Dianne Brooks

Gwendolyn Dianne Brooks (January 3, 1939 – April 29, 2005), was an American soul, r&b and jazz singer. With the Three Playmates, Brooks recorded several songs in 1957. She moved to Toronto shortly thereafter. Her part in Canadian soul music history began when the group Diane Brooks, Eric Mercury and the Soul Searchers was formed. As a solo singer, she recorded two albums and several singles of her own. Her biggest solo hit was "Walkin' on My Mind" in 1969. She was also a prolific session singer. As a vocalist, she provided backing vocals on albums by a multitude of artists that include Anne Murray, Gino Vannelli and Richie Havens. She was also a song-writer.

Background Brooks was born in New Jersey and grew up there singing gospel music. Things started for her at three years of age when she was singing in her New Jersey church. Taking note of Dianne's talent, her mother eventually sent her to New York City to study voice. Brooks was a teenager when she joined the group, The Three Playmates who recorded for the Savoy label. During the 1970s, she had a lot of work as an in-demand backing vocalist.

Commenting on Brooks, Emmylou Harris once said “I know I'm a valid singer, but when I hear Dianne I feel like handing in my contract.”. In reference to Brooks, Anne Murray said that she had never met someone so innovative vocally.

Early career 1950s With the Three Playmates In the late 1950s, she was involved in the following recordings, "Giddy-Up-a-Ding-Dong" / "It Must Be Love", (released on Savoy 45-1523 in 1957), "Give Your Love to Me" / "(Do-oo, Do-oo) I Dreamed", (released on Savoy 45-1528 in 1957) with backing by musicians, George Barrow, Jerome Richardson, Budd Johnson, Sam Price, Kenny Burrell, Joe Benjamin, Bobby Donaldson, Ernie Wilkins (arranger) "Sugah Wooga" / "Lovey Dovey Pair", (released on Savoy 45-1528 in 1957) with backing by musicians, Buddy Lucas, Bobby Banks, Leonard Gaskin.

1960s The Orbiteers In 1962, she was featured on a recording relating to the Orbiteer toy. The song was "The Orbiteer Twist" which was a commercial. It was also her own composition. The A side of the single was credited to Dianne Brooks with Billy O'Conner and His Orbiteersmen. The B side, "My Orbiteer Will Come Back", a Randy Leeds composition was credited to The Orbiteers with Billy O'Conner and His Orbiteersmen. It was allegedly the first time Robbie Robertson had played on a released recording.

The Silhouettes Brooks and saxophonist Steve Kennedy had been part of The Silhouettes who were an established group on the Toronto r&b scene. The Silhouettes had backed Eric Mercury on his single, "I Wondered Why" / "Softly", released on Clip 1122 in 1966. The group also backed and included Jack Hardin They played at venues such as Toronto's prominent music club, Friar's Tavern, and the Blue Note club which was also located in Toronto.

With the Soul Searchers Also in 1966, Brooks and Kennedy left the group to form The Soul Searchers with Eric Mercury, guitarist Terry Logan, organist William "Smitty" Smith and drummer Eric "Mouse" Johnson. The instrumental section of the group consisted of Eric "Mouse" Johnson on drums and vocals, Steve Kennedy on tenor, baritone sax and background vocals, Terry Logan on guitar and vocals and William "Smitty" Smith on Hammond B3 organ and vocals. They first played at the Memory Lane in Toronto.

In May and June 1967 the group appeared in New York at The Scene club with The Free Spirits and Tiny Tim. The Soul Searchers were on the same bill as The Doors on various nights, with the poster saying "APPEARING WITH THE DOORS NIGHTLY for a Completely Flipped Out Evening: DIANNE BROOKS / ERIC MERCURY and The SOUL SEARCHERS".

At some stage Brooks had left the band after falling in love with a hairdresser, leaving Mercury to be the front man.

Solo career Revolution Records period Revolution Records was run by Mort Ross and Doug Riley with Terry Brown as their recording engineer. The intention of Revolution Records wasn't to start off as a record company as they did. They wanted to build a recording facility with equipment superior to what other Canadian studios at the time. But with the studio having been built and ready for business later in August 1969, they recorded some demos with Brooks in the meantime. They were originally intended to be just demos. The studio owners were very impressed with what they had heard, and considered them to be "So good they had to be released". This is how Revolver Records came into being when it did.

By March 1969, she was already signed to Revolution. It was also being released in the United States on Ray Charles' Tangerine label. Revolution's Mort Ross had travelled to New York to set up the distribution deal with Charles' label for the current record, which also involved any future releases from Brooks. A distribution deal was also set up for England with Morgan Records handling that task. For Canadian distribution, the Compo Company was chosen. By April 21 the song had entered the RPM Weekly Canadian Content Chart at #10. By May 2 it made it to #4 on the RPM chart. However it only got to #67 nationally.

The group Motherlode was doing gigs on Friday and Saturday nights in London, Ontario. They did a demo session with Brooks as a backing vocalist. However it was decided that she wasn't needed. Also around that period, Motherlode came up with their When I Die album.

In late September 1969, her second single with Revolution, "Show Him (He's Not Alone)" which was written by Doug Riley was released on Revolver REVS 003. The single which was backed with "Show Me" was produced by Mort Ross. She also had written a song "Memories of a Broken Promise" which Motherlode had recorded and released as the follow-up to their hit "When I Die". By the end of November the song was charting in both Canada and the US. By November 22, the song was at #4 on the RPM Canadian Content Chart and at #55 on the Canadian National chart. It would eventually be one the BMI Canada Certificate of Honour winners of 1969.

An article in the November 29 issue of RPM indicated that her album was soon due to make its appearance.

1970s Along with Emmylou Harris and Anne Murray, she provided backing vocals to Canadian folk singer Bob Carpenter's album, Silent Passage which was released in 1975. In 1976, her Back Stairs Of My Life album was released. It also included the song "Down the Backstairs of My Life". It was written by Eric Mercury and William Smith. Smith was also one of the backing musicians, playing keyboards. The album also included the songs "Kinky Love" and "Brown Skin Rose". They were released on a single with "Kinky Love" as the A side. The single managed to get into the Canadian Top 40. It also got some airplay in the US. Also in 1976, she and William Smith contributed to the music on Richie Havens' The End of the Beginning album with her along with Smith and others providing background vocals. Sharing background vocal duties with Patti Brooks and Brenda Russell, she was one of the hand picked singers to sing on Dusty Springfield's tenth studio album It Begins Again which was released in 1978.

1980s According to the Cash Box article dated April 18, 1981, her single was one of the new releases the Town House record label which was formed by Las Vegas-based real estate developer William Levitt. The single, "Go Away" bw "Drums" was produced by Nat Kipner.

1990s to 2000s On October 1, 1996, the Toronto Blues Society announced that she was to share the stage in November that year with artists that included Blues Talent Search winner Robin Banks, rock diva Lee Aaron, Chris Armstrong, Juno nominee Georgette Fry, Melanie Jean, Andrea Koziol, and Jani Lauzon.

Death and legacy Brooks died in Toronto on April 29, 2005, at age 66, from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Brooks' daughter Jo-Ann a.k.a. JoAnne Brooks VanderMeer died from health complications on March 7, 2019, at age 65. She was also a singer. Her daughter Lindsay Bell is also a singer.

Posthumous releases In 2021, an album of eight songs, From the Heart & Soul, was released by Panda Digital. Musicians playing on the album included Don Grusin and Jack Lee on keyboards and piano, Doug Riley on piano, Al Ciner, Chris Corrigan and Rob Walsh on guitar, Paul Stallworth on bass. The drummers were, Joe Carrero, Claudio Slon and Bob McLaren. The songs on the album were, "Trying to Get to You", "Give Me One More Chance", "I'm Carrying", "Can't Get Enough of You", "All I Need is You", "Out Love is Here to Stay", "Venice Breeze" and "But Not for Me". Digital The first five tracks on the album are from two different L. A. sessions. One was from 1978 and the other from 1980. The other three tracks were recorded with the Doug Riley Trio, live at George's Spaghetti House in 1983. A track of special note was "All I Need Is You". The Jazz Week chart showed plays from September 13, 2021, to January 10, 2022, with the last recorded position of 283. Even though brief, the review by George W. Harris of Jazz Weekly was good with the reviewer saying she floated over the bassline of "Trying To Get To You" and slinked on the slow cover of "I'm Carrying", a Paul McCartney song.

Discography

+ SinglesWith the Three Playmates Act Release Catalogue Year Notes # The Playmates(Gwen, Lucille, Alma) "It Must Be Love" / "Giddy-Up-A-Ding-Dong" Savoy 45-1523 1957 The Three Playmates "Sugah Wooga" / "Lovey Dovey Pair" Savoy 45-1528 1957/1958? The Three Playmates "Give Your Love to Me" / "(Do-oo, Do-oo) I Dreamed" Savoy 45-1537 1957/1958?

+ Solo singles Canada Act Release Catalogue Year Notes # Dianne Brooks "The Orbiteer Twist" / "My Orbiteer Will Come Back" RCA Victor 57-3292 1962 Side 2 The Orbiteers Dianne Brooks "In My Heart" / "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" Verve Folkways KF-5036 1966 or 1967 Dianne Brooks "Walkin' on My Mind" / "Need To Belong" Revolver REVS 001 1969Dianne Brooks "Show Him (He's Not Alone)" / "Show Me" Revolver REVS-003 1969 Dianne Brooks "Kinky Love" / "Brown Skin Rose" Reprise Records RPS 1366 1976

+ Solo singles USA Act Release Catalogue Year Notes # Dianne Brooks "In My Heart" / "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" Verve Folkways KF 5036 1967 Diane Brooks "Picture Me Gone" / "Sometimes I Wonder" Verve Forecast KF 5055 1969 Dianne Brooks "Walking on My Mind" / " Need To Belong" Tangerine TRC 993 1969 Released in Canada onRevolver REVS 001 Dianne Brooks "Kinky Love" / "Brown Skin Rose" Reprise Records RPS 1366 1976 Dianne Brooks "Go Away" / "Drums" Town House 1051 1981

+ USA Albums unless specified otherwise Act Song title Release info Year Notes # Dianne Brooks Some Other Kind of Soul Revolver RLPS 503 1970 with Lenny Breau Bob Ruzicka / Dianne Brooks Bob Ruzicka Dianne Brooks Radio Canada International LM 404 1974 Canada releaseAlso released on CBC Radio Canada LM 404 Dianne Brooks Back Stairs of My Life Reprise MS 2244 1977 Dianne Brooks From the Heart & Soul Panda Digital 2021 Digital