Here we are at the brink of Christmas. On Boxing Day Bobby and I are flying to Australia to start a two month tour “Down Under”. This tour is called “Beautiful Noise” and will feature Ashleigh Toole singing Barbra Streisand and in the larger venues will include a 4 piece string section. It is an exciting development for the show and we are looking forward to the crowd response. All the Australian dates are listed in this newsletter. We hope to see all our favourite Aussie folks. We’ll wrap up in Australia the last week of February and we’ll come back to start shows in the Lower Mainland again in March. Looking forward to swapping our January and February weather for Australia’s but we are going to miss our Maggie very much. She’ll be in the good hands of Steve Mather our friend and sound man and his roommate and Maggie’s regular sitter – Andre. She’s used to staying with the guys while we are away and they are very kind to indulge us in daily Skype calls to the dog. At home, Dante and the Chickens (the name of our new band LOL) will be cared for by our neighbour Brandy as well as the fabulous conglomerate of neighbours that pitch in here on Gambier. We couldn’t do it without our community. Thank you. With sincere gratitude we thank the musicians; Dave Corman, Kyle Radomsky, Sandra Volodoff, Craig Zurba and Marlow Holder. We thank our Australian players, Dale Genner, Clive Lendich, Pete Skelton, John Coker, Cheryl Webb and Ashleigh Toole. We recognize and thank all of the crews who have schlepped our gear, made us look good and sound good, and worked harder and longer than us by a mile. We thank the agents, promoters and venues that have kept us working for two decades; risking their money and reputations on a tribute act. We thank Neil Diamond. I think this goes unsaid too much. Ultimately, 20 years in, it is clear that this music is about memories. This show is about community. We build upon old memories and make new memories in an inclusive forum. I post a lot on Facebook. I love the ability to connect to people on it. But really, I love to witness people connecting on it. When I post a picture of the Solitary Band in Holland and people in Australia and Canada like and talk about it - I love it. But when I see one of our friends from Canada having a tough day, and then I see friends of ours from Australia and Holland reaching out to them - I really get giddy. I look into the audience; I can’t imagine what it is like for Bobby. To see so many shining faces, smiling and singing. I see them all the time, we see each other. I love to share a smile with someone while we sing along - it feels great. For a short while, we are all the same, waving our hands in the air, dancing and singing. We thank our fans. I don’t even know what to say here. Without the support of our friends

and fans, we simply couldn’t keep doing it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We wish you and yours all the best during the Holiday Season. May you see yourself in others while you are dancing and singing, may you see that the world is a song and we are all singing along. May you wave your arms in the air and capture Health and Happiness for 2014.

Tuesday, December 31, 2013 New Year’s Eve Woodgate Club Woodgate, QLD

Nearly Neil Solo Show

Friday, January 3, 2014 Kedron Wavell Services Club

Chermside, QLD Beautiful Noise

with Ashleigh Toole & Strings

Saturday, January 4, 2014 Twin Towns Club

Tweed Heads, NSW Beautiful Noise

with Ashleigh Toole & Strings

Friday, January 10, 2014 C.EX Coffs Services

Coffs Harbour, NSW Beautiful Noise

with Ashleigh Toole

Saturday, January 11, 2014 The Cube

Campbelltown, NSW Beautiful Noise

with Ashleigh Toole & Strings

Fri, January 17, 2014

The Doylo Doyalson, NSW Beautiful Noise

with Ashleigh Toole

Sat., January 18, 2014 Bankstown Sports Bankstown, NSW

Beautiful Noise with Ashleigh Toole

& Strings

Saturday, January 25, 2014 Bramble Bay Bowls Club

Bramble Bay, QLD Nearly Neil Solo Show

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Seaforth Bowls Club Seaforth/Mackay, QLD Nearly Neil Solo Show

Thursday, January 30, 2014 Bathurst Mem. Ent. Centre

Bathurst, NSW Beautiful Noise

with Ashleigh Toole

Friday, January 31, 2014 Evan Theatre,

Penrith Panthers Penrith, NSW

Beautiful Noise with Ashleigh Toole & Strings

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Belmont 16s Belmont, NSW Beautiful Noise

with Ashleigh Toole & Strings

Friday, February 7, 2014 EBBW Entertainment Centre

Sale, VIC Beautiful Noise

with Ashleigh Toole

Saturday, February 8, 2014 Dee Why RSL

Dee Why, NSW Beautiful Noise

with Ashleigh Toole & Strings

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Nelson Bay Diggers Nelson Bay, NSW

Beautiful Noise with Ashleigh Toole

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Club Central Menai Menai, NSW

Beautiful Noise with Ashleigh Toole & Strings

Wed., February 19, 2014

Smithfield RSL Smithfield, NSW

Nearly Neil Solo show

Friday, February 21, 2014 Commercial Club

Albury, NSW Beautiful Noise

with Ashleigh Toole

Saturday, February 22, 2014 The Juniors

South Sydney, NSW 2 shows!

Beautiful Noise with Ashleigh Toole & Strings

We are always grateful to the members of the media who shine their spotlight on our work. So here’s an honest thanks to:

Campbell River Mirror for celebrating Doreen Stobbe’s 70th Birthday and Retirement party August 8, 2013

Amy Gilbert for her August 15, 2013 interview on EZ Rock Kootenays

Matthew Hoekstra with the Richmond Review for his “20 Questions” on September 13, 2013

Kate Gajdosik with Global BC for her interview before our show at the PNE September 1, 2013 DJ Willem for hosting us for the second year on Omrop Fryslan October 3, 2013

A l i c e P l e k k e n p o l f o r recommending our show for the winter season in OverUIT

The Surrey Now for their recognition of the incredible fundraising for Typhoon Haiyan, November 19, 2013

Our last newsletter came out upon our return from Australia way back in May and here we are in the Holiday Season yet again about to depart for the land down under on Boxing Day. Way back in May we returned home from our last trip to Australia and went right back to work! We started off with a private party in Crescent Beach for nice people, great views, and good times. Mother’s Day weekend opened with a Solo show at Kennedy’s Pub on Friday night. The next afternoon, Leanne won the meat draw twice at the White Rock Legion while we were there for sound check! We had an awesome

time at the #8! Sunday, the Solitary Band was pleased to perform at the Point Pub in Port Moody. Mid-month, Bobby was proud to help celebrate Bruce Ballingall’s 27-year career with the New Westminster Police Force. Always a great supporter of the Special Olympics, Constable Ballingall retired in style with a fundraiser at the Columbia Theatre. May 16 we had a wicked time at the Anza Club. The Atomic Cartoon-apalooza Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band show was a blast!

June 8, Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band were back Rocking and Rolling at the Boulevard Casino.

Edie - who has run our Booking Division for 15 years - her daughter Gena Perala’s CD release was at Chapel Arts in East Van in June. We were glad we could attend to encourage Gena’s original project which was arranged and supported on stage by our supremely talented dear friend- Russell Marsland.

June 22, The Solo show was at the Walnut Grove Family Festival. In between sets we met Randy “Elvis” Friske for the first time. Our first foray into the Eagles Club in North Van on July 6 was a sell out with even Mayor Mussatto joining in on the fun!

Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band were pleased to perform for the One More Time Fundraiser at the Scottish Hall in Marpole.

One More Time has been my brother, Henning Nielsen’s community project for 7 years, and this year they attained Register Charity Status.

One More Time works hard to reach out to the hungry and less fortunate. Since 2006, they’ve served over 38,000 free meals.

There’s many ways to pitch in, attend a fundraising dance, donate winter clothes, you can even volunteer at a community feed.

You can donate the old fashioned way - just $10 buys a sleeping bag! A nice way to keep someone warm this winter.

Please take a moment to visit their website:

www.onemoretimecharity.com **OMT is now able to set up auto

debit for monthly donations.**

Tax receipts provided.

The annual Schindel Party July 20 was great fun as always and graced with good weather! The next weekend Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band rocked the River Rock Casino July 26 + 27. First weekend of August saw the Solo show on a Vancouver Island mini tour. Qualicum Beach Golf Course on Aug 2, we were happy to participate in a surprise outdoor show for Doreen Stobbe’s retirement and birthday at the Salmon Point Resort in Campbell River on Saturday. That Sunday, we were at the magical Maracaibo Estates on Saltspring Island.

Next weekend took Bobby, Maggie and I to the Okanagan; starting with a private gig in Vernon on Aug 10.

Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band were thrilled to play at the gorgeous Cedar Creek Winery on Saturday. We loved it and although the rain threatened we only had a 20 minute hold while a quick shower passed over. Can’t wait to play there again!

After a little wine tasting in Osoyoos Bobby and I drove on to Balfour in the Kootenays. The Kootenay Lake View Lodge has become a little getaway for the families in the Solitary Band. The Radomsky and the Dominelli broods enjoy the family atmosphere. While the weather for the outdoor concerts could’ve been more welcoming, the crowd in Balfour could not!

Rocking it out to Canadian-A (our all Canadian content show) on Friday night and Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band on Saturday night. Reg and his gang do a great job putting on a truly fun weekend that we look forward to.

We were delighted to perform the solo show for Ruth Harris’ 70th birthday at the family barn in Langley, August 23. August saw our last night ever at the Lion’s Den. Good friend Rick Duff, Director of Guest Experiences at the New Hard Rock, always in for a chorus or two of “Sweet Caroline”

Delighted to play for all ages again we enjoyed closing out the PNE Labour Day weekend, September 1 + 2. The solo show was at the Landing Pub on Friday and the Crescent Beach Legion, on Saturday, September 7. We had a blast for the regulars at Lulu’s Lounge, Sept 13 & 14. The last weekend before we flew out to Holland we drove up to do a couple shows at the Lake City Casinos in Vernon and Kelowna. The shows were sold out and it was great to catch up with old friends from Maz’n’Me’s.

Bobby, Maggie and I flew out a couple days ahead of the band. Due to ticketing issues we had to fly through Toronto, then Frankfurt and then on to our final destination – Amsterdam. Being the well seasoned traveler that she is, Maggie never made a sound during the transit. We picked up a rental car and drove to Biddinghuizen near the centre of Holland and checked into the Landal Waterparc Veluwemeer.

Our ground floor apartment was at the water and marina’s edge. Gorgeous! We had the next day off to acclimatize before the band arrived the following day. The Solitary Band arrived the night before our first show.

The crew of Sven (lights) and Bryzze had the condo next to ours and the band had a four bedroom house across the canal. We opened the tour October 1 in Tiel at the Schouwburg Agnietenhof. Marco Voet and Theo Polman came out to welcome the show back to the Netherlands.

A day off the next day was enjoyed by all and then we settled down into the longest run of the tour. We drove to Omrop Fryslan on Thursday morning in order to perform three songs live and an interview with DJ Willem.

Then we were on to Theater Sneek. We were spoiled by the Artist’s Foyer mgr. who sent an usher home on her bicycle to get her hair dryer for Bobby who forgot his! After the show we were glad to catch up with some of our TALLEST Dutch fans!

Friday, October 4th we drove to Hoogezand to perform at Theater ‘t Kielzog. Bobby and I had dinner backstage with super-fan Leo and his super baker wife Lucia.

Check out the wonderful record player (look it up on Google kids) CAKE that Lucia made! What great fans!

Saturday, October 5 Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band were at the TheaterHotel Almelo. What good fun it was to see so many friends at the show including members of the Dutch Friends of Neil Diamond! Afterwards we had drinks and bitterballen with fan-club president Marijke Hogenstijn, and DFOND members Frea Spits, Lesley Hopman and Yvonne Bakker.

Marijke is a great photographer and shared these 3 photos as well as the photo of Bobby on the cover.

It was a pleasure to meet Alice Plekkenpol who wrote a wonderful review of the show last year. She came out again with friends for this year’s tour. Below is her preview article in UIT.

Great fun with Ben Hengst, Els Hengst de Waal, Wim and Ria van Gijzen and Marco Voet after the show again!

The next day, we drove to Belgium for the first time on this tour. The Belgians are gifted in making many things chocolate, beer and fries to name a few. They are always generous hosts at the venue; this time at the Cultureel Centrum in Leopoldsburg. – Our first repeat venue of the tour. Peter Van Bulck brought some family out and partied in the front row all night long as well as taking some great shots.

On the 7th Nearly Neil and the Solitary band were at De Meerse in Hoofddorp. Peter Boone, our Dutch promoter came out – great to see him. Although we loved the touring we were still excited to have the next day off. We spent it shopping and doing laundry.

Back to work on Wednesday, October 9th we drove to Belgium again, this time for the best attended concert of the tour at the Culturcentrum de Werft! Thursday, we had a special treat, - a home cooked meal! Visiting with Peggy Kruijf and her husband Albert, their kids and her father Jan. It was so lovely to be treated by fans in their home.!

And to top it all off, we were playing at the most gorgeous and unique venue of any of our tours to date. The Theatre Speelhuis in Helmond is a theatre (including stage, backstage, house and seats, lobby lounge, box office) all built within a church. Absolutely outstanding beauty and acoustics! I was trying to take a picture of the standing ovation but I couldn’t hold the dog at the same

time, so I put her down for a moment to take the photo. As soon as she saw Daddy, she ran right on stage to him!

Friday, October 11, Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band were at Theater de Vest in Alkmaar. Massively enthusiastic fan, Peter Van Bulck came to the show again and snapped some great photos!

On Saturday night we had many great friends from previous tours come to the show at the Fulcotheater in IJsselstein: Elly De Graf & her hubby - Jur, Mariette Sanders, Carina Vreeburg-de Meijer, Yvonne Beunderman-Waas and Sandra Waas and more!

We were all spoiled with Dutch gifts including flower bulbs - which made it through customs (declared!)

We were sorry to see the end of our whirlwind tour. On Sunday, October 13 at Cafe de Noot, we had our only bar show of the tour. Marco Voet had been trying to get us to play this venue since last year. The room was standing room only. It was absolutely the most enthusiastic rock and roll show of the tour. We would love to play there again!

We got home Wednesday, October 16th and were back at work on the 18th with a weekend of Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band shows. Friday we rocked a private show and Saturday the audience was fantastic at the Centennial Theatre in North Van in benefit of the North Shore Disability Resource Centre Association. Following weekend the solo show was at the Hellenic Centre for the Vancouver Hospice Society, they raised an amazing $230,000 for a truly worthy cause. Wrapping up the weekend, we had a solo show at the Jolly Coachman the following night.

November 1 we had lots of fun with the solo show at the Wellington Pub in the Royal Hotel, Chilliwack. Followed by a great gala and dance at the Holy Trinity School in North Van!

The next weekend we were at the Dublin Crossing in Surrey November, 8. We concluded the weekend a fundraiser for the Wellspring Fibromyalgia Foundation. The terrible tragedy Typhoon Haiyan fell upon the Philippines in the early days of November. As the story was breaking, Luisa (Tina Turner Tribute and Simply the Best - TV Show Host) and Steve Marshall were in contact, asking if we could participate in a

fundraiser; which of course we did, along with Darren Lee (Elvis Tribute) and Abra-Cadbra (Abba Tribute by friends Jonas Falle and Jeanette O'Keeffe). The Marshall’s did a wonderful job working with the Indo-Canadian community in Surrey. The Grand Taj was stacked to the rafters with folks wanting to contribute; the generosity was palpable in the room. In total, they have raised $100,000 for the Red Cross.

A first and hopefully last for us, we arrived at our Solitary Band gig in Qualicum Beach on November 16 to no sound company and limited sound gear available. Two guys really stepped up and got a rig up and running for us. Jim Lynch from Rotary and Len Hill from Bowser. The show must go on! Following a fun Solitary Band show at Lulu’s Lounge on November 22, the Solo Show at the Madeira Park Legion was hilarious with bras and panties littering the stage. Can’t wait to play there again. Last weekend of November, Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band were back at the Casino Regina Show Lounge. Supported by one of the greatest crews in the country, Bruce, Hap and Bob helped us rock out the particularly spirited

Saturday night crowd. Great to see Monica Price again who has been attending Bobby’s shows since back in the “Crackers” days! (circa 1991?) Thanks for your support Monica!

A few solo shows in the first week of December included a show for some Gambier Island VIPs at the Chistiansen Village in Gibsons - Maggie enjoyed her visit too! We had a good time with the crowd at the Whistle Stop Pub in Courtney and the Newton Senior Centre was done up beautifully for Christmas. Good times at Kennedy’s Pub on Friday, Dec 13 and a unique solo performance at the Starlight Casino in Queensborough on December 15.

We closed out our 2013 performances at Lulu’s Lounge at the River Rock. Saturday night we had Tiffany Hambrook, Pete Davyduck and Brendan McLean sitting in - doing a great job bringing a breath of fresh air to the show. It was also Dave Corman’s birthday.

Absolutely astounding to imagine at the beginning, but here we are on the eve of Bobby’s 20th year as a musical tribute to Neil Diamond. If you’ve been to a show, you’ve likely heard the story of Bobby being discovered at a Karaoke contest by an Elvis impersonator while singing a Glen Campbell tune. This is true. It was 1993. We had moved to Toronto and needed money. There was a Karaoke Contest in Etobicoke with cash prizes. We

were new to the city and didn’t realize it would take two hours on the bus to get there. It was in the parking lot of a strip mall. As we arrived they announced that entries had closed. Bobby asked the organizer if they’d allow him to enter as he’d taken the bus for so long and had just arrived. The organizer declared that the first person up to sing was bowing out so if Bobby was prepared to go on immediately, he could enter. What could he say but yes? He handed over a karaoke cassette (I told you it was 1993). Road block can’t bring your own backing track; have to pick a selection from the book. Bobby is at this point literally walking on stage. “Rhinestone Cowboy” he yells. The track begins and he is off singing his Nearly Neil version of the Glen Campbell classic. Immediately after walking off stage, a southern drawling blonde moustached cowboy rolls up and declares that Bobby has the best Neil Diamond voice that he has ever heard and that he should be a Neil Diamond tr ibute. Bobby says “Thanks, but I don’t look anything like Neil Diamond”. To which Gary Wayne Bridges replies “I do Elvis”. Bobby says “If you can do Elvis, I can do Neil D ia mo n d ! ” A n immediate friendship was formed.

Gary helped Bobby develop his look and focus his show. He was eventually successful in convincing a local promoter to include Bobby in their multi act tribute

show. He debuted in Toronto at the Westin Harbour Castle ringing in 1994. It was magical. We gave it five years. We tried counting the other day, how many musicians have played for Bobby over the years: in Toronto with Rivington Station and Legends a Tribute to the Super Stars, in the US with Legends in Concert in Atlantic City, Wendover NV, Jackpot NV and Branson MO, in Australia on tour with the Legends of Rock in 1996/1997, in Malaysia and on the ships at sea in the South Pacific at the end of the 20th century. More recently and currently in Australia and of course at home, in Europe and everywhere we can with the Solitary Band. In total, the number tops 60 extremely talented musicians, with 25+ being local musicians playing with Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band alone. Amazing when you consider that all of our current band members have been with us for 7+ years!

So, we are thankful a n d w e a r e celebrating! We are looking to host a reunion concert where as many players that would like to return for a featured performance can and we will be r e b u i l d i n g o u r website.

For both projects we are looking for photos, videos, quotes and stories. If we performed at your birthday, anniversary, local pub, corporate event or charity

fundraiser - we’d love to post about it, maybe share your logo, photo or story. If you’re a fan and you’ve seen the show a few or a lot of times, let us know; tell us your favourite venues, your favourite songs, your favourite memories. We’d love to feature them on the website, or facebook, or maybe on big screens at our 20th anniversary concert! Send your feedback, photos, videos, logos, funny stories to: blbruce2@aol.com!