Diamond Rio

Artist Image: Diamond Rio
Attribution
Image Credit: (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Josef Cole) (USAF photo archive), Public domain

Biography

Diamond Rio is an American Country music/Christian music band formed in 1984 in Nashville, Tennessee. Since its foundation, the group has comprised the same six members: Gene Johnson (mandolin, guitar, fiddle, tenor vocals), Jimmy Olander (lead guitar, Dobro, Danelectro, banjo), Brian Prout (drums), Marty Roe (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Dan Truman (keyboards, organ, synthesizer), and Dana Williams (bass guitar, baritone vocals).

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1984
Number of Albums 19
Record Label
Website
Wikipedia Diamond Rio on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

Where is Diamond Rio based?

Nashville, Tennessee

...nd Rio is an American Country musicChristian music band based in Nashville, Tennessee . Dan Truman The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, and ...
When did Dan Truman and Marty Roe form Diamond Rio?

1984

...ch of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, and Marty Roe formed the band in 1984 . Truman and Roes original bluegrass group was named the Tennessee River ...
What was the original bluegrass group that Truman formed?

Tennessee River Boys

... in 1984. Truman and Roes original bluegrass group was named the Tennessee River Boys . Jimmy Olander and Gene Johnson joined the group a year after. T...
How many truck manufacturers were involved in the merger?

two

...he name Diamond Rio came from truck manufacturer Diamond Reo, a merger of two truck manufacturers, Diamond T and Reo (the latter of which became missp...
When did Tim DuBois discover the band and sign them to a record deal?

May 1989

...rista Records, discovered the band and signed them to a record deal in May 1989 . Due to serious health issues afflicting three of the band members (Ol...
What health issues afflicted three of the band members?

Olander, Williams, and Johnson

...serious health issues afflicting three of the band members ( Olander, Williams, and Johnson ), the band debuted their first single in 1991. Meet in the ...
When did Diamond Rio debut their first single?

1991

...(Olander, Williams, and Johnson), the band debuted their first single in 1991 . Meet in the Middle reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Sing...
Diamond Rio has recorded seven studio albums, two Greatest Hits compilations, and an album of what?

Christmas music

...reach the top spot with a debut single. Diamond Rio has recorded seven studio albums, two Greatest Hits compilations, and an album of Christmas music ....
What was the name of the guitarist in Diamond Rio's band?

Jimmy Olander

...ck & roll. The band was composed of Marty Roe (lead vocals, guitar), Jimmy Olander (guitar, banjo), Gene Johnson (mandolin, vocals), Dan Truman (keybo...
Who was the lead vocalist for Diamond Rio?

Marty Roe

... harmony singing), and a hint of rock & roll. The band was composed of Marty Roe (lead vocals, guitar), Jimmy Olander (guitar, banjo), Gene Johnson (m...
What band was Roe a member of?

Windsong

...eady 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...
When did Diamond Rio leave Opryland?

1986

... 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 w...
Who was the last official member of Diamond Rio?

Dana Williams

...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 ...
What company did Diamond Rio land a contract with?

Arista

...Diamond Rio (taken from the side of a truck) and landed a contract with Arista . Although Diamond Rio had some initial health issues to deal with, they...
When was Love a Little Stronger released?

1994

... a followup, Close to the Edge, which appeared in late 1992. Released in 1994 , Love a Little Stronger produced a number two hit in its title track, bu...
When did Close to the Edge appear?

late 1992

... had already recorded a followup, Close to the Edge, which appeared in late 1992 . Released in 1994, Love a Little Stronger produced a number two hit i...
What was the name of the group's sixth album?

One More Day

...successful as its predecessors. The group kept going strong on its sixth album, 2001's One More Day , whose title song was the band's third number one....
In what year was One More Day released?

2001

...successful as its predecessors. The group kept going strong on its sixth album, 2001 's One More Day, whose title song was the band's third number one....
What is the name of the truck manufacturer?

Diamond Reo Trucks

...For the truck manufacturer, see Diamond Reo Trucks . The band was founded in 1982 as an attraction for the Opryland USA theme park in Nashville, Tennes...
Who founded the band?

Matt Davenport, Danny Gregg, and Ty Herndon

...oys, then the Tennessee River Boys. It was founded by Matt Davenport, Danny Gregg, and Ty Herndon , the last of whom became a solo artist in the mid199...
How many more singles did the band chart between 1997 and 2006?

32

...e them the first band ever to send a debut single to No. The band charted 32 more singles between then and 2006, including four more that reached No. ...
How many studio albums has Diamond Rio recorded?

nine

...), Beautiful Mess (2002), and I Believe (2003). Diamond Rio has recorded nine studio albums, four Greatest Hits compilations, and an album of Christma...
How many Greatest Hits compilations have Diamond Rio produced?

four

...002), and I Believe (2003). Diamond Rio has recorded nine studio albums, four Greatest Hits compilations, and an album of Christmas music. Three of th...
What influences did later albums draw more influence from?

Christian country music and country pop

...ally defined by mainstream country, bluegrass, and rock influences, but later albums drew more influence from Christian country music and country pop ....
What was Marty Roe raised on?

traditional country music

...sides country. Diamond Rio lead singer Marty Roe was raised on traditional country music in smalltown southern Ohio, while drummer Brian Prout started...
Where did drummer Brian Prout start out playing rock?

Troy, New York

...outhern Ohio, while drummer Brian Prout started out playing rock in Troy, New York . Keyboardist Dan Truman studied jazz and classical piano in Utah. B...
Keyboardist Dan Truman studied what in Utah?

jazz and classical piano

...playing rock in Troy, New York. Keyboardist Dan Truman studied jazz and classical piano in Utah. Bassist Dana Williams, mandolinist Gene Johnson, and ...
Dana Williams, Gene Johnson, and Jimmy Olander cut their teeth on what genres?

country and bluegrass

...ist Gene Johnson, and guitarist Jimmy Olander cut their teeth on country and bluegrass . But all shared a desire to rise above the pack. Recalling his ...
Gene Johnson told Robyn Flans that he wasn't making enough to raise a family what genre?

bluegrass

...hared a desire to rise above the pack. Recalling his lean years on the bluegrass circuit, Johnson told Robyn Flans of Country Fever, I... wasnt making...
What is the name of the magazine that Diamond Rio managed to reach number one on?

Billboard

...amond Rio managed the rare feat of reaching the number one position on Billboard magazine's country charts with its very first single, Meet in the Mid...
What was the name of the group's first single?

Meet in the Middle

...n Billboard magazine's country charts with its very first single, Meet in the Middle . Since then country radio and record buyers have taken enthusiast...
Country radio and record buyers have taken a liking to the band's catchy melodies, threepart harmony singing, and what else?

firstrate instrumental work

...y melodies, perfectly executed threepart harmony singing, and firstrate instrumental work so smooth that it virtually conceals the formidable skills of...
How many Country Music Association awards have Diamond Rio won?

five

...ess in the early 1990s. The group's two Academy of Country Music awards, five Country Music Association awards, and eight Grammy Award nominations hav...
What magazine called Diamond Rio's first album dazzling in its display of instrumental proficiency?

Country America

...l success as well as a top spot among today's country vocal groups. Country America magazine called the group's eponymous first album dazzling in its ...
In what decade did Nashville attract musicians from all over the United States?

1990s

...ch other and appreciate each other's varied skills. But Nashville in the 1990s attracted musicians from all over the United States, many with experien...
Which drummer started out playing rock in Troy, New York?

Brian Prout

...er Marty Roe was raised on traditional country music in smalltown southern Ohio, while drummer Brian Prout started out playing rock in Troy, New York....
When did Diamond Rio celebrate their 25th anniversary?

winter of 2014

...Diamond Rio celebrated their 25th anniversary winter of 2014 with the launch of a live album of their greatest hits. Dan Truman The Church of Jesus Ch...
Where did the name Diamond Rio come from?

truck manufacturer Diamond Reo

...e bands name to Diamond Rio. The name Diamond Rio came from truck manufacturer Diamond Reo , a merger of two truck manufacturers, Diamond T and Reo (th...
Who discovered the band and signed them to a record deal in May 1989?

Tim DuBois

... T and Reo (the latter of which became misspelled in the bands name). Tim DuBois , a record executive at Arista Records, discovered the band and signed...
How many of Diamond Rio's members had serious health issues?

three

...em to a record deal in May 1989. Due to serious health issues afflicting three of the band members (Olander, Williams, and Johnson), the band debuted ...
Who was Roe named after?

Marty Robbins

...Lead singer Roe was named after Marty Robbins and was singing country songs from the age of three. Williams is a nephew of the Osborne Brothers, makin...
Who is a nephew of the Osborne Brothers?

Williams

...ter Marty Robbins and was singing country songs from the age of three. Williams is a nephew of the Osborne Brothers, making a great many interesting m...
What was the band told to change its name because it sounded too much like?

a gospel outfit

...e band was told to change its name because it sounded too much like a gospel outfit . Two American truck manufacturers, Diamond T and Reo, merged as Di...
Which two American truck manufacturers merged as DiamondReo?

Diamond T and Reo

...d too much like a gospel outfit. Two American truck manufacturers, Diamond T and Reo , merged as DiamondReo and with a little misspelling, Diamond Rio ...
What did Diamond T and Reo merge as?

DiamondReo

...utfit. Two American truck manufacturers, Diamond T and Reo, merged as DiamondReo and with a little misspelling, Diamond Rio was born (so, incidentally...
What song did Jed Zepplin perform on his Merle Haggard tribute album?

Workin Man Blues

... Roy Parnell and Steve Wariner, they become Jed Zepplin for a new treatment of Workin Man Blues on the Merle Haggard tribute album, Mamas Hungry Eyes....
What is the name of the Merle Haggard tribute album?

Mamas Hungry Eyes

... Roy Parnell and Steve Wariner, they become Jed Zepplin for a new treatment of Workin Man Blues on the Merle Haggard tribute album, Mamas Hungry Eyes ....
Diamond Rio won what award for the first time?

Country Music Associations Vocal Group of the Year

... in 1991. The following year, Diamond Rio won the Country Music Associations Vocal Group of the Year award for the first time. Theyve scored nine No. ...
How many records has Diamond Rio sold?

more than 10 million

... was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 1998. The band has sold more than 10 million records and received the Minnie Pearl Humanitarian Award in reco...