| What
people are saying about Bobby
Bruce as Nearly Neil...
(Nearly)
NEIL’s back!!!
Review by Danny Gaisin
- Feb 26, 2010
Last month, Neil Leslie
Diamond turned 69. His life, except for the music, parallels mine.
Our forbearers came from the same area of the Pale; our faiths dovetail;
we both were epée fencers during our school years; the two
of us made occupational changes by circumstance – not choice.
Lastly, we showed some early signs of aptitude for what would become
our life’s vocation…his:- creating & performing; mine
–writing. I’ve been a super fan since I first heard “I’m
a believer’ while dating my Terry; I still am.
Tribute concerts are becoming
almost pervasive. Usually, they place emphasis on the effects and
imagery of their subjects. The peripatetic’s of the Bee Gees;
the sparkle & platform shoes of ABBA; the booze & ciggies
of Dean & Frank; and of course, those sideburns and costuming
of Presley. Bobby Bruce’s take on Diamond goes about three steps
further.
Terry finally (almost)
meets her Diamond
He uncannily duplicates the voice. He captures the very essence of
his subject, and most of all, he replicates the contagious and infectious
charisma that occurred between Diamond and his audiences. This was
especially obvious during last night’s concert at the Oakville
Centre. The dialogue between performer and audience was more representative
of far less uptight communities than what one would expect from the
normally reserved Oakville society.
We’ve previously
seen Bobby Bruce and the Solitary Band in concert 3 or four times.
Loved every performance but this particular incarnation is special.
The show is tighter with almost no typecast effects. Song histories
were minimized as if Bruce realizes that his iconic subject’s
compositional chronicles are becoming something of a myth. Additionally,
the program has expanded to non-exclusivity. Imagine; Bobby Bruce
imitating Neil Diamond, singing a tune made famous by Glenn Campbell,
composed by Larry Weiss….ludicrous but one of the evening’s
standouts. The symbolic audience-volunteered participation in ‘Song
Sung Blue’ so involved all 400-odd patrons that one felt as
though we were part of a glee club…not an audience. The theme
of ‘Boy’s Town’ – “He ain’t heavy,
he’s my brother” was given all the pathos of the quote’s
original tear jerking emotion. The Jazz Singer’s two blockbusters-
‘Summer love’ and ‘America’ were performed
with verve and intensity – with the latter being ad-libbed ‘?Our
Can-a-da?’.
Bruce’s backup group
comprises bass (Marlow); Jeremy Scott on guitar; keyboard & harmonica
of Craig Zurba; and percussion by local drummer Brendon McLean who
stepped in last-minute and still managed to sound like an experienced
part of the team.
Three sidebars:-
•One of our California
contacts related an anecdote about how Bruce and Company were to perform
in the L.A. area. Diamond’s handlers; having witnessed the rehearsal
dissuaded the original from attending as they felt he’d feel
diminished hearing how accurately he would be depicted; when by that
time his own vocal abilities had declined
•Last year, Diamond
was honoured with an evening of homage at New York’s Lincoln
Centre. The event was televised. To hear such a vocal attrition and
witness the man actually talking the lyrics was so painful that the
muse and I turned off the TV sound and put on our own original “Nearly
Neal CD”!
•The year was 1962;
Terry was vacationing with family in Los Angeles. Her cousin had tickets
for an outdoor concert at the Hollywood Bowl. They couldn’t
find a parking spot so they left and went to see Lenny Bruce. That
missed show highlighted a newcomer named Neil Diamond and was the
source for the legendary “Hot August Night” concert &
album of a decade later! She made up for it when he appeared at Maple
Leaf Gardens about twenty years ago.
•
NEARLY NEIL‘s popularity increases exponentially. No doubt he
and his entourage will be somewhere in the GTA again. Our advice,
don’t miss him!
-------
TURLOCK
CITY NEWS - Sunday, 10 January , 2010
"Whether
you have the good fortune to see him live in concert or to celebrate
the voice and legacy of Neil Diamond in a tribute concert, you know
what they say... Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. On January
18, 2010, at 7:30 p.m., the Turlock Concert Association will present
Nearly Neil & The Solitary Band, a tribute to one of pop music’s
most enduring and successful singer-songwriters, Neil Diamond. Bobby
Bruce takes on the monumental task of recreating the magic of a
music legend in his heyday.
Remarkably,
he captures the phrasing, style, image, and stage presence of one
of the music industries most enduring voices. Bruce is not alone
in this endeavor. He is backed up by a host of talented musicians
who form the core of The Solitary Band. Together, Nearly Neil &
The Solitary Band concentrate their tribute on the young and exciting
times of Neil Diamond’s early days, focusing on his rise to
fame in the mid-sixties through his historic Jazz Singer album.
Referring
to Bruce’s portrayal of Diamond the Canadian Press writes,
“Bobby Bruce does Neil Diamond maybe better than the original.”
Loyal followers of Diamond will find in Bruce’s performance
all of the depth, style and sophistication that won over millions
of fans with songs like America, Cherry, Cherry, Love on the Rocks,
I’m a Believer, Solitary Man, Kentucky Woman, Forever in Bluejeans,
Sweet Caroline, Holly Holy, 'Cracklin' Rosie, Song Sung Blue, and
I Am...I Said. These songs like so many penned and sung by Diamond
provided the background music for a generation of baby-boomers,
coming of age. Bruce knows this and has spent the last fifteen years
perfecting his performance and astounding appreciative audiences
in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and South East Asia. What
Nearly Neil & The Solitary Band delivers best in its travels
from Brooklyn to Bangkok is a dynamic and passionate tribute to
Neil Diamond. "
"We saw the
performance of Bobby Bruce at the State Theater on Jan. 16, 2010 and
we were delighted with the evening. Bobby Bruce has a wonderful voice
and stage presence that made it very enjoyable The band was very accomplished
and everyone seemed to have a good time. Looking forward to seeing
this group back at the State Theater in Oroville"-
Mr. & Mrs. R. L. Cardinal, Jan 2010, L.O.S Tour
----
ANDERSON
VALLEY POST - BY: George L. Winship - JAN 26, 201
'Nearly
Neil' is a polished Diamond in performance
As
a stage performer, Bobby "Nearly Neil" Bruce is no Diamond
in the rough.
I
caught his Jan. 20 tribute show to the early days of Neil Diamond
at the Convention Center in Redding and now I'm a believer.
To
complete my conversion from skeptic to fan, Bruce even sang The
Monkees ballad, "I'm a Believer," composed by Neil Diamond
and recorded by The Monkees in 1966, near the end of a 21-song set
that easily spanned two hours but covered two decades of Neil Diamond's
more than 40-year career.
Backed
by the superb musicianship of the Solitary Band, Bruce belted out
one Neil Diamond hit after another from "Cracklin' Rosie"
and "Kentucky Woman" to "Cherry Cherry" and
"Sweet Caroline." He covered "America," "Holly
Holy," "Solitary Man" and "Song Sung Blue."
Bruce
got the northern California audience clapping along by his second
number, "Forever in Blue Jeans," which he followed up
with Diamond's soft ballad, "Play Me," which was eerily
right on the mark as a sound-alike for the music legend that he
portrays so effortlessly.
A
native of Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, a suburb on the eastern
edge of Vancouver, the 40-year-old Bruce said he cut his musical
teeth on Diamond's "Beautiful Noise" album that his parents
played endlessly on the family's 8-track player while driving too
and from their summer lake cabin vacations.
"Let
that be a lesson to all of you parents out there," Bruce joked
from the stage. "Please be careful what music you play your
children or they may end up like me."
A
charismatic performer who seemingly can do it all - besides being
a singer he has been an actor, a writer and a painter - Bruce began
his professional career on stage at the age of 11.
By
age 25, while competing in a karaoke contest in Toronto, Bruce was
discovered by an Elvis impersonator who caught him singing Glenn
Campbell's ubiquitous "Rhinestone Cowboy," a song actually
composed by Brooklyn-born songwriter Larry Weiss, who grew up in
the shadows of Broadway with the likes of Neil Diamond and Tony
Orlando.
"Neil
Diamond never recorded 'Rhinestone Cowboy,' but he sure could have,"
noted Bruce, who sprinkled his on-stage patter with nuggets of information
about the artist he so lovingly portrays.
By
the fourth song - Diamond's first hit tune - "Solitary Man"
from his first recording for Bang Records in 1966, Bruce was talking
up and introducing members of his tribute backup musicians collectively
known as "Solitary Band."
Jeremy
Scott filled in for Dave Corman on lead guitar, Craig Zurba played
keyboards and some guitar, Kyle Radomsky played drum. And Marlow
Holder played bass.
However,
it was the power and purity of Bruce's voice that convinced me this
was no ordinary MockStar.
-----
BASKERFIELD
EXPRESS NEWSPAPER - By Beverley E. Park
"He
wasn’t quite Neil Diamond, but Bobby Bruce’s “Nearly
Neil and the Solitary Band” certainly presented an entertaining
tribute to the artist’s 40-plus years of songwriting and performing
at the Rabobank Theater Jan. 14. The show was part of the ongoing
season hosted by the Bakersfield Community Concert Association.
The
evening opened with Diamond’s first American No. 1 hit, “Cracklin’
Rosie.” This song has an interesting background. Cracklin’
Rose is actually a bottle of wine. The idea was born from a folk
story of an Indian tribe with more men than women. When the guys
all took their girls out for the weekend, those without girls took
their Rose in a bottle, thus the birth of Neil’s idea. As
with many of Neil’s songs, there are interesting stories behind
the words.
Bruce
shared the spotlight with his band members as he sang each selection,
often including his own talents on the rhythm guitar. “Play
Me,’ a beautiful love song describing the development of the
singer’s relationship with a new lover from its inception
through its maturity, featured Dave Corman on the guitar. The chorus
of “Play Me” celebrates how people complement each other
to complete each other.
“Love
on the Rocks,” written for the soundtrack of “The Jazz
Singer,” was originally titled “Scotch on the Rocks”
and had a reggae feeling. However, after writing the lyrics, Diamond
felt the words led to a need for a ballad and the title was changed.
Craig Zurba on the keyboard transformed the ballad into a memorable
rendition.
A
wonderful musician and showman, the drummer and band leader Kyle
Radomsky gave a nice background beat and yet, at just the right
time, he tool center stage and livened the scene with his ability
and humor.
Bruce
involved the audience with clapping and singing along, and even
invited two women in the audience to join him on stage for “Song
Sung Blue.” As a tribute to Buck Owens, Bruce sang “Kentucky
Woman.” Most of the songs on the program were written by Diamond,
with a few written by others and made popular by Diamond’s
vocal talents.
A
great asset to the group is the newest member, Marlow Holder, on
bass guitar. Holder gave each song an added depth that would have
been missing without him. His sparkling personality and youth gave
the group the perfect lift and his solo performance was outstanding.
The show included many other Diamond favorites, including “Holly
Holy,” “Solitary Man” and “Forever in Blue
Jeans.” And, of course, no Neil Diamond tribute would be complete
without closing with “Sweet Caroline.”
"That
was the best performance my husband and I have seen in a
while. Bobby Bruce has a wonderful voice and a good stage presence.
Theband was very accomplished and they all seemed to have a good
time andenjoyed what they were doing." - Oroville,Ca, L.O.S
Tour Jan 2010
Payson Review Jan 20, 2010
TCCA
hosts “dead-on” Neil Diamond tribute? -After
a lengthy break for the holidays, The Tonto Community Concert Association
(TCCA) ramps up the 2010 leg of its 31st season with Nearly Neil
and the Solitary Band. TCCA ticket holders will join the energetic
group to celebrate the music of Neil Diamond at the Payson High
School auditorium at 7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 29, 2010.
For
nearly 16 years, Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band have been thrilling
thousands of screaming concertgoers with Bobby Bruce’s tribute
to the popular hit artist Neil Diamond. Now the TCCA is bringing
the popular show to Rim Country as part of their annual concert
series. In 1994, a legendary path was set in motion when Vancouver-born
Bruce won a talent show with his incomparable impersonation of Neil
Diamond. Since then, Bruce has never looked back, playing throughout
North America, Australia, New Zealand and Asia.
Past
performances have included Legends in Concert in Las Vegas and Australia,
and a crowd of 30,000 in Calgary. Audiences and critics alike are
amazed with Bobby Bruce and the Solitary Band’s “Nearly
Neil”.
According
to the Canadian Press, “Bobby Bruce does Neil Diamond maybe
better than the original.” His work has earned him the Entertainer
of the Year award in 2006 at the Pacific National Exhibition.
Nearly
Neil and Solitary Band keeps Bruce on the road year round.
http://www.flyingshingle.com/cgi-bin/coranto/viewnews.cgi?id=20090813563865122822
THE KEARNEY HUB -
DECEMBER 31, 2009 - By RICK BROWN
Bobby Bruce considers
himself an actor first. Performing the music and adopting the persona
of Neil Diamond came as an afterthought, after years of doing musical
theater and musical reviews.
“The music of Neil
Diamond was my parents’ music,” Bruce said. “I
grew up with it in the background of my life.”
The importance of that
music has changed some of Bruce’s priorities. Bruce, along
with the Solitary Band, will perform in concert at 7:30 p.m. Jan.
7 at The Tassel in Holdrege.
Bruce started his musical
journey working in dinner theater in British Columbia.
“We were doing
a show that was sort of a vaudeville-style show, almost like ‘Benny
Hill’ put to music,” he said. “For one part of
the show the owner wanted us to impersonate different celebrities.
I had picked Tom Jones.”
Somebody in the cast
asked if Tom Jones sang “Sweet Caroline.”
“For the first
time I opened my mouth and went, ‘No, no, that’s Neil
Diamond,’” Bruce said.
He sang a phrase of Diamond’s
hit and it was clear to everyone who Bruce should impersonate.
“So it was a party
trick for a couple of years,” he said. “I was actually
discovered by an Elvis impersonator when I was singing at a karaoke
contest. I was invited to be in a Legends show and the rest was
history. It became a full-time job after several years.”
Bruce, 41, has recently
embraced his own music.
“I was an actor
and a musical theater performer more than I was an original artist,”
he said. “During the show I don’t pretend to be Neil
Diamond. I actually say, ‘Hi, I’m Bobby Bruce.’
I dress like him and I do the arrangements similar to him, but I
really say I’m the host of this Neil Diamond party.”
After years of performing
Diamond’s songs, Bruce realized the power of the music.
“During the concert
I share a lot of my personal memories of growing up with Neil’s
music,” Bruce said. “Through it all I’ve become
a fan. I’ve also come to realize, as a performer and an actor,
Neil has a great vehicle. He’s personally written these songs
from the heart.”
The dramatic nature of
Diamond’s music has inspired Bruce’s own compositions.
“It’s all
sort of weirdly come full circle,” he said. “Originally
I was attracted by a kitsch factor and then by the drama of Neil’s
life in music.”
As a teenager Bruce listened
to the heavy metal music of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. He was
also influenced by the ballads of Elton John and Billy Joel.
Performing the music
of Diamond has taken Bruce to the far corners of the world, including
Australia and New Zealand.
“They really love
Neil Diamond,” he said. “’Hot August Night’
was in the top five albums sold in the country for four years from
1972-76. That made him kind of an icon like Elvis.”
Bruce originally went
on tour with a Legends show featuring five other impersonators who
performed the music of Tina Turner, Elvis, Rod Stewart, Roy Orbison
and Buddy Holly.
“I went from being
one of the people in the show to being the closer of the show,”
Bruce said. “It turned itself into something much bigger than
I thought.”
As far as meeting the
real Neil Diamond, Bruce said he has no burning desire to do that.
“I’ve never
tried to meet with him,” Bruce noted. “I’ve often
thought that if the roles were reversed, I would probably not want
to be chased down by everybody who did this. I can respect that
and if I ever get a chance to meet him it won’t be because
of me running after him.”
Having
recently performed in Bosnia, New Zealand, as well as for the King
and Queen of Malaysia, Bruce is proof that Diamond's music continues
to have life of its own.
At
35, Bruce has been performing favourites like Holly Holy, Sweet Caroline,
and He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother, for over 10 years.After hearing
Diamond's pinnacle album, Hot August Night, he was hooked."At
that point, I realized he was more than just a lounge singer, and
he was more of a folk-rock hero."
Audience
response to the show around the world has been overwhelming.Bruce
continues to be surprised by Diamond's original fans, as well as the
emerging trend of teens who are drawn to the music.As an added bonus,
Bruce has developed a following of his own.
As
a child actor, Bruce appeared in national commercials and landed a
role in the Canadian series, The Beachcombers, when he was just 10.From
there he went into musical theatre, and later began displaying his
talent for impersonation.When Bruce is not Neil, he tours with another
show, The Shagadelic Swingers, where he plays Austin Powers, Tom Jones,
Ozzie Osborne and even Cher.
To
master Diamond's style, Bruce studied videos which spanned most of
the icon's career.He stressed that he does not try to copy a specific
performance, but rather creates his own experience by including personal
anecdotes, within the framework of Neil Diamond.
Bruce
noted there are only about a dozen other performers who also pay tribute
to Diamond on a full-time basis.
---
---
Click
here - Read a review from BlackTown Sun in Australia.
Click
here - Read a review of Nearly Neil Show at the Harmony Arts Festival
August 2009
"Saw
this great artist at Bankstown Sports Club, Australia last night,
Friday 14th August, 2009 - FANTASTIC. Based on my YouTube viewing
got your CD from your wife as I arrived. This guy worked himself into
a lather of perspiration to give the audience the BEST Night of entertainment!
A great man.Thank you soooooo... much" - Kevin
& Dot Watts (Australia Tour August 2009)
“Neil
Diamond had better be wary he ever comes to town. Bobby Bruce is a
hard act to follow. The Canadian impersonator not only mimics the
great Neil Diamond to a tee but also implants some of his own pizzazz
and style, a combination so clever and disarming that it brought the
house down. Bruce, in rhine-stoned dress trousers, and a white, beaded
fringe shirt, achieves the essence of Diamond’s raspy stridency
in such favourites as Solitary Man, Cracklin’ Rosie, and I Am
I Said. But it is the passion and energy of his performance, his connection
with the audience and his infections warmth which sets him in a league
of his own.”
Samela Harris. Adelaide Advertiser, Australia, 24 September
1996
“I
have to say this is one of the most fun musical events I have ever
been to in my life.”
Steve Rukavina, CBC
“Not
that long ago I saw Nearly Neil (Bobby Bruce) live and I’m telling
you it was as close to Neil Diamond as I’ll ever get….Many
entertainers like to invoke the cliché of how they attract
the eight to eighty crowd. Nearly Neil’s demographically diverse
crowd makes this cliché a little more creditable. I think as
many people arrived on their skateboards as in their RVs. It made
for an interesting mosh pit.”
Graham Duncan, Monday Magazine, 19 April 2001
“What
an incredible and generous performer Bobby Bruce is. As Neil Diamond
he more than gave value for money in a highly professional three-hour
show which left a rapt audience begging for more.”
Mary Bryan, Wanganui Chronicle, New Zealand, October 2003
“Oh,
sweet Caroline, I have a crush on a man … and his name is Nearly
Neil Diamond. I never knew I was a Neil Diamond fan but when legendary
impersonator and ‘70s child actor-model Bobby Bruce hit the
stage, a movement awakened inside me. I was hooked. That night, the
familiar beats of Forever in Blue Jeans started, and Bruce sang. Oh-my-god,
he sounded exactly like the real Neil Diamond. The way he moved, the
tone in his voice – the crowd went nuts. Women surged to the
front in hand-waving unison, men hung around the bar signing along
with glee.”
Dana Michell, Pique News Magazine, 10 January 2001
“A
gem of a Neil Diamond” – Headline
“Bobby Bruce’s show is the next best thing to the real
Neil” – by line
“Bobby Bruce, music impersonator and razzle-dazzle entertainer
par excellence.”
John P McLauglin, Province Newspaper, 7 April 2005
“Friday
night at the Commodore Ballroom, the place is sold out, it’s
1969 again, and Neil Diamond reigns supreme. Good times never seemed
so good. Swept into a happy frenzy, half the dance-floor crowd has
scrambled on to the stage, clamouring around and singing with a man
in purple sequins who throatily belts out a spot-on rendition of Sweet
Caroline. He is Bobby Bruce, a Port Coquitlam singer and actor who’s
carved a full-time, 165 shows a year living out of being Nearly Neil.
But as far as this crowd is concerned, tonight he is Neil.”
Kerry Gold, Vancouver Sun, 28 April 2001
“Neil
Diamond-look-alike Nearly Neil, who brings down the house with a latter-day
rendition of Sweet Caroline … appears to be near brilliant”
Review of MOCKSTARS, Alex Strachan, Vancouver Sun, 14
May 2002
“Nearly
Neil is legendary on the west coast.”
Allison Cunningham-McMillan, TV Times, 2002
“During
a recent Victoria show, fans left thinking they had just seen the
real Neil Diamond." “It was unbelievable,” said club
manager Jason Zimmer. “People were walking out of it saying
they felt like they were in Las Vegas. It was one of the best shows
I’ve ever seen, to be perfectly honest.””
Mike Devlin, Times Colonist, 21 April 2001
“Bobby Bruce does Neil Diamond maybe better than the original.”
John MacKay, Canadian Press, 8 May 2002
“Once
in a lifetime there is one act that stands out from the rest. The
one that looks the spiting image of the person they are impersonating,
one that as soon as they open their mouth you honestly believe you
are listening to the real thing. We have found that one person who
gives a unique and outstanding performance of one of the worlds greatest
and most popular stars over the last 30 years. Neil Diamond as portrayed
by Canadian entertainer Bobby Bruce.”
Lesley Board, Auckland Weekend Sun, 19 September 2003
“A
mosh pit that formed at Bruce’s “Nearly Neil” tribute
to Neil Diamond, Saturday, led to increased security measures at the
event.”
Jason Mercier, Vernon Morning Star, 25 July 2000
“Vancouver’s
celebrated Neil Diamond tribute artist Bobby Bruce, the Australian
Pink Floyd, the Abba-tribute Björn Again or AC/DC cover act Thunderstruck,
(are) part of a world wide sell-out circuit of fan driven cover bands.”
Stuart Derdeyn, Province Newspaper, 10 June 2004
“Nearly
Neil nearly perfect” – Headline
“Bobby Bruce might be the king of all music impersonators, simply
because his impression of Neil Diamond is so close to the real thing.
“
Paul Andrew, Squamish Chief, 11 February 2000
“I
have participated in the Funtastic Summer Festival since its existence
and watched many performers on a hot July day whip the crowd into
frenzy in the beer garden. But there is nobody who has done a better
job than mockstar Bobby Bruce with his Nearly Neil shows.”
Duane Grandbois, Vernon Morning Star, 8 May 2002
“Nearly
Neil - a diamond among impersonators.”
Susanne Hiller, National Post, 25 August 1999
“Bobby
Bruce is an actor – and a good one!”
Hubert O’Hearn, Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal, 25
September 2001
“Listening
to Bobby Bruce belt out Sweet Caroline on his CD, I couldn’t
help thinking this guy sounds better than the real Neil Diamond …
Bobby Bruce’s Neil Diamond impersonation is a dead ringer for
the real thing.”
Michelle Hopkins, Richmond News, 3 July 2002
“Bobby
Bruce will always do Sweet Caroline as Neil Diamond. His Nearly Neil
show has proven eternally popular. Regularly, the response is that
“he sound more like Neil than Neil””
Tom Harrison, Province Newspaper, 29 September 2004
“Bobby
Sang Diamond” – Headline
“Outstanding tribute performance to one of music’s best
singer-writers: - by line
“Wow, this man could really sing, it wouldn’t have mattered
what song he was singing, whether it was Diamond or any other artist
– he could sing. The throaty depth was there, the power was
there and the sweetness was there, depending on what the song called
for. I’m not sure how he kept his voice, but kept it he did,
displaying his versatile talent from song one to the last encore.
The Solitary Band’s performance was polished. Everything was
timed to perfection; their onstage presence was totally professional
and subtle. When it came to the final number, the two standing ovations
told it all; an awesome performance and one not to have missed. I
am pleased to suggest that sometimes, some imitators are as good as
the real thing.”
Annette Lambly, Whakatane Beacon, New Zealand, 13 October
2003
BACK TO
MAIN PAGE |
