Diamond Rio celebrates their 25 anniversary by releasing their first-ever live album. The album, "Diamond Rio Live," features their hits and a couple of live surprises.
After 25 years together, Diamond Rio has sold more than 10 million albums, won a Grammy, a Dove Award, six Vocal Group of the Year wins (CMA and ACM), had five multi-week No. 1 singles and 22 Top 10 singles. All this will no band member changes.
Of the live album, lead singer Marty Roe said, "It's something we've wanted to do for a while. Our live show plays a major role in who we are. I didn't start as a recording artist. I started on stage."
"As a group of guys goes, we are some of the best procrastinators there are," mandolin player and background vocalist Gene Johnson jokes. "We've been known for a long time as the live band that sounds just like the record, so it was time to capture that."
"Diamond Rio Live" includes 22 of their Top 10 singles, five No.1 singles and two never before recorded highlights of their show, the Newgrass Medley and Western Medley.
"After all these years this is the first time we ever recorded [Western Medley], and I'm so glad it is part of this CD," said bass guitarist and baritone vocalist Dana Williams.
"It's just GOOD music. God Bless the Cowboy!" Lead singer Marty Roe says of Newgrass Medley, "Bluegrass is a huge influence on our sound both vocally and instrumentally. I can't imagine not including it on this project. Most of us grew up in the 70's listening to pop and rock. This just seemed to make sense and is a lot of fun for us to perform live."
The group also includes two Hits' Medleys because as lead guitarist Jimmy Olander explains, "Medleys come about because as time passes in your career, you realize that there is no way to include every radio single in your show. Obviously some songs were bigger hits than others, but you can't discount that there are still big fans of these songs." He adds, "We've taken the chorus and the hook elements and made them into a couple of what we call Hits' Medleys. It was important to us that we didn't discount a bunch of songs that speak to our career."
Recorded from multiple live performances, "Diamond Rio Live" showcases 32 songs. Well known for playing every note on every album-from the beginning of their careers, drummer Brian Prout notes, "Who could duplicate Diamond Rio's sound better than we can?"
Diamond Rio Live TRACK LISTING:
1. Show Opening
2. "Unbelievable"
3. "Norma Jean Riley"
4. Hits Medley #1 ("This Romeo Ain't Got Julie Yet," "Oh Me, Oh My Sweet Baby," "Imagine That," "Sweet Summer," "Wrinkles")
5. "Mirror Mirror"
6. Talking
7. "One More Day"
8. "Beautiful Mess"
9. Hits Medley #2 ("You're Gone," "In A Week Or Two," "Mama Don't Forget To Pray For Me," "Walkin' Away," "Holdin'," "Love A Little Stronger," "It's All In Your Head")
10. "In God We Still Trust"
11. "This Is My Life"
12. "I Believe"
13. Newgrass Medley ("Walk This Way," "Carry On My Wayward Son," "Born To Be Wild")
14. Talking
15. "Meet In The Middle"
16. "How Your Love Makes Me Feel"
17. "Bubba Hyde"
18. Talking
19. Western Medley ("Cattle Call," "El Paso," "Tumbling Tumbleweeds," "They Call The Wind," "Mariah," "Way Out There")