bold DJ spliced the two records together and listeners loved it, prompting Diamond and Streisand to rerecord the song as a duet, which became an all-time best seller for both stars. Diamond expanded his reach in 1980, starring alongside Sir Lau- rence Olivier in the film The Jazz Singer. (He also appeared in another movie in 2001, Saving Silverman.) While Diamonds thespian abilities didnt threaten the careers of other actors, his musical career was rein- forced by the soundtracks massive sales and appeal. He released numerous hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s, from "Forever in Blue Jeans" to "Heartlight," which was inspired by the blockbuster movie E.T., but he occasionally disappeared from the recording scene. He explained to reporters, "I wanted to spend time with my family." While of late this has become a euphemism in the business world for "I feel Ive failed," or "Im completely burned out," in the case of Neil Dia- mond, its actually very believable.     The Tour Master   Diamonds continued success stems from his brilliance in the touring game. Clad in sequins and black slacks while his fans are "Forever in Blue Jeans," his concerts have evolved to deliver what his fans expect- a blast-from-the-past sense of nostalgia, great quality music, and a string of sing-along songs packaged in a Vegas-like production. Though many members of his band have been with him over 25 years, the digital equipment and technology used to deliver the high-quality staging and sound are state-of-the-art. As at an Elvis show, you cant be in a bad mood while jamming at a Neil Diamond concert. Theres the innocence of his music, his infectious passion and energy, and the communal emotional ride | Br a nd s Th at Roc k     taken with thousands of fans. Emotions ran high during his Three Chord Opera world tour, which began on September 28, 2001, in Columbus, Ohio, soon after the September 11 attacks, and traveled to 90 cities in 16 months. Following the tragedy, many performers canceled performances out of respect for the victims and their fami- lies. Some bands, however, decided to continue their tours, recogniz- ing that many people felt the need to bond together, explaining in part the popularity of this Diamond tour. The Irish rock band U2 in fact, decided not only to keep its Elevation tour on track, it actually added nine shows to its lineup. Ask fans today, and theyll tell you that U2s decision to play to heal the nation made them even greater fans of the band. Neil Diamond took a similar approach. His values are American values personified, evidenced in particular by a special tribute to New York City firefighters and police (with a moving rendition of "He Aint Heavy, Hes My Brother") and the unfurling of an Ameri- can flag to the rousing refrain of his hit "America." He captured the mood of the country, and audiences responded with tears of patriot- ism, sorrow, and pride. In Canada, he added two Canadian flags to the stage and talked about "neighbors joined at the border." Dia- mond tells reporters that people want to get out and away from the television set and the dire news