THE SOUL GUY

Diane is being heralded the freshest thing to hit the UK Soul scene in years, bringing an enthusiasm and energy rarely seen on stage today.

After a decade of performing her famous Motown show at glitzy venues all over the UK & Europe, for celebrities and dignitries alike, Diane is now turning her efforts towards going back 'to her musical roots'. Having grown up with 60's and 70's soul scene, Diane has been busy re-recording and re-making a host of Motown, Northern and Modern Soul classics, and songs that inspired her to become a professional singer from an early age.

From the dynamic and emotive ballads of the likes of Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin and Dorothy Moore, venturing into Northern classics from the likes of Martha Reeves, Tammi Terrell, The Elgins and the Velvelettes, ending up with the whole room on their feet dancing to a tribute to the classics of Motown including The Supremes, The Vandellas and even her own versions of classics from the likes of the Four Tops, and the Isley Brothers It’s true that Diane’s show has something for everyone.....

Her career has taken her all over the UK, Europe, and the World, and performs anywhere from intimate parties, cabaret shows and weddings of as little as 50 people, to outdoor festivals as well as soul allnighters and weekenders for audiences of thousands.

In her latest CD - 'SOUL SEARCHING', Diane takes a step back into her musical roots, reviving the sounds of classic Motown, Northern and Modern Soul.


In this interview, Diane reveals some of the secrets of her success....

At what age did you realise you wanted to be a singer?

As with most singers, as a child I used to lock myself in my bedroom for hours on end playing my favourite tunes and singing along. I’ve still got my old albums and 45’s and still get them out from time to time. One day I was singing ‘Help me make it through the night’ by Gladys Knight, and when I finished my mum came in and said that I would definately be a singer one day. It was the first time my parents had ever recognised my singing, and I was over the moon.  I never looked back after that day.

Who were your musical influences?

I always loved Michael Jackson, I had all the early albums and probably developed my voice by singing along to him more than anyone else. People today still say I do a pretty good impression of little Michael Jackson. I went to see the Jackson Five at the Manchester Apollo way back in about 1977, I was right at  the front and Tito gave me a rose during the show, and  I was screaming like a little girly ! I’ve loved their music ever since. When growing up, I listened to  all types of music because of  my parents.  My dad listened to a lot of Reggae (Blue Beat) but mainly Calypso, mainly Sparrow (THE calypso king). My mum listened to the radio a lot so I sang along to Doris Day, Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves and Brook Benton, got down to Motown, 70’s soul/ disco and annoyed the neighbours with Beatles ,The Rolling Stones and the Bay City Rollers!!! I have also have a soft spot for Country  music because of Country Music Television which was shown here in the UK for a short while, now I’m HOOKED!!  
My favourite singer of all time, would have to be, without hesitation, Gladys Knight !!

What do you love about Gladys Knight?

Phew, where do I start??!!!  The lady is beautiful physically and spiritually and a voice to die for . I call her the ‘singers singer!‘

I got to see her live last year for the first time, and as soon as she stepped out onto the stage the tears started, and I cried through the whole of her first song! This lady can really grab your heart with ballads like “Part-time love” and then make you get down and party with disco hits like “Come back and finish what you started”, to name just a mere few.  At 60 years old, Miss Knight performed on that stage, a show that was not only very entertaining, (an extremely funny lady!), but also sang with such passion, but incredibly without dropping ONE SINGLE NOTE!!  I am so in awe of her amazing talent and achievement……I just love her!

What type of events do you sing at now?

All types of events!  My work is split between Motown/Northern Soul evenings, Corporate events (award dinners presentation etc), Weddings and Private parties. I have performed at Corporate events for years now and in that time I have been very lucky to work with many top TV personalities and Celebrities, and in some very glamorous venues. These nights tend to be quite formal so I tend to take things a little slow and easy at first with a few classic ballads but by the end of the evening I will step it up to get gentlemen ties off, lady’s ball gowns flowing with everyone on their feet dancing!! Weddings can be great fun too!!  I try to bring the couple’s families and friends together to really end their big day with a party atmosphere to match the days proceedings.  Many of the couples that I  have sang at their weddings have, over the years, kept in touch and have become good friends, and from time to time we meet up at a nearby venue that I am performing at.  Once, I had two couples came to see me with their families and friends at the same time, so I joined the parties together and we celebrated their wedding evenings all over again!  What a night that was!!!

Do you work all over the UK?

I work from as far up as Edinburgh to as far down as Plymouth and every where else in between!   I actually still enjoy the travelling because I get to see a lot of new places and meet some fantastic people.

What’s your weirdest memory onstage?

Everyone in this business tells me they could “write a book” about their experiences on the road, and I am no exception!  Lets see......
there was the time, a big high street bank (will shall remain anonymous) threw a lavish, ‘free bar all night’ party in a top London hotel. They then announced to everyone in the room, they were about to make them all redundant !  I and other performers had to go on and try to entertain them!  THAT was a laugh- a-minute!!!! Then there was the time in a hotel in Manchester where I got upset with the organisers, because they had given my dressing room to someone else, then opened the door and found out it was David and Victoria Beckham!!!!!….. I said to myself “ok Diane, just bow continuously and back away!!!!!!!!!” The list goes on……maybe I will write that book!

What is your involvement with the Northern Soul scene?

I had previously been a little afraid of the Northern Soul scene. I always thought it was a private club that you had to be invited to!  In my teenage years I had heard of places like Wigan Casino, but because I led a very sheltered life back then I couldn’t go that far.  It wasn’t until recent years I realised that the club I used to go too was in fact a kind of northern soul club anyway!  I found that a lot of the songs played at my youth club were songs that are being played at Northern Soul nights today, so I am loving relieving my youth along with everyone else!!!! These nights are full of people who just love GOOD SOUL MUSIC!!  I now feel extremely privileged that the organisers and patrons of the Northern Soul Nights I have worked with, have taken to my show, and I have finally “found home” musically!

What plans for the future?

You know, I have been very, very lucky in my singing career.  I never dreamed as a child that I would ever get on a stage to sing, let alone make a living out of it! I suppose putting my band together again will be the next step. Working with a band opens up so many new opportunities and possibilities for the show, so I think that will definitely be in the pipe line for the future, so keep watching this space! but I’ve always said, that if my career goes no further than where I am today, I will be very happy with that .  Lets face it, I get to party every Friday and Saturday night, meet some fantastic people along the way, get to sing songs that I love AND get paid for it!!!!!!!!!….. What else could a girl want???!!

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