These songs are Johnny’s final statement. They are the truest reflection of the music that was central to his life at the time. This is the music that Johnny wanted us to hear.

Early in his career, he was looked at more as a singer/songwriter, … As time went on, he was viewed more as a cabaret artist. I missed that image of the singer/songwriter.

He is one of the few people who can get on a stage in an arena in front of any audience anywhere in the world and and play original songs for hours (that) everyone would...

I think he can always have a career making music. People will always be interested in what he does, … Regardless of any other things going on in their lives, people are always interested by...

It was an interesting, eye-opening experience,

He sang differently when he was playing the guitar, … There was a purity to the vocal that was more natural and less of a performance. He was less able to think about what he...

We felt Johnny’s presence during the whole process through to the end. It felt like he was directing the proceedings, and I know that the musicians all felt that as well… More than once, Fergie...

In Neil’s mind, what separated him from all of his Brill Building songwriter counterparts was he wrote songs on the guitar and everyone else wrote on the piano, … Guitar is equated with rock in...

When Neil would play and sing, it changed his relationship to the song. One feels more of a sense of authorship. By playing guitar, Neil controls the rhythm and feel of the songs. It also...

I think that American V may be my favorite of all of the albums in the American series. It’s different from the others, it has a much different character. I think that this is as...

He is playing guitar because he wrote the songs on the guitar, and the essence of the song is contained in that performance. As far as the new album goes, there was no attempt to...

He brought the chops right from the beginning, … What I pushed for was for him to go beyond, in terms of continuing way beyond where he normally would.

We are not comfortable using the public Internet, although there has been a lot of good work with [virtual private network] and public-key infrastructure technology.

I’ve always loved his songwriting and I feel like he’s one of the great American songwriters, … I liked the fact that he never really fit into any category. He didn’t fit anywhere — he...

It’s a very stripped-down, beautiful, emotional album,

They’re both grown-ups, and there aren’t many great albums by grown-ups. There’s no reason why great artists shouldn’t make their best records when they’re 50, 60, 70. In other disciplines, it would be expected.

I noticed that when he played guitar, he was a lot different singer than the guy I saw on the big stage. It was less of this big performance. There was more feeling. It’s probably...

Johnny said that recording was his main reason for being alive. And I think it was the only thing that kept him going, the only thing he had to look forward to.

I don’t know what makes someone hip. The goal is artist achievement and the best work we can do with no limitation.

Unfortunately for Wal-Mart, we’re still not seeing the trading up effect.

The songs are classic Neil Diamond songs. Nobody else could have possibly written them. The sound of the album is very personal, intimate and honest.

It’s really starting to stick. If nothing else, it’s a major distraction for management.

He’s never been part of any style, and he’s crossed different boundaries of pop and rock and different kinds of music at different times.

The inflationary environment we’re seeing is still having a disproportionate effect on their consumers for now.

It’s a tentative feel with him playing guitar, and the songs feel like they are coming from a true and honest

It’s stripped-down Neil. I think it’s different from anything you’ve heard from him before.