Alan Lindgren
, a native of Riverside, CA, is a graduate of the University of California’s School of Music, and has been playing keyboards for Neil Diamond since 1970. In addition to performing, Alan has been responsible for the arrangements of many of Diamond’s most popular songs. Alan has co-written a number of Diamond tunes, including Hello Again.
1973 / 1993
Richard Bennett, originally from Pheonix, Arizona, has been playing guitar professionaly at the age of 13, when he began playing in various country and western clubs. He became a member of Neil Diamond’s band in 1971 when only 19 years old, and was to remain Neil’s lead guitarist until the mid-80’s During the 70’s and 80’s, Richard was a highly regarded session guitarist, and performed in this capacity on numerous albums. After leaving Neil's band in 1986, Richard moved on to the Nashville scene, and since then he has produced a number of country albums. Richard has also co-written a number of songs with Neil, most notably Forever in Blue Jeans, and No Limit, from Neil’s latest studio album, Tennessee Moon.
Vince Charles
Vince Charles joined Neil's band full time in 1976, after first recording with
Neil on the 1974 Seranade Album. Prior to hooking up with Neil, Vince was an
accomplished studio musician. He Has also worked with Herb Alpert, The Beach Boys, and
many others during the course of his career. Vince has put out two albums of his own
music, the latest of which is entiled Soliloquy and he often puts together a band
in LA when he has time off from the Diamond tour. Read all about Vince and his music on Vince's Website. Sadly, Vince passed away on June
3, 2001. I'm sure that all Neil's fans will miss him very much.
King Errisson
King Errisson (real name Errisson Johnson) started with Neil back in 1976.
Originally from the island of Nassau in the Carribean, King's conga drum solos have been a
popular feature at Neil Diamond concerts for over 23 years. King has released a number of
solo projects, and his most recent project is entitled Natural Feeling.
Want to get away from it all with a relaxing
vacation in the Bahamas?Check out our own
King Errisson's Pestel
Beach Resort for a unique and beautiful
getaway. Site also includes a
full King Errisson
Discography.
Tom Hensley
Tom Hensley is a gifted pianist, songwriter, and arranger. His songwriting
skills can be heard on a number of great Diamond tunes, including The American Popular
Song,and Love Burns. Tom joined the band in 1976, and has released a few albums
with fellow band member Alan Lindgren under the name The
Joy Circuit. For an interesting look at Tom, check him out on the Hensley Farms Page.
Hadley Hockensmith (L) and Joe Imhof
Hadley Hockensmith joined Neil’s band in 1986, replacing guitarist Richard
Bennett. Hadley has released a number of albums on his own, the best of which is Heartsongs,
available on Medowlark records. Click here to order
Heartsongs from Music Blvd. (The NDHP is non-profit and recieves absolutely no money
from this transaction) Largely Christian music, Hadley's albums can be found in many
Christian bookstores across the country. Previously, Hadley has played and written a
number of tunes with other artists, including Rich Furay of Poco.
Neil Diamond and Linda Press
Linda Press joined Neil's band in 1976, when she was already married to Diamond
bassist Reinie Press. They have one daughter, Daisy.
Reinie Press is a graduate of North Texas State College’s School
of Music. Reinie also had extensive training as a classical pianist before taking up the
bass. He is married to Linda Press, the band’s vocalist.
Doug Rhone A native of Tyler Texas, Doug joined Neil's band in 1976. Over the years, Doug has co-written a few tunes which appeared on Diamond albums, including, Acapulco, Right by You, and Love's Own Song. In addition to his work with Neil, Doug also has worked as a studio musician, including guitars on The Bellamy Brothers hit Let Your Love Flow.
Dennis St. John
Dennis St. John was a graduate of Emory University in Atlanta where he majored
in social work, before deciding to make a career as a musician. He joined Neil’s band
in 1971 after stints with other musicians such as Roy Orbison and Otis Redding. Dennis
remained with Neil until 1981, in which year he was co-producer, along with Neil, on the
album On the Way to the Sky. Unfortunately, a rift with Diamond developed during
the production of the album, which led to his departure from the band.
Ron Tutt is originally
from Dallas, Texas where he studied music at the University of North Texas. From 1969 to
1977 he was Elvis' drummer on stage and on a number of recordings. For many years, Ron was
a studio musician in Los Angeles, later relocating to Nashville. Ron was also a member of
the Jerry Garcia touring band before he joined the Neil Diamond band in 1981, replacing
former drummer Dennis St. John.
The Horn Section: Don Markese / Art Valasco /
Dan Fornero / Larry Klimas
Neil and his band show their appreciation to the fans - Salt Lake City 9/1/99
Julia Waters and Linda Press perform Starflight October 27, 2001