Rock Hall snub or not, Diamond still shines

By John Benson

Working with a new producer has helped him broaden his audience.

Take that.

In the same year Neil Diamond gets passed over again by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum as an inductee, the 67-year-old singer-songwriter watched his latest Rick Rubin-produced album “Home Before Dark” on its debut week of release reach No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart.

So how does this four-decade music veteran feel about the Rock Hall snub?

“I could only fall back on what I tell myself each time someone asks me about that, and what I tell myself is, ‘Forgive them, they know not what they do,’” said Diamond in a recent media conference call. “And it seems to get me through the situation.”

He added, “It’s no consideration at all. My only consideration is to make beautiful music.”

Considering Diamond’s four-decade career includes 125 million records sold, 36 Top 40 hits (“Sweet Caroline,” “I’m a Believer” and “Cherry, Cherry”), a Grammy Award and countless sold-out concerts, perhaps the last hill to climb in recent years for Diamond – aside from a Rock Hall induction – would be a return to relevance. That’s why he decided to work with uber-producer Rubin, who famously introduced younger generations to Johnny Cash, in the first place.

While the first Diamond-Rubin collaboration, 2005’s “12 Songs,” proved both a critical and commercial success, it would be the pair’s latest effort, “Home Before Dark,” which includes lead single “Pretty Amazing Grace” and Natalie Maines duet “Another Day [That Time Forgot],” that seemingly resonated with audiences to the top of the charts.

“I think as a producer really the best thing that he does and the wisest thing he does is to stay out of the way as much as possible,” Diamond said. “He leaves it to the musicians and the engineers and the artists, and, in this case, artist/songwriter. He will drop comments along the way, some spoken to the group as a whole out in the studio and some directed quietly to each individual person if he has something to say.

“I think his strongest attribute is knowing when not to say anything and [to] let the music take its own course and develop and grow of its own natural power. I don’t know. He lets it happen, and that, to me, is a great talent.”

Despite the fact that Diamond, who returns to Cleveland for an Aug. 3 show at Quicken Loans Arena and to Pittsburgh on Aug. 18 at Mellon Arena, said he was excited to learn that “Home Before Dark” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart, the popular American artist said he took it all in stride until the significance of the situation was pointed out.

“Well, I didn’t actually think it was my first No. 1,” Diamond said, laughing. “I thought for sure I had a No. 1 album somewhere along the way. I thought ‘Hot August Night’ was No. 1, but then I was told it only went to No. 2, so I was crestfallen.”

He added, “I’m told that I’m also the oldest performer on Billboard charts ever to have a No. 1 album, which amazes me. I don’t feel that old. I feel very young, but it’s nice to feel that in this market that’s filled with young people, or seems to be aimed at young people, that an old geezer can come along and knock a few of them off their perches and say, ‘Hey, here’s for the senior citizens, and we can kick a little butt, too.’”