His days of singing "Sweet Caroline" live from on stage are over. Neil Diamond has been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, which sadly will force the legendary singer to stop touring.

KSFY TV is reporting that due to the diagnosis, Diamond was forced to announce his immediate retirement from touring. He notified his fan base via an announcement on his website on Monday night, (January 22).

Diamond told fans, "It is with great reluctance and disappointment that I announce my retirement from concert touring. I have been so honored to bring my shows to the public for the past 50 years...my sincerest apologies to everyone who purchased tickets and were planning to come to the upcoming shows."

According to KSFY TV, Diamond's upcoming shows during his "50 Year Anniversary World Tour" scheduled for Australia and New Zealand have been cancelled effective immediately.

As a Neil Diamond fan myself, I have to admit this leaves me feeling more than a little blue. Neil is a hell of a live performer, with a huge catalog of hits that span all the way back to the 1960's. His live performances will definitely be missed by people all over the world.

On a more positive note, Neil is not forced to abandon the music scene entirely. KSFY reports that he still plans to write and record music, and continue to develop what he calls "new projects".

Source: KSFY TV


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