Neil Diamond diagnosed with Parkinson’s
NEIL DIAMOND has announced he is retiring from touring after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Diamond, who is 77 today, has cancelled his March trip to Australia and New Zealand on medical advice. It was the third leg of a 50th anniversary tour.
The Sweet Caroline singer said he had made the decision with “great reluctance and disappointment” and thanked fans for their support. Parkinson’s is a progressive condition which can lead to tremors, difficulty in moving, speech changes and memory problems. The onset of the disease is said to have made it “difficult” for Diamond to “travel and perform on a large-scale basis”.
However, the American musician reassured fans that he plans to continue to write and record music “for a long time to come”.