by Jo Barnes | photo by Leah Gray –
She may fly high when she sings, but even a songbird needs a place to land. Sidney-born vocalist, Diane Pancel, is a talented soprano with a four-octave range who is enjoying a successful career, but she never forgets her family roots.
“When I was young, I remember saying to my mom ‘I’m a pop star!’ My mom handed me the vacuum cleaner, saying: ‘OK little pop star, go clean your room,'” shares Diane. “Now that I’m a grown woman, I am grateful for that. My parents kept me grounded all these years.”
Diane is a multi-faceted jazz and R&B singer who has performed nationally and internationally and collaborated with well-known names in the music industry such as David Foster and Nelly Furtado. She has provided the voice for countless radio and TV advertisements and sang the national anthem at NHL, NBA and MLS sporting events. These days Diane’s schedule continues to be busy, with an appearance with The Commodores Big Band at the Mary Winspear Centre, an upcoming show in Switzerland in August and the “Musical Homecoming” for Parkland Secondary’s 50th anniversary in September.
Diane shares that her journey has been an interesting, winding road, but her love of music remains as strong as ever. “When I reflect now on the things that I’ve done all these years, I think I am just as passionate about it all as when I started.”
While many don’t get a professional start until their adult years, Diane attained that pivotal moment at the age of 15. “My dad took me to Roan Sound recording studio in January of 1989,” she recalls. “On July 21, 1989, my first album, titled Creature Made in Heaven, was released.”
Just prior to that memorable day, Diane had returned from a family vacation in Hawaii where she had experienced a unique musical opportunity. “On the island, there was a studio where you could record a song. I really wanted to do this and begged my parents. I recorded four songs and also did a music video,” she relates. “They showed the video on a large television screen that faced out onto the street. My video became the number-one requested video.”
The experience prompted Diane to change direction in her life. “At this time, I was a competitive figure skater. I knew skating had a shelf life. A skater could eventually go on to do ice shows or become a skating judge,” she says. “So, I shifted my passion to music.”
Her love of music perhaps comes as no surprise. Her father was an opera singer, and music was a constant in the family home. “Dad was the singer in the family and he was my voice teacher,” she says.
Diane took part in choir at her elementary school and participated in musical theater, acting and dance at Parkland Secondary School. She also did musical appearances outside of school both in Victoria and Vancouver. At age 17, accompanied by her first professional band, she toured throughout the province and Alberta.
Her family roots inspire an international flavour to some of her repertoire. “I grew up with music around me. My dad is from Hungary, and my mom is from Portugal,” Diane shares.
The Great American Songbook, which is a collection of jazz standards and popular songs of the early 20th century, was a key influence in Diane’s music. “Singers like Nat King Cole, Connie Francis, Sam Cooke, Doris Day and Aretha Franklin really connect with the music, lyrics, and their audience,” she relates.
Her show “Ladies of Hollywood,” which she wrote and starred in, pays homage to Doris Day, Judy Garland and Marilyn Munro and her “Ladies of Song” showcases the music of Rosemary Clooney, Whitney Houston and Barbara Streisand. Recently Diane performed with Kim Greenwood at Herman’s Jazz Club in “Doris and Judy,” a show celebrating the music of Doris Day and Judy Garland.
Music allows Diane to communicate with people, and sometimes the songs resonate in a very personal way. “I did a show called ‘Summer Love’ at Herman’s Jazz Club. It was 10 days after my dad had passed away,” she says. “It was one of the first places where I had performed. I sang She’s Got You, a Patsy Cline song, and she was my dad’s favourite singer. I felt like I was coming full circle that night.”
For Diane, love of music will always be the centre point of that circle that allows this talented songbird to fly to new heights.
www.dianepancelmusic.com
