thoughts of others who feel as
deeply about Neil's music as I always have. I discovered him in the early
70's through my very young teen daughter. I did not like for her to listen
to "rock" music, and the picture on the cover of HOT AUGUST NIGHT made me
tell her not to play it any more. She insisted though, that I SIT DOWN just
one time and listen, really listen, to HOT AUGUST NIGHT, not the entire
album, but the song. Reluctantly, I listened, then said, yeah, it's not
bad. But something about it was haunting me, deep inside where I couldn't
see. Soon afterward, I found myself buying the just released LP JONATHAN
LIVINGSTON SEAGULL, for her. She never got possession of that album though,
because I tried it out before giving it to her. I was spellbound, and I was
hooked. I haven't read anything about that spellbinding work or art on
these Neil pages for some reason, but it opened my soul, and cleansed away
all the pain I didn't even know was there. I soon wore that album out, and
had to buy another, then, naturally, all his albums came tumbling into my
life.
I would tape his albums, and they went everywhere with me. I was in the
hospital twice over the next few years, and Neil was always right beside me,
soothing me with his intense, gravelly voice, and his passion. I never
realized at that time that anyone else held him in the high esteem that I
did. Of course, his concerts were always packed with screaming fans, but I
figured the girls just saw him as a sex symbol. Not a bad one at that, but
his genius far exceeded anything as earthly as the mere physical world. His
albums SERENADE and TAP ROOT MANUSCRIPT, as well as all the others, touched
on every emotion known to mankind, and some known only to God.
I am a year or two older than Neil is, so I'm no spring chicken, but I still
get excited and somehow pleasantly moody, when I hear his music. I feel
I've left so much unsaid. Perhaps I'll write again one day. Just know, all
of you, how deeply I appreciate reading the words and expressions of love
for Neil that I had thought were mine alone.
NC NEIL FAN 3-31-99 |
Neil is my soul - I can just reach to one of his lyrics or tunes, and his music sends
me to where I need to be in times of pain. Fighting with cancer for 24 years now
has made my husband and I know that he is part of my recovery by conveying
my emotions into uplifting songs and lyrics. God bless him. I'm not religious,
but in a way when we all go to one of his concerts we all come out feeling
reborn and full of life. Yes, maybe that is a type of religion that only Neil's
fans can appreciate. Looking forward to his next appearance in Philadelphia!
3-24-99 |
|
I have been a fan since Cherry Cherry hit the air. I've grown through
good and bad times listening to Neil Diamond's music and the words have
always carrried me through, when nothing else was there the music was
there lifting me up. There seems to be a companion in the words and
love in the music that makes you feel special. No, he lets us know we
are special! That's a G-d given gift and I thank you (Neil Diamond) for
blessing me and so many people by sharing your gift with us. Sharlot 3-23-99 |
|
I have been a Neil fan many years now. Have seen him in concert three times and
there have been over 30,000 people each time maybe more, but I have always
felt Neil and I were the only ones there. You feel your soul and his are
touching with the most beautiful music in the background. A Neil concert is an
experience of a lifetime. I hope to be able to attend many many more.
Patricia 3-19-99 |
Neil,
I was a young moody teen when I first heard you sing on the radio in 1968. I
knew immediately that there was something unordinary going on between my soul
and yours, but I did not then understand what. I still do not. This is, I
believe, part of what keeps me "loyal" to you; I'm still looking for that
explanation. Over the radio waves, through the miles between us, and right
past the thick stubbornness of an overly intense kid, you somehow, knowingly
or not, managed to touch me when I was needing embraced.
When I listen to you sing, my personal interpretation of what you mean by what
you are singing sizzles like a hot iron all the way to the core of my soul.
It takes me to a place deep inside my head where even I can't evoke much
communication from without you. This may sound dumb to some people, maybe
even to you, but after all these years of going there and riding on the rush
it gives me, I don't care. It is my place, and I need your music to go there,
and I don't care what anyone thinks of this.
Once, years ago, when I was lucky enough to meet you in person and tell you my
story, you held both of my hands in both of yours and looked me squarely in
the eyes and said, "Keep the faith." With your deep brown eyes looking
directly into my deep brown eyes, I realized something that I couldn't
articulate until much later. I could FEEL your eyes looking beyond mine, and
looking into yours, I could almost see ME looking back. We reflect off of
each other, Neil. You - your fans. I think you know this. Whether you
remember our meeting or not is unimportant to me. I cannot explain why not.
You said to me, "Keep the faith." I will never forget. This is all that
remains important.
Even when I've watched you perform, I'd focus on you through my lens, and
another uncanny connection began to occur. There seemed to be a
predictability that I could read, using it to 'choose' each moment. Those
chosen moments have become my way of archiving the phenomenon of you. Many
people have asked, "How did you do that?!", when looking at these awesome
photos. "I didn't. He did.", is the only way I know how to answer this
question. This is particularly true of a triple exposure from 1978, a copy of
which you have generously autographed for me.
So you see, Neil, this loyalty or connection or Diamondhead mindedness is as
much about me as it is about anything else. It is, in fact, quite personal
and not the kind of thing that I can tell just anyone. Forgive me if it makes
you the least bit uncomfortable. It's a simple equation that equals the same
thing from right to left as it does from left to right -- You = Me. Me =
You. This is how I see it, and I will always keep my faith. God bless you,
Neil.
Yours, Cindy (Shunko) Stubben Note from Webmistriss: You can see 6 pages of Cindy's pictures of Neil on Neil Diamond Fan Photography 
And the REST of her collection on her personal site The Mirror of my Soul
3-19-99 |
I have been a Neil fan since the early 70s, Hot August Night was the album that made me sit up and take notice!! I had heard
some of the songs before, but the Beatles and the surfing groups were the 'big thing' in Australia at that time, and Neil hadn't really
been promoted much here - until Hot August Night!!!! And then we Aussies, and this one in particular, really took notice:-o}
There is something so very special about the way Neil sings his songs, with sincerity, humility and great emotion, he makes me feel
as if he is singing just for me, and I believe most of his fans feel the same!! Listening to him sing can help ease any problems or
stress, and make all chores a breeze. And in concert, WOW - he seems to weave a magic spell over the entire audience, and we
always leave feeling as if we are on cloud 9. Neil has as good a time singing for us, as we have being there enjoying his performance,
and he always gives at least 110%!! Neil Diamond - there is just no-one else to compare - he is the best :-o}
Lotsaluv, Maggi... 3-16-99 |
|
I am a 22 year old college student and you have no idea how much I love Neil.
I listen to all different types of music, but the man has SOUL. I am not some
crazy fanatic, I just love him and think he has so much passion, I just can't
help but get into his songs, especially when I put his cd on in the car, I
really make an ass of myself dancing and singing, but you just can't help it.
In mylifetime, I have done many crazy things, but before I die, the two things
I have left to accomplish is to skydive and see Mr. Diamond in concert. I
love it!
Just lettin' you know, Lisa 3-13-99 |
|
Not being a musician, I wondered...am I qualified to comment on Neil
Diamond's work? But after some thought, and knowing that I've spent
probably thousands of hours listening to his enchanting words and music,
I decided that I am.
What is it about Neil's music that makes me keep coming back again and
again? It is the magical world that I enter into when my senses are
drenched in something finer than reality. Listening to "Play Me" or
"September Morn" or any of my other favorite Neil Diamond songs while
relaxing or driving or even doing household chores lifts me out of the
mundane and seems to make the greens greener and the blues bluer....If
you know what I mean. Sometimes, because Neil Diamond music has always
been a very important part of my whole family's life, it can even
recreate a special memory. Like a dream, where reality and fantasy
entwine, Neil Diamond's voice and words and melodies can carry me to a
very special place: the Diamondhead mind. Marion Sadge 3-9-99 |
I know the very basic reason that Neil is so phenomanal as an artist, because
as a "pop" musician he far exceeds that label. He knows no bounds as his
creativity has only expanded over the years, due to the fact there isn't
anything his creativity as a musician and composer that he hasn't done I.E.
pop, classic, jazz, country, etc. He is limitless when it comes to performing
and exploring any and all aspects of music. He is also very personal with all of
his audiences and moves them with every song he performs. He is the ultimate
Performer! There will never be another like him, he actually changes
perceptions of lives, once he's touched you the hand of GOD truly flows from
him to us in a most acceptable way.Sincerely, Brenda Youngblood 3-5-99 |
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