Diamond Rio include Marty Roe (vocals; born
Dec. 28, 1960), Jimmy Olander (guitar; born Aug. 26, 1961),
Gene Johnson (mandolin; born Aug. 10, 1949), Dan Truman
(piano; born Aug. 29, 1956); Dana Williams (bass; born May
22, 1961) and Brian Prout (drums; born Dec. 4, 1955).
The
group’s rich vocal harmonies and glossy picking helped
define the "young country" movement of the early
1990s. Diamond Rio began its climb to stardom as the Tennessee
River Boys, playing at the Opryland USA theme park in Nashville
in the early 1980s. After numerous personnel changes, it
solidified into its present membership in 1989 and took
the name Diamond Rio.
The following year, the group signed with
the newly-formed Arista Nashville label and reached No.
1 with its first single, “Meet in the Middle.”
Throughout the decade, the hits continued: “Norma
Jean Riley,” “In a Week or Two,” “Love
a Little Stronger,” “Walkin’ Away”
and “How Your Love Makes Me Feel.” Their chart
successes earned four CMA awards for vocal group.
In 1998, Diamond Rio were inducted into
the Grand Ole Opry, the first band in 14 years to receive
that honor. Their album from that same year emerged as a
creative high, with the hits “You’re Gone”
and “Unbelievable.” The 2001 hit ballad “One
More Day” revitalized the group’s career, after
becoming a song of healing after the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks.
With their first seven albums certified
gold or platinum, the band scored a No. 1 hit with “Beautiful
Mess” in 2002, followed by the No. 1 hit “I
Believe” in 2003.