Dianne came from a very musical family. Her father, who died when she was two years old, was also a singer. Her mother, Vada Swanson, played trumpet. A cousin, George Duke is a well known piano and keyboard player and producer.
Dianne and her sister Sharon were raised by their grandmother in Denver, Colorado. As a child Dianne took piano lessons and sang at every opportunity. When she was 11 years old her interest in music was enhanced by an inspiring teacher who thought that music was the best way to bring students together. Dianne discovered a love of music and that she wanted to be a singer.
Her uncle, Charles Burell, a bass player with the Denver Symphony Orchestra, introduced her to the music of jazz singers, from Ella Fitzgerald to Billie Holiday. She was especially impressed by Sarah Vaughan.
1974
At the age of sixteen she was singing at the George Washington Highschool in Denver, in a highschool bigband. That same year the band played at a music festival (Convention of the National Association of Jazz Educators). Her Band won first place and it was there she met the trumpeter Clark Terry, who after discovering her became her mentor.
1975
A year later she began studying music at the University of Denver, before she moving in 1976 to Los Angeles. In L.A. her interest in Latin-American music grew, and she began experimenting with different kinds of vocal music and finally decided to pursue a career as a singer. She met Eduardo del Barrio, and she toured with his group "Caldera" and sang in Billy Child's jazz band "Night Flights". Later she tour with Sergio Mendes.
From 1983 until 1986 she toured with Harry Belafonte as a lead singer. This period saw her first experiences with world music. In 1987 she became the first vocalist to sign with Blue Note records. She moved back to Denver from Los Angeles in 1992. She sang at the closing ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.
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Grammy Awards
She has currently won 3 Grammy Awards for "Best Jazz Vocal Performance" for her albums
2001 In the Moment
2002 The Calling
2003 A Little Moonlight
2006 Good Night, And Good Luck (Soundtrack)
She is the only singer to have won this Grammy in three consecutive years.
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Discography
1977 - Welcome to My Love
1987 - Better Days
1988 - I Remember
1990 - Never Too Far
1991 - Dianne Reeves (same as Better Days)
1993 - Art & Survival
1994 - Quiet After the Storm
1996 - The Grand Encounter
1996 - Palo Alto Sessions
1997 - That Day
1997 - New Morning (live)
1999 - Bridges... produced by George Duke.
2000 - In The Moment (live)
2001 - The Calling: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan
2002 - Best of Dianne Reeves
2003 - A Little Moonlight
2004 - Christmas Time is Here
2005 - Good Night, And Good Luck (Soundtrack)
Once I Loved
Dianne Reeves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I gave so much love to this love
You were the world to me
Once, I cried
At the thought I was foolish and proud and let you say goodbye
Then one day
In my infinite sadness you came and brought me love again
Now I know
I'll never let you go
I will hold you close
Make you stay
Because love is the saddest thing when it goes away
Love is the saddest thing when it goes away
Then one day
In my infinite sadness you came and brought me love again
Now I know
That no matter whatever befalls
I'll never let you go
I will hold you close
Here you'll stay
Because love is the saddest thing when it goes away
Yes love is the saddest thing when it goes away
In Dianne Reeves's song "Once I Loved," she reflects on the ups and downs of love. The song starts with a nostalgic tone, as she reminisces about a love that she once had and how much she gave to it. She describes her former partner as the world to her, indicating the depth of her feelings. However, she acknowledges that she made mistakes and let her love go, which led to her crying out of regret. Yet, the song takes a dramatic turn when her former partner comes back into her life, and she finds love again, bringing her out of her "infinite sadness."
The second half of the song is more optimistic, emphasizing the importance of never letting go of love. She promises to hold her partner close and make them stay, never letting them go again. She concludes with the profound statement that love is the saddest thing when it goes away, emphasizing the fleeting nature of love and the need for us to cherish it when we have it.
Overall, the song is a poignant examination of love, its ebbs and flows, and how we must cherish it while we have it. Through her powerful vocals, Dianne Reeves conveys the depth of emotion that comes with love, and how it can bring both incredible joy and profound sadness.
Line by Line Meaning
Once, I loved
There was a time when I was deeply in love
And I gave so much love to this love
I poured all my heart and soul into this love
You were the world to me
I saw you as everything to me, my whole world
Once, I cried
I shed tears because I realized my mistake of being foolish and proud and let you go
At the thought I was foolish and proud and let you say goodbye
I regretted my behavior that led to us parting ways
Then one day
At a particular moment in time
In my infinite sadness you came and brought me love again
When I was feeling extremely sad, you came back into my life and gave me love once again
Now I know
After this experience, I have come to realize
That no matter whatever befalls
That regardless of what happens
I'll never let you go
I will never allow us to separate again
I will hold you close
I will keep you close to me
Make you stay
I will ensure that you stay with me
Because love is the saddest thing when it goes away
I have learned that the absence of love is the greatest source of sadness
Love is the saddest thing when it goes away
The lack of love brings the most sorrow
Lyrics © CORCOVADO MUSIC CORPORATION
Written by: ANTONIO CARLOS BRASILEIRO DE A JOBIM, MARCUS VINICIUS DA CRUZ DE M. MORAES, RAY GILBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind