Last Saturday night, Christine and I celebrated three months together by spending a nice relaxing evening at home. Flipping through the channels, we stumbled upon A&E Network’s Live By Request – a show that features a well known artist who sits in a studio and takes live requests from callers all over the world. The artist they featured this Saturday was Neil Diamond.

Besides being a fan of Diamond’s songwriting and incredible talent – there is also a very personal reason why I love the man and his music. It just so happens that Neil Diamond is one of my father’s favorite singers. And ironically, there are a few incredible coincidences that connect Neil Diamond, my father and myself that have always amazed me.

For one thing, Neil Diamond was born in Brooklyn, New York on January 24, 1941 – my birthday. Another amazing coincidence is that my father’s favorite book was Richard Bach’s Jonathan Livingston Seagull – a story about a seagull that had no desire to follow the rules or travel with the pact – but longed to seek out on his own. In 1973, Jonathan Livingston Seagull was made into a movie – and who should write the soundtrack but Neil Diamond – who earned a Grammy and Golden Globe award for the soundtrack he wrote – which became his number two all-time best-seller.

Another amazing coincidence that connects myself, my father and his favorite artist is that in 1972, the Schubert Organization presented Neil Diamond in concert for a record-setting twenty performances at the Winter Garden Theater – making Neil Diamond the first rock-era superstar to headline on Broadway – the year I was born.

And most amazingly, of all the songs that remind me of the wonderful father I lost twenty years ago – it’s Songs Of Life – by Neil Diamond. Especially the lyrics, “So I sing my songs of life – and I will hold you, inside forever – and you will know me – and I’ll be yours – and you’ll be mine.” That song is on the soundtrack of The Jazz Singer – which was a remake of the classic movie that Diamond starred in. One day when I was at my dad’s house, he caught me singing the songs on the album – and gave it to me so I could learn what an amazing artist Neil Diamond was for myself. Not only do I still have the album – I still listen to it to this day.

No matter how many times I hear Neil Diamond sing – I will always remember my father and the fact that he had such love for Diamond’s singing and wanted to share it with me so badly – that he gave me one of his favorite albums – which is just one of the many memories that make me think of my father – and smile.