Entries by Diane Diekman

A Branching Point in My Life

I recently took a “Personal Legacy” writing course, in which our lives were compared to trees with numerous branches. We were assigned to write about a branching point that changed our lives. This is what I wrote: The major branching point of my life occurred in 1972, when I joined the US Navy after college, […]

Diane’s Country Music Newsletter — 18 April 2018

NEWS On his 83rd birthday, Bobby Bare received a surprise from the Grand Ole Opry. He was on the Opry stage April 7, singing during the segment hosted by Jeannie Seely, when Garth Brooks walked to the microphone. Garth invited him to officially rejoin the Opry family. “I’ve got to tell you that this is […]

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Die For You

By Lisa Unger “The last time I saw my husband . . .” is how Lisa Unger begins her literary thriller, Die For You. The protagonist is Isabel Raine, a best-selling author with a loving husband of five years. Marcus kisses her goodbye and heads to his New York City office, while she begins her […]

Diane’s Country Music Newsletter — 4 April 2018

NEWS This year’s inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame are Johnny Gimble, Dottie West, and Ricky Skaggs. They were announced March 27 at an event in the rotunda of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood were the hosts. Western Swing fiddler Johnny Gimble from Texas was […]

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When History Is Personal

By Mimi Schwartz Mimi Schwartz grew up in the Queens borough of New York City, the first American-born child of German-Jewish immigrants who escaped in 1936 from Hitler’s Germany. She is now an award-winning author and professor emerita in the writing program at Stockton University. When History Is Personal is her collection of 25 essays, […]

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Fortunate Son: My Life, My Music

By John Fogerty with Jimmy McDonough I became a fan of John Fogerty while listening to him reading his autobiography on audio CD in my car. Fortunate Son: My Life, My Music was written in 2015 with the assistance of Jimmy McDonough. Although of course I’m familiar with many Credence Clearwater Revival songs, and I’d […]

Diane’s Country Music Newsletter — 21 March 2018

NEWS Ronnie Prophet (1937-2018) Ronald Lawrence Victor Prophet, a native of Calumet, Quebec, died March 2 at age 80, following cardiac and kidney failure. Ronnie Prophet charted 23 singles during his 60-year career. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1966, playing in Memphis and Nashville. There is a Ronnie Prophet Waiting Room at St. Jude’s […]

Diane’s Country Music Newsletter — 28 February 2018

NEWS The 2018 inductees to the Bill Monroe Bluegrass Hall of Fame are songwriters Tom T. Hall and Dixie Hall. The award ceremony will take place during the 44th Annual Hall of Fame and Uncle Pen Bluegrass Festival at the Bill Monroe Music Park in Bean Blossom, Indiana, in September. Bluegrass Today explains that Tom […]

Diane’s Country Music Newsletter — 14 February 2018

NEWS Daryle Singletary (1971-2018) Daryle Singletary, 46, died unexpectedly on February 11 at his home in Lebanon, Tennessee. The cause of death is pending. He leaves behind a wife and four children. Daryle Bruce Singletary was born March 10, 1971, in Cairo, Georgia. An early Randy Travis fan, he moved to Nashville at age 19 […]

Diane’s Country Music Newsletter — 31 January 2018

NEWS  One of Faron Young’s Country Deputies, Dave Hall, died on January 19. He was 76. Dave played bass and served as frontman from 1969-72. After leaving the music business, he worked with Royalty Department and Creative Team at HoriPro. I met him in Canby, Minnesota, in 1970 and saw him again when I held […]