Diane Cameron Elam
LETTER TO AFRICAN AMERICAN DAUGHTERS
Diane Cameron Elam is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, actress, and concert promoter originally from Chicago .She and her family moved to the Eastern Shore Area in April and has made Montrose their home. She entered into the Entertainment Arena as a Jazz dancer and make-up artist for Ebony Fashion Fair where she traveled throughout the United States and Canada. The acting bug bit her when she auditioned for her first theater role and was cast in the leading role for the Hilton Head Island, SC, production as "Miss Sherman" in the play "FAME". She went on to be featured in "Big River", "Prelude to a Kiss", "Merrily We Roll Along", "Midsummer’s Night Dream", and nominated for a Best Actress Award from the Theater Jacksonville production of August Wilson’s "The Piano Lesson", where she tackled the complex characterization of the lead female role of "Bernice".
She took a hiatus from theater to concentrate on organizing and producing benefit concerts, singing and songwriting. Her musical contribution on the CD produced to garner additional revenue for the J.A.N.E. concert, which benefited homeless and disadvantaged women in Jacksonville. She organized and produced the S.W.I.N.G. benefit concert for St. Augustine, Fl, this effort contributed toward children’s playground. Her original song contribution was called "Africa’s Fruit", although it is on the J.A.N.E. CD, it will be remixed and released on her next CD project. Diane has currently written several songs including all the ones on her CD, "This Woman’s Heart" released, last year, in Japan. She writes songs from her heart and addresses issues that mirror women’s lives. She says, "It never fails to happen when I write a song about my life that I’m singing about someone’s else’s."
Diane is back in the United States after a 3-month tour in Japan with the Phil Morrison Trio and anticipating another Japan trip next year. Overseas offers continue to come her way since overwhelming success in The Land of the Rising Sun. The Band is preparing for other overseas festivals.... and is currently becoming a household name with the Memphis Beale Street crowd where they were during the Christmas Holidays and are returning to Beale Street in February. She just finished a short tour of Chicago where she performed at the famed Koko Taylor’s and Lee’s Unleaded Blues Clubs concurrently. She appeared in Atlanta in August at the Bayou Room of Ma Ma Mae’s and Café 290. Diane has relocated to the Eastern Shore area of Alabama and can be heard frequently at some of the Eastern Shore finest establishments such as the San Destin, Florida at the San Destin Resort and Conference Center as well as numerous private engagements.
Diane has made Guest Appearances during the Jazz in The Plaza concert featuring Ike Johnson and Quintessence as well as with The Full House Show & Band and Diane and the Band were recently featured at the Cotton Club during New York Night at the Civic Center in Daphne, AL during the Taste of The Eastern Shore event. Diane is negotiating a trip to Taiwan, China for the summer of 2002. Production is underway for her original dramatic musical "The Sitting Stone". This is a play about the lives of several fictitious Black Families along the southern coasting from Alabama to New Orleans and in scheduled to open the last week of February. In April 2002, Diane will begin collaboration with The Permanent Tourist Band on Hilton Head Island, S.C. to produce a memorial CD honoring the late Franco Kennedy, formerly of Hilton Head Island, S.C. Franco passed away in June, leaving behind a wife and children. The Permanent Tourist and Diane will give the majority of the proceeds of this memorial CD to Franco’s family by setting up a Trust Fund at selected Bank on Hilton Head. If you would like additional information on this CD work in progress, audition information, email Diane jazzzzsinger@excite.com.
Get on the newsletter email list to receive performance schedule updates, or, to inquire on a promo pack or booking information - Email Diane and the band at MozaicBand@aol.com