Diana Braithwaite facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Diana Braithwaite
Diana Braithwaite, May 2014
Background information
Born	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Electric blues, country, jazz
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, screenwriter
Years active	1990s–present
Labels	Various including Electro-Fi Records

Diana Braithwaite is a talented Canadian singer, songwriter, and screenwriter. She is known for her amazing electric blues music. Diana has won many awards, including several Maple Blues Awards. She often performs with Chris Whiteley. Together, they are called "blues icons" by the Toronto Star newspaper. They have won nine Maple Blues Awards and been nominated for six Juno Awards. Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whiteley are very important artists in the Canadian blues music world.

Early Life and Musical Journey

Diana Braithwaite is a Black Canadian. Her family has a special history. Her ancestors escaped slavery in America using the Underground Railroad. They found freedom in Ontario, Canada. Diana was born and grew up in Toronto. She was one of six children.

Starting Her Career

Diana started singing and writing songs when she was a teenager. She performed for famous musicians like John Lee Hooker and Albert Collins. In 1999, Diana performed at Lilith Fair, a popular music festival. That same year, she released her first album, In This Time.

Working with Chris Whiteley

Diana often performs with Chris Whiteley. He is a musician who plays many instruments. They have recorded music together, even at BBC Radio in London, England. In 2007, they released an album called Morning Sun. It featured new songs that sounded like music from the 1930s and 1940s. This album was released by Electro-Fi Records.

Touring the World

After Morning Sun, Diana and Chris toured North America, Europe, and the UK. Their next album, Night Bird Blues (2009), was promoted with a five-week tour. It became very popular on XM Satellite Radio. Their album Deltaphonic even reached number one on the same radio network. They have performed at many festivals, including the Great British R & B Festival and the Hudson River Park Blues Festival. They also appeared on National Public Radio. In 2014, they released their fifth album together, Blues Stories.

Awards and Recognition

Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whiteley have received many honors. They were named "Songwriter of the Year" at the 13th Maple Blues Awards. Diana has also won the African-American Women in the Arts Award.

Film Work

Diana Braithwaite is also a talented screenwriter. Her film, Underground to Canada, was shown on national television. Another film she worked on, Race to Freedom: The Underground Railroad (1994), was nominated for a CableACE Award.

Music in Films

Diana's songs, "Bad Luck Man" and "Blame It on the Bourbon", were part of the soundtrack for the film Gracie. This soundtrack won a Gemini Award for Best Short Drama. Her work on the film Survivors was nominated for a Gemini Award. It also won the Golden Sheaf Award for 'best musical score'.

Family Connections

Diana's mother, Rella Braithwaite, is also a writer. She has written several books about African-Canadian history.

See also

• Canadian blues
• List of electric blues musicians

Discography

Albums