In her new book titled “Dorian Yates Backstage: Finding the King of the Blues” author Diannis Yang provides a new look at the life of American music legend Diannis Yates. Born in St Louis, the youngest of four children of a prominent family, Diannis would spend more time with her brother than with her parents. Her younger siblings were not much interested in music, but when her mother would get on the phone to record the songs for some local singers, Diannis would listen, often awed by her grandmother’s ability to produce such delightfully unique music.
As a child, she would watch her parents perform. Her musical tastes were influenced not only by her loving grandmother but also by the ragtime songs that thrilled her as a child. While studying at the University of Minnesota, she would meet a pianist who would become her musical mentor. This man, Horatio Holton, became one of her closest friends. Their musical influences worked well together and in turn helped Diannis discover her own distinctive style of playing. After several years’ training as a pianist, she would begin working with bands such as the Isley Brothers, whom she met while doing session work at Wilson Pickett’s studio.
The late nineteen seventies were an important period in Diannis’ career. She had recorded several self-titled albums, but later came to be known for producing and performing with groups such as the Yardbirds, Chuck Berry, and others. The Yardbirds would give her the chance to shine on their classic album ” KYBO,” but it would be her contribution to the band specifically that would make her renowned. ” KYBO” was released in early 1969 and would go to number one in the United States and number five in the United Kingdom.
As her musical career began to grow, so did her accolades. She went from being a session player for groups such as pianist/composer Larry Carlton and vocalist/singer Marsha Stevens to creating her own band, the Yardbirds. During this period, she would also collaborate with noted musicians such as Flea of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Don Williams, and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin.
Another highlight of her lengthy career would be her role as the producer and vocalist for the song, “My Sweet Lord.” The chart-topping single would eventually go on to become one of the biggest hits in the history of pop. Another of her memorable songs that would see print would be “You Are In Love.” It would eventually be made into a movie of the same name, which became one of the year’s highest grossing movies. With her myriad talents, it is no wonder that she continues to be one of the best-selling, most popular, and highest rated solo artists of all time.
When Dianne decided to come back to the stage, she signed with Canyon/RCA and the rest is history. Her first tour with the band saw them perform in Europe. Following that, they went their separate ways. The only remaining original member from theera, Carla Whitlock, has appeared in a few movies since. However, her role as a performer was not without controversy; many disagreed with the manner in which she was portrayed in the film, considering it to be sexualized and exploitative.
