Merritt, Diane

Websites:  No
Origin: Russell, Manitoba - Hamilton, Ontario
Biography:

Diane Merritt was born in Rusell, Manitoba (near the Saskatchewan border), and raised in Hamilton, Ontario. She began singing as a guest on the CHCH (Hamilton) TV show "Music Go Round", also performing on various radio shows and working the night club and concert venues in S/W Ontario. While touring with the country/rockabilly act The Varga Brothers, Diane also had the opportunity to perform as a special guest on Carl Smith's Country Music Hall TV show, The Gary Buck TV Show aired out of Kitchener, Ontario, and also guested on the WWVA Jamboree show staged in Wheeling West Virginia (USA).

In the early 1970's Diane Merritt released two singles on the Columbia label. Her debut release, "Lonely Woman" b/w "Baby, Baby, Baby" (Columbia C4-3075) attracted national airplay with the A-side earning a #36 spot on the RPM charts in 1973. Both sides of the single were written by Ernie Varga. The follow-up "Angel Of My Dreams" (Columbia-C4-3107) also charted at #51 in 1973.

With the success of the two singles, Diane Merritt was inked to an album deal with ARC Records, releasing the album "Angel Of My Dreams" (ARC-733). The album featured hits made popular by Nashville artists Loretta Lynn and Connie Smith as well as four songs written by the Varga brothers. The album was produced by Arc's in-house producer Ben Weatherby, and featured Mickey McGivern on guitar.

The "Angel Of My Dreams" album (circa 1975) was the last notable recording by Diane Merritt, who seems to have since dropped from the Canadian music scene.