Neil Diamond Only Recently Accepted His Parkinson's Diagnosis

It’s been five years since Neil Diamond was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and only now is he coming to terms with it.

Parkinson’s is a “progressive disorder that affects the nervous system and the parts of the body controlled by the nerves,” according to the Mayo Clinic, and the 82-year-old singer admits he was in denial for several years about having the disease.

“I’m still doing it. And I don’t like it,” Diamond tells Anthony Mason on CBS Sunday Morning. “But … this is me; this is what I have to accept. And I’m willing to do it. And, OK, so this is the hand that God’s given me, and I have to make the best of it, and so I am. I am.”

The musician — who has stepped away from touring and is now promoting the Broadway show, A Beautiful Noise, about his life — says he’s only truly accepted his health setback “in the last few weeks.”

That being said, Diamond does shares that “somehow, a calm has moved [into] the hurricane of my life.”

“Things have gotten very quiet, as quiet as this recording studio,” he says. “And I like it. I find that I like myself better. I’m easier on people. I’m easier on myself. And the beat goes on, and it will go on long after I’m gone.”

As for watching his life play out on the stage, Diamond admits, “It was all pretty hard. I was a little embarrassed. I was flattered, and I was scared.”

When asked what he’s scared of, the music legend responds, “Being found out is the scariest thing you can hope, because we all have a façade. And the truth be known to all of ’em. I’m not some big star. I’m just me.”

For Diamond’s complete interview, check out CBS Sunday Morning at 9 a.m. ET on CBS. The weekly program also streams on the CBS News app [beginning at 12 p.m. ET] and on Paramount+, and is available on cbs.com and cbsnews.com.