Did You Know...

Dianne Reeves was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1956 but was raised in Denver, Colorado after the age of two. She loved music from an early age and started singing as soon as possible. Dianne sang with the high school big band and performed at the National Association of Jazz Educators Conference in Chicago. It was there that she was spotted by Terry Clark, an acclaimed swing trumpeter. Terry encouraged her to continue her study of music, and she attended the University of Colorado, where she was able to perform with him.

To pursue music full-time, Dianne Reeves moved to California. In the mid-1970s Dianne was in high demand and recorded with artists such as drummer Lenny White and saxophonist Stanley Turrentine. In 1978 she began working with pianist Billy Childs who encouraged her to experiment and develop her own solo work. Her first big exposure came in 1981 when she went on her first international tour with Sergio Mendes.

Dianne Reeves' first album was released a year later. Her first two albums, WELCOME TO MY LOVE and FOR EVERY HEART, were minor successes. Her big break came when the president of Blue Notes Records saw her at an Echoes of Ellington concert in LA. The result was a new, self-titled album, which featured George Duke, Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, Stanley Clarke, and Billy Childs. After that, she launched her own international tour.