Bob Dylan and Neil Diamond play at The Last Waltz with The Band

[@TheGoatlady50]

First of all, Neil Diamond is a year younger than Bob Dylan. Robbie Robertson wanted him to play at the Last Waltz to represent the Brill Building songwriters and the great American Songbook. Diamond actually worked at the Brill Building for Leiber and Stoller. As far as the 'comment' between Diamond and Dylan; it's a good story but not proven, and no one is more excruciating to listen to than Dylan--he sings like an 80 year old man talks! Neil picked the wrong song to sing--it was a song co-written with Robbie and I'm not sure Robertson didn't ask Neil to sing it. They were and still are good friends.

[@forgottencas2272]

Neil is actually a few months older than Bob. They were both born in '41.

[@58joana]

Neil's performance was exemplary. But you're right . He should 't have been there. He was far too good for that.lot!!!

[@marydornan275]

@@58joanaagreed! ❤

[@solitaryman8602]

There was no such exchange between Diamond and Dylan. This is made up folklore shit, as is the narrative that somehow Diamond did not fit in. Neil was doing Robbie Robertson a favour as The Last Waltz had a cinematic release and Robbie wanted big names headlining. Getting Neil to perform was a major coup. Neil performed "Dry your eyes" which Neil and Robbie wrote together about the death of MLK and was the last song on the Robertson produced "Beautiful Noise". Garth Hudson and Dr John also played on the album. Dylan had just signed with Diamond's manager so he was hardly a stranger and actually introduced Robbie to Neil. Robbie later produced another album for Neil, a live 2 album set called "Love at the Greek" and was the musical director on the tv special. Bob, Robbie and Neil were long time friends right up until Robbie's untimely death in 2023. Also whilst Neil had hits in the late sixties, his most successful commercial period was in 1970s. So successful in fact, that he became known as "the Jewish Elvis", his marathon concerts only eclipsed by Bruce Springsteen in the 1980s.