Once one of the world’s biggest touring stars, he now spends most of his days in a quiet Los Angeles studio, surrounded by decades of awards. Music no longer drives his career—it sustains his spirit. Born in 1941 in Brooklyn, he grew up in a Jewish family and found his calling early, writing songs and performing in New York clubs. His breakthrough came in the 1960s with Solitary Man and Cherry, Cherry. The Monkees’ hit I’m a Believer cemented his reputation as a songwriter.
By the late ’60s, he was a star in his own right, with classics like Holly Holy, Sweet Caroline, and Song Sung Blue. His duet with Barbra Streisand, You Don’t Bring Me Flowers, became a worldwide hit. Through the 1980s and 1990s, he filled arenas worldwide, earning the nickname “the Jewish Elvis.”
In 2018, he revealed a Parkinson’s diagnosis, forcing him to retire from touring and cancel his 50th Anniversary Tour. “It is with great reluctance and disappointment,” he said, but music remained his refuge. His studio became a sanctuary where he continued to write and record.
He has also connected with fans through A Beautiful Noise, the Broadway musical based on his life. Now 84, he still occasionally appears with the cast, proving that while Parkinson’s limits his movement, it has not dimmed his voice—or his gratitude for a life built on music.