Legendary singer-songwriter Neil Diamond has announced that he will retire from touring. The announcement came just two days before his 77th birthday and following a recent diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. Diamond was part way through his 50th anniversary tour when he cancelled his March tour dates in Australia and New Zealand on recommendation from doctors.
“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,” said Diamond in a statement. “My sincerest apologies to everyone who purchased tickets and were planning to come to the upcoming shows.”
The Australia and New Zealand leg of the 50th Anniversary tour was scheduled to visit a number of outdoor stadiums as well as arena and winery shows in Australia and New Zealand. This would have been the third leg of the 50th Anniversary tour with Diamond selling out shows in the U.S. and Europe throughout 2017.
Reportedly, a number of fans in Australia and New Zealand have been donating their ticket refunds to good causes, including Parkinson’s research.
Despite his retirement from the road, Diamond says he will continue to write, record and work on other projects “for a long time to come.”
Diamond thanked his fans in the statement, saying, “My thanks goes out to my loyal and devoted audiences around the world. You will always have my appreciation for your support and encouragement. This ride has been ‘so good, so good, so good’ thanks to you.”
Over the course of his career, Neil Diamond has had 38 songs in the Top 10 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts and sold more than 130 million albums worldwide. This year, he will be honored by the Recording Academy with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
This makes me smile. Thank you. Thank you to everyone for your outpouring of love and support. It makes a difference. https://t.co/TLZAa69q1B
— Neil Diamond (@NeilDiamond) January 23, 2018
