Good times never seemed so good. As the city of Boston struggles to regain some sense of normalcy after last week’s marathon bombings and subsequent manhunt, residents are finding new joy in old traditions — like the singing of Neil Diamond‘s “Sweet Caroline” at Fenway Park. On Saturday, April 20, Diamond himself helped honor that tradition with a live performance of the song during the Red Sox home game against the Kansas City Royals.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the 72-year-old singer caught a red-eye flight out of L.A. on Friday night and made his way to Fenway just in time for the opening ceremonies. “I was humbled and honored to be in Boston and to be able to personally thank and express my gratitude to the first responders and law enforcement officers,” he said through his rep.
Later, after leading the crowd in a rousing rendition of the iconic tune, he tweeted a photo of himself with some local police. “In the company of heroes,” he captioned the shot, along with the hashtag “#oneboston.”
Diamond’s 1969 hit has been played during the eighth inning at every Red Sox home game for more than a decade. In the wake of the bombings, Major League Baseball parks all around the country temporarily adopted the anthem in a show of support for Boston.
“What resonates for me tonight is the way music can offer comfort to people in times of joy or sorrow,” Diamond told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday, April 16. “With a tragedy like this, there are no words, but if people can find healing in music, this is the reason I’ve been doing this for the last 50 years. It goes beyond what I ever imagined.”
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