Neil Diamond, 82, is a living legend. There’s a Broadway musical about his life, A Beautiful Noise, starring Will Swenson and Marc Jacoby as young and old Diamond, which Diamond was able to see. He thrilled theatergoers with a rousing rendition of Sweet Caroline at the opening this December. You can see that here!

Diamond told the show’s producers to show him “warts and all” through his two divorces and struggles, but it was hard for him to see his life story on stage. He told CBS Sunday Morning’s Anthony Mason that it was tough to watch A Beautiful Noise and called it like therapy. He has countless hits and has been performing for decades. Diamond stopped touring in 2018 after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. On CBS, he talked about the disease for the first time. He said it was hard for him to accept and that it’s only been in the last few weeks that he’s come to terms with it. He also said he can still sing, that he’s been “doing it for the past 50 years and I enjoy it.” It sure shows. Here’s People’s writeup on that interview.

Neil Diamond is coming to terms with having Parkinson’s disease.

In an interview set to air on CBS Sunday Morning… the “Hello Again” singer, 82, shares that it has only been “in the last few weeks” that he has accepted his diagnosis, which he first made public in 2018.

“But somehow, a calm has moved in, and the hurricane of my life, and things have gotten very quiet, as quiet as this recording studio,” he tells reporter Anthony Mason. “And, I like it. I find that I like myself better. I’m easier on people. I’m easier on myself. And the beat goes on, and it will go on long after I’m gone.”

The singer retired from touring five years ago, but that hasn’t stopped him from reaching out to his devoted fans.

“I’m still doing it. And I don’t like it. But the … this is me; this is what I have to accept,” he says in the interview. “And I’m willing to do it. And, OK, so this is the hand that God’s given me, and I have to make the best of it, and so I am. I am…”

During the interview on Sunday, Mason asks the star what was most difficult about watching his younger self depicted on stage.

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“It was all pretty hard,” Diamond says. “I was a little embarrassed. I was flattered and I was scared.”

“What were you scared of?” Mason asks.

“Being found out is the scariest thing you can hope, because we all have a façade. And the truth be known to all of ’em. I’m not some big star. I’m just me,” Diamond says.

[From People]

My dear departed father-in-law had Parkinson’s. He was also a hardworking, somewhat hard-headed man who continued to do things he was no longer physically equipped to, if that makes sense. I came away from this interview with so much respect and gratitude for Diamond. He dedicated his life to entertaining us and we’re lucky he gave us so many banging songs and performances. I hope Diamond has the best doctors and you know he has his friends and family there to support him. I’m happy he’s getting his flowers now.