Whether you have the good fortune to see him live in concert or to celebrate the voice and legacy of Neil Diamond in a tribute concert, you know what they say… Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. On January 18, 2010, at 7:30 p.m., the Turlock Concert Association will present Nearly Neil & The Solitary Band, a tribute to one of pop music’s most enduring and successful singer-songwriters, Neil Diamond. Bobby Bruce takes on the monumental task of recreating the magic of a music legend in his heyday. Remarkably, he captures the phrasing, style, image, and stage presence of one of the music industries most enduring voices. Bruce is not alone in this endeavor. He is backed up by a host of talented musicians who form the core of The Solitary Band. Together, Nearly Neil & The Solitary Band concentrate their tribute on the young and exciting times of Neil Diamond’s early days, focusing on his rise to fame in the mid-sixties through his historic Jazz Singer album. Referring to Bruce’s portrayal of Diamond the Canadian Press writes, “Bobby Bruce does Neil Diamond maybe better than the original.”
Loyal followers of Diamond will find in Bruce’s performance all of the depth, style and sophistication that won over millions of fans with songs like America, Cherry, Cherry, Love on the Rocks, I’m a Believer, Solitary Man, Kentucky Woman, Forever in Bluejeans, Sweet Caroline, Holly Holy, ‘Cracklin’ Rosie, Song Sung Blue, and I Am…I Said. These songs like so many penned and sung by Diamond provided the background music for a generation of baby-boomers, coming of age. Bruce knows this and has spent the last fifteen years perfecting his performance and astounding appreciative audiences in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and South East Asia. What Nearly Neil & The Solitary Band delivers best in its travels from Brooklyn to Bangkok is a dynamic and passionate tribute to Neil Diamond.
Admission to the TCA opening concert is by subscription. Single event tickets are available to subscribers and their guests and may be purchased at the door, the evening of the concert, for $20 each. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Turlock Community Theater (the former Turlock High auditorium) located at 1574 E. Canal Drive, between Berkeley and Colorado Avenues.
For additional information about Nearly Neil & The Solitary Band and the Turlock Concert Association, please contact Subscription Chairperson Marge Combs at (209) 667-1936 or TCA President Hanna Renning at (209) 632-4692.
