Neil Diamond is forever

Here's a look at Diamond through the years, from his days as a songwriter in New York's famous Brill Building to his current tour:
1966
Brooklyn native Diamond makes the pop charts for the first time with the grave yet tuneful "Solitary Man." His first No. 1 hit comes later that year, but as a songwriter, not a singer. The Monkees' "I'm a Believer" was written by Diamond.

NBC Handout Bee File
1972
Already a proven hitmaker with songs such as "Sweet Caroline" and "Cracklin' Rosie," Diamond records "Hot August Night" at Los Angeles' Greek Theatre. The album highlights the crispness of Diamond's live sound and his easy interaction with fans. It also fully distinguishes Diamond from B.J. Thomas for the first time.
1977
Diamond and Barbra Streisand, former high school classmates, duet on "You Don't Bring Me Flowers," a song that will become a thrill-is-gone classic. Streisand sings her heart out. Diamond mostly gruff-talks. When they sing together live on TV, Diamond compensates with smolder, staring intently into Streisand's eyes. You get the feeling he wants to be in pictures ...

MICHAEL CAULFIELD | ASSOCIATED PRESS
1980
In "The Jazz Singer," a remake of the Al Jolson film, Diamond plays a cantor whose musical dreams go beyond his father's (Laurence Olivier) synagogue. Diamond "wins" a Razzie award for worst performance by an actor. The soundtrack, including "America," "Love on the Rocks" and "Hello Again," does better. But it also begins Diamond's love affair with the synthesizer. Unlike the acoustic guitar, the synthesizer does not offset Diamond's sentimentality.

HANDOUT
1986
Diamond no longer scores hit singles like he once did, but he still packs 'em in at shows. His 1986-87 tour includes eight sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden.

NEAL PRESTON | ABC
1994
Diamond gets hipster points when his song "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon," covered by the band Urge Overkill, appears prominently in Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction." The song remains as creepy as ever.
1997
As 1970s nostalgia reaches its apex, college kids listen to Diamond records. This is done ironically in public and non-ironically in private. Bay Area tribute act Super Diamond spreads the love. The third button on men's shirts goes unbuttoned.

HANDOUT
2001
Will Ferrell, impersonating Diamond, sings "Forever in Blue Jeans" in a Gap commercial. Diamond takes it in stride and keeps filling arenas as a non-parody act. As Ferrell's blowhard version of Diamond might say: "I am laughing all the way to the bank, babe."
2011-12
Diamond turns 70 and cements his legend status with induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a Kennedy Center Honor and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Diamond also wins the love lottery when he marries third wife Katie McNeil, who is 30 years his junior.

Kevin Wolf | ASSOCIATED PRESS

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