Neil Diamond announced a new world tour that will kick off in the U.S., hitting 39 cities before going abroad. Diamond’s 2017 tour marks his fifth decade in the music industry and as a result has been given the name “50 Year Anniversary World Tour 2017.”
Neil’s tour announcement comes on the heels of his recent Christmas album release, and according to the press release on Diamond’s official website , tickets will go on sale December 9.
Neil Diamond is a music legend who has had 11 No. 1 singles, and is also a nine-time Grammy nominee and one-time winner, with more than 120 million records sold worldwide. Diamond is also a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.
Diamond’s tour announcement coincided with an appearance at the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting ceremony that left some people scratching their heads. Apparently, Neil, ever the interactive showman, asked the audience to join him in singing. Unfortunately, according to the Twittersphere, most people didn’t know the song Diamond was crooning.
What is @NeilDiamond singing? #neverheardthissong #RockCenterXMAS
— ALISON MONTEFUSCO (@AMPM15) December 1, 2016
How can people sing along with Neil Diamond when he is making stuff up as he goes? #RockCenterXMAS
— Eric Midgett (@AtlBraves311) December 1, 2016
Neil Diamond sounds like he’s just making this song up as he goes. #RockCenterXMAS
— Regular Nate Again (@BallerMcNoskill) December 1, 2016
While Neil’s Rockefeller Center Christmas performance didn’t get him the best response, one thing is for certain, Diamond’s tour will be chock-full of his past hits and selling out quick. After all, Neil Diamond is one of the top selling artists of all time and his work transcends every age group, race, religion, and ethnicity.
For instance, though Neil grew up the child of Polish immigrants in Brooklyn, New York, Diamond’s song “Sweet Caroline” became a bit of an anthem for the people of Boston after the Red Sox began playing the tune at the bottom of every eighth inning at Fenway Park. Neil embraced the love Boston had for him so much that in 2013 following the Boston Marathon bombings, Diamond insisted on performing it live for Red Sox fans. According to CNN , Diamond also donated the royalties from the song to the One Fund Boston following the Boston Marathon bombing. Neil’s music is beloved for his deep, breathy tones and the wide variety of instruments incorporated along with carefully crafted lyrics.
Other Neil Diamond hits include “Crackin’ Rosie,” “Hello Again,” “Forever in Blue Jeans,” and his infamous duet with Barbra Streisand, “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers.” With a music catalog that dates back to the 1960s and Neil’s musical contributions to other media such as film and television, the pool of Neil Diamond fans in the world is vast and they are undoubtedly cheering for his return to the stage.
Check the list below to see if Neil Diamond is coming to a city near you:
April 7 – Fresno, CA – SaveMart Center April 9 – Salt Lake City, UT – Vivint Smart Home Arena April 12 – St. Louis, MO – Scottrade Center April 14 – Omaha, NE – CenturyLink Center April 16 – Oklahoma City, OK – Chesapeake Energy Center April 19 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena April 21 – Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center April 23 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena April 26 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – BB&T Center April 28 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center April 30 – Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena May 2 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center May 21 – Des Moines, IA – Wells Fargo Arena May 24 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center May 26 – Indianapolis, IN – Banker’s Life Fieldhouse May 28 – Chicago, IL – United Center May 30 – Cleveland, OH – Quicken Loans Arena June 2 – Detroit, MI – The Palace of Auburn Hills June 4 – Rochester, NY – Blue Cross Arena June 7 – Toronto, ON – Air Canada Centre June 9 – Baltimore, MD – Royal Farms Arena June 11 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena June 15 & 17 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden June 20 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center June 22 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts July 14 – Wichita, KS – INTRUST Bank Arena July 16 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center July 18 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center July 21 – Denver, CO – Pepsi Center July 24 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena July 26 – Seattle, WA – Key Arena July 28 – Portland, OR – Moda Center July 30 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center August 2 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center August 4 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Arena August 8 – San Diego, CA – Valley View Casino Center August 10 & 12 – Los Angeles, CA – The Forum
[Featured Image by Jason Merritt/Getty Images]
