Diamond Rio found major commercial success in the '90s by playing an
eclectic hybrid of modern country, traditional bluegrass (especially in their
harmony singing), and a
hint of rock & roll. The band was composed of
Marty Roe (lead vocals, guitar),
Jimmy Olander (guitar, banjo),
Gene Johnson (mandolin, vocals),
Dan Truman (keyboards),
Dana Williams (bass), and Brian Prout (drums).
Roe had already been touring professionally since age 12, when he was a
member of Windsong, and
Olander had previously worked with
the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and
Foster & Lloyd. The band first got together at Nashville's Opryland theme
park, and spent the first part of the '80s performing bluegrass music there
under the name
the Tennessee River Boys. The future members of
Diamond Rio joined one by one, and in 1986, they left Opryland to try their
luck as a touring band.
Dana Williams was the last official member to join in 1989, upon which point
the band changed their name to
Diamond Rio (taken from the side of a truck) and landed a contract with
Arista.
Although the band had some initial health issues to deal with, they pulled
through, and
Diamond Rio's self-titled debut album was released in 1991 and quickly
became a platinum-selling smash. Its lead single, "Meet In the Middle," went all
the way to the top of the country charts, making them the first ever country
group to have their debut single also be a #1 hit, and it also spun off a
stunning four additional Top Ten hits -- "Mirror Mirror," "Mama Don't Forget to
Pray for Me," "Norma Jean Riley," and "Nowhere Bound." By the time that run
ended, the group had already recorded a follow-up, Close to the Edge, which
appeared in late 1992. The Top Tens "In a Week or Two" and "Oh Me, Oh My, Sweet
Baby" continued the group's incredible run of success, helping the album go
gold, while "This Romeo Ain't Got Julie Yet" just missed the Top Ten, their
first single to do so. 1994's Love a Little Stronger produced a number two hit
in its title track, but since the album was more of a showcase for the group's
musicianship and eclectic tastes, it wasn't as commercially successful as its
predecessors. The group took a similar approach for 1996's IV, but this time it
slowly caught fire; "That's What I Get for Lovin' You" and "Walkin' Away" both
went Top Five, and a re-release of the album's first single, "Holdin'," did
likewise.
With their commercial momentum restored,
Diamond Rio issued Greatest Hits in 1997; both of the compilation's two new
songs -- "How Your Love Makes Me Feel" and "Imagine That" -- went Top Five, and
the former became their second number one hit. The all-new Unbelievable followed
in 1998, and landed two more Top Five hits in "You're Gone" and the title cut,
the latter of which inched into the pop Top 40 as well. The group kept going
strong on their sixth album, 2001's One More Day, whose title song gave them a
third number one. 2002's Completely ran that total to four with the
chart-topping "Beautiful Mess," and added another Top Ten hit in "I Believe." In
2006, after 15 years together as a band,
Diamond Rio issued Greatest Hits, Vol. 2, which contained their first
single, "Meet in the Middle," songs that were on records released after the
first Greatest Hits, as well as four new tracks. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
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