Early art

He began composing songs at age 16, after buying a guitar, inspired by a visit to your school and author of the folk singer Pete Seeger, and "Hear Them Bells" his first song. In 1960 he recorded his compositions with the label Duel, accompanied by a companion Jack Packer college under the name Neil and Jack with the singles "What Will I Do" and "I'm Afraid," with a sound like the Everly Brothers, but without success, which is why continuing with his studies of medicine until 1962, when it receives the signed contract to supply Sunbed Music for the music industry's Brill Building at Broadway.
The following year has the opportunity to seal a contract with CBS to record 2 singles "At Night" and "Clown Town", produced by Tom Catalano, who later would become his producer on the UNI label brand, but not their music style, for trying to emulate the sound of Neil Sedaka and Paul Anka, nothing happens and still writing songs for various artists, including in 1965 the group Jay and The Americans who get a major success with their song "Sunday And Me." His fellow composers, marriage Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry recognize their potential and get you an interview with executives from Atlantic Records, and are impressed with his style, but not be sure it fits in the orientation of the label with artists such as Herb Alpert and Dave Brubeck, decided to recommend Bert Berns, renowned producer and composer of classics of the time, who recognized its potential for Diamond Star, signing a contract immediately for his new label, Bang Records, which also record the McCoys and the group of Van Morrison and Them. At that time, Diamond Consider using a pseudonym, to think that perhaps his name was too simple and I think the names Ice Cherry and Noah Kaminsky, but last minute decided to use his real name.
Between 1965 and 1968 he composed and recorded for the Bang Records label, songs like "Cherry Cherry", "Solitary Man", "You got to me", "Red, Red Wine" (1966), 'Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon ', "I Got The Feeling", "Thank The Lord For The Night Time," "Kentucky Woman" (1967) or "I'm A Believer", which popularized the group The Monkees and sell more than one million copies and remained in first place over 7 weeks, surpassing sales records set by Elvis Presley and even The Beatles.
Besides The Monkees achieved great success with over 2 compositions: "Come Here's Look Out Tomorrow" and "A Little Bit of Me A Little Bit of You." Apart from that Cliff Richard with "I'll Come Running" and Lulu with "The Boat That I Row" confirmed his reputation as a composer successful, as these 2 songs, great success in United Kingdom.
In 1967, according to Cashbox, there was a tie between Frank Sinatra and Neil Diamond, interpreted as the number one that year .
In that year, Diamond wanted to launch the introspective song "Shilo" as a simple but Bang rejection arguing that it had no style of his previous hits, so the company sued to release his contract and have the rights to the recordings original songs (the trial lasted for 10 years, it winning the Diamond).
In 1968, succeeded the song "New Orleans", and dedicated himself to composing and recording another brand, UNI (later MCA), signed a contract for 250,000, 8 Albums. Diamond admitted the same year after CBS, Capitol Records and Warner Brothers made him better offers, but chose UNI because the only company that guarantees total freedom to compose and record. forbes Produced by Tom Catalano, Tommy Cogbill, Chip Taylor, and arranged by Lee Holdridge and Paiche Marti, joined the big orchestral arrangements, contrasting with the simplicity of the discs I burn for the Bang. The album of this stage are considered as innovative and ahead of its time, as various critics of magazines, this was how she hits a row such as "Two-Bit Man Child," "Sunday Sun" "Brookyln Roads" ( 1968), their debut album on UNI Velvet Gloves And Spit "Sweet Caroline," "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show," "Holly Holy," "Until It's Time For You To Go" (1969), "He Is not Heavy He's My Brother "," Soon to Give, "" Soolaimon, "" Cracklin 'Rosie "(1970), which was first on Billboard and sold over 3 million singles," I said I am "," Stones / Crunchy Granola Suite "(1971)," Play me, "" Walk on Water "and" Song Sung Blue "(1972), which also reached the top spot on the list of United States sales.
Apart from this, its first brand label Bang, remaster recordings and launches its first number one single with new track and only leaves the musical voice of the original recordings, I threw a simple bang each time UNI did so and got more hits as "Do It" (1970), "I'm A Believer" (1971), "The Long Way Home" (1973) and "Shilo" (1970).
Also in 1968 he ventured as a producer for Ronnie Dove and Wool, with the songs "My Babe" and "The Boy With The Green Eyes" respectively (both composed of the same) getting regular hits on Billboard.