Singing Dianne is back on the calypso bandwagon after an absence of about 25 years. After the successful launch of her new album in New York at the popular KCJB Hideaway, she was in Trinidad for Carnival, during which her compilation of 17 numbers, including three new songs, was introduced on the local airwaves. Singing Dianne won the Calypso Queen title in T&T in 1984, and migrated to the United States during the following year. In the CD's liner notes, the energetic Trini speaks of her legacy. She says she has been singing from around the age of seven, when she sang at her family home in Petit Valley with her siblings.
"When I was around age 12, my childhood friend, Penny Commissiong, (who later rose to become Miss Universe), wrote out a song by Dionne Warwick (You'll Never Get To Heaven If You Break My Heart) and I sang it on the Auntie Kay Children's Radio Show, placing second," Dianne recalled. This gave her much encouragement to continue singing. Later, as a teenager, she entered the Pop Gear competition, placing first, followed by a second-place performance on Holly Betaudier's Scouting For Talent television programme. Dianne continued: "I entered the Calypso Monarch competition in 1974, singing the calypsoes, Work of a Woman and Sponsorama, written by the Mighty Bomber and Garth Lewis." Dianne said that she entered again in 1975 and reached the finals with Leh Me Go and People to Remember.
She also placed second that same year in the Buy Local calypso competition when the Mighty Terror won the first prize. Dianne was known for her persistence in those days, and constantly sought new horizons. She joined the Ed Watson Brass Circle Band in 1976 as lead singer and travelled extensively to most of the Caribbean islands and parts of North America, including Hollywood, California, and Toronto, Canada. She continued: "I made my biggest hit in 1980–You Got To Give Away–which held top positions on the local record charts for several weeks." Then, in 1984, Dianne captivated the crowd at Skinner Park in San Fernando, with a ditty entitled Take Yuh Clothes and Go, which later won several other talent contests.
"In the year 1985, I migrated to the United States. At the time, I had no idea that I would be away from Trinidad for 25 years." she said. Dianne added: "Things are much different now, but I am Trinbagonian at heart, and the calypso blood still flows through my veins." She is back on track with the album entitled Singing Dianne–then & NOW, which contains original versions of most of her past hits, plus three new numbers–Come Go Home With Me, Hot & Sexy and Ah Ain't Eating None Ah Dat. The disc was produced at Hometown Music and Video Studios in New York and is available locally at Downtown Outlaws, 132 Frederick Street in Port-of-Spain.
