How's this for an unlikely riddle: What do a Jewish kid from Brooklyn and a semi-homeless African-American kid from West Virginia have in common?

They both grew up to sound a heck of a lot like Neil Diamond.

Of course, one is Neil Diamond, so no great feat there. But there real surprise is that other kid: Theron Denson to his friends, but to the millions he's entertained, The Black Diamond, the world's most popular and — logic would dictate — only black Neil Diamond impersonator.

Hello Again

So how does a young black kid singing in church grow up to be Neil Diamond? Well one thing's for sure in Denson's case: it doesn't involve a lifetime of idolization. To a young Denson, who was compared to the singer by the ladies in his church, Neil Diamond was just another guy … specifically, another guy a few pews up.

"I didn't really know who they were talking about," Denson said. "Honestly, I thought they must have been talking about another guy who goes to my church that I hadn't met yet."

Denson was finally introduced to Diamond properly when at 15-years-old he picked up a copy of the soundtrack of "The Jazz Singer," Neil's 1980 remake of the 1927 Al Jolson film. It was … confusion at first listen.

"Honestly, I thought he was great, I though his music was great, but I was mortified to be told that I sounded like that," Denson said. "But, of course, I was a 15-year-old black kid, and he was a 45-year-old white guy. So I was kind of stunned when I heard his voice."

I'm a Believer

However, the coincidence wasn't enough to propel Denson into a life as Neil. He continued to try to find his own career path, eventually ending up in Washington, D.C., staying in a youth hostel in what he describes as a "semi-homeless" state.

All that changed a little more than five years ago when Diamond made his first visit to the Mountain State in nearly two decades. A local paper took the opportunity to feature Denson's unique talent, and a star was born.

A disbelieving reader called Denson and demanded to hear his impression first-hand. After just a few bars of Diamond's "Hello Again" Denson was hired to sing at a birthday party, the first of hundreds of paying gigs for The Black Diamond.

Not one to rest on his laurels, Denson worked to hone his impression, primarily trying to eliminate the traces of Appalachia in his singing voice and replace it with Brooklyn. This wasn't just a way to score bigger jobs, it was an investment in Denson's future.

"I remember someone coming up to me after a show and saying 'Black Diamond, all I can tell you is that I really hope that you like singing Neil Diamond songs, because this is probably what you're going to be doing for the rest of your life,'" Denson said.

But Denson said he doesn't just limit his set-list to the Diamond cannon. He'll occasionally spice up the Black Diamond Show with songs Diamond didn't perform while still keeping his sound.

America

The blend of Neil and non-Neil seemed to work, and the venues for his impersonation continued to grow. It all climaxed in the summer of 2003, when Denson got his biggest break: performing on late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

Kimmel, a huge Neil Diamond fan, heard about Denson from a producer, and flew him to L.A. soon after.

"It was the highlight of my career, I can't think of anything that would top it except singing a duet with Neil himself," Denson said. "But it was great, I was very nervous but he made me feel very comfortable."

Forever in Blue Jeans

Perhaps his greatest achievement is the blessing of the man himself. Theron has received an email and letter from Neil, inviting him up on stage for a visit the next time Diamond makes it to West Virginia.

Besides providing inspiration for a sound, Neil Diamond also provides Denson the inspiration to persevere when the naysayers get him down, ensuring that the Black Diamond will continue to shine.

"You know, he's been in the business since 1966 and he's been singing his songs for 40 years," said Denson with a laugh. "So I'm thinking if he can do it for 40, I don't have anything on him at five."

I Am … I Said

Five years as a novelty act may seem like a lot for some, but the show works precisely because Denson doesn't think of it as a novelty. People may come in the door expecting a young African American guy goofing on Neil Diamond, but Denson said they leave knowing that they'd just seen "the real deal."

Perhaps it's the uncanny similarity in the voice that wins them over, but maybe, just maybe, it goes to show that whether you're a Jewish kid from Brooklyn, or a semi-homeless black kid from West Virginia, passion is colorblind.