Neil Diamond discusses living with Parkinson’s disease: ‘I was just not ready to accept it’
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Musician provides a rare and open interview about the 2018 diagnosis, which resulted to his retirement from performing.
Neil Diamond has delivered an open interview about living with Parkinson’s disease, admitting that he only recently accepted his diagnosis.
During an appearance on CBS Sunday Morning, the 82-year-old artist said to journalist Anthony Mason that he was in denial “for the first year or two” following his diagnosis in 2018.
“When the doctor told me what it was, I was just not ready to accept it,” he informed me. “I said, ‘Oh, OK, I’ll see you whenever you want to see me, but I have work to do, so I’ll see you later.'”
Diamond, the singer-songwriter who wrote classic songs including Sweet Caroline and Cracklin’ Rosie, said acceptance had given him peace of mind.
“I believe this occurred during the last few weeks. But, somehow, a calm has settled over the hurricane of my existence, and things have become extremely quiet.
And I like it. I’ve discovered that I like myself better. I’m kinder to people. I’m easier on myself, and the beat continues long after I’m gone.”
Even yet, he warned Mason, acceptance is a challenging process.
“I’m still doing it and I don’t like it,” he told me. “OK, so this is the hand that God has dealt me, and I must make the best of it.” And so I am.
“There is no cure; there is no escaping it. You can’t simply say, “OK, enough already, let’s get back to life.” It does not operate like that. But I’ve learned to accept my limits and still have excellent days.”
Diamond’s diagnosis in 2018 scuppered the Australian leg of his 50th anniversary tour. He had already performed shows across the US and Europe before he announced his retirement from touring.
The CBS interview also covered the Broadway musical A Beautiful Noise, which opened last December and is based on Diamond’s life and music.
“The show is part of my psychotherapy, and it hurt,” he said.
“I didn’t like looking at myself in many of the scenes … I was a little embarrassed, I was flattered, and I was scared.”
At the opening night of A Beautiful Noise, Diamond surprised the audience with a singalong of Sweet Caroline on stage – one of his first public performances since his retirement.
“I can still sing,” he said in the CBS interview. “I’ve been doing it for 50 years and I enjoy it. It’s like all the systems of my mind and my body are working as one.
“I’ve had a pretty amazing life, it’s true.”
