We all know Neil Diamond as a singer who isn’t afraid to command the stage, but behind the scenes, he has struggled with a lot of insecurities. “I have always felt that I have been unworthy of whatever it was that I received,” he once said while recalling all of the best moments in his career.
Neil, who has won one Grammy for his hit song “I Am, I Said,” never felt comfortable being a rockstar. His bandmate Tom Hensley exclusively told Closer Weekly that “Neil was not one to go out,” especially if the band was having a “wild” time. “He loves hanging with the family,” Tom explained. “Neil is genuinely a family man.”
The “Sweet Caroline” singer is a proud father to his two sons — Jesse and Micah — from his previous marriage to Marcia Murphey and his two daughters — Elyn and Marjorie — from his first marriage to Jayne Posner. In 1971, Neil tried to become a better version of himself by trying a type of therapy called psychoanalysis.
“I discovered if I was going to be at an audience’s mercy, at least it would be me, the real person inside, who they would be merciful towards,” he previously told the Belfast Telegraph. “People could have the star, but they would also have to take the human being.”
Undergoing therapy was great for Neil. He learned a lot about himself and got past a particularly hard time in his life, which he called the “seven years of failing.” During that time, the “Song Sung Blue” musician switched record labels seven times and didn’t think his popular song “I’m a Believer” was anything great.
“[What that period] did was close me up more as a person,” he once recalled. But thanks to therapy, Neil got through that. He now lives with his lovely wife, Katie McNeal, at their beautiful home in Malibu and she looks after her husband, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2018. But despite his illness, Neil hasn’t given up his love for music. In fact, he’s currently working on a new album that includes a collab with Stevie Wonder.
“I’m doing pretty well. I’m active, I take my meds,” he previously told People. “There is no question about it. I am a happy man.”
For more on Neil, pick up the latest issue of Closer Weekly, on newsstands now — and be sure to sign up for our newsletter for more exclusive news!
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