It isn’t often that a Juno Award-winning musician who is a member of the Order of Canada comes to our area; but on Saturday, June 24 singer-songwriter Charlotte Diamond, accompanied by her son Matt Diamond, will be performing at the Ashcroft HUB, in a show that is sure to delight her many fans young and old.
Diamond began her musical career in 1985, and made her first appearance at the Vancouver Children’s Festival that year. The Journal spoke with her on June 2, a day before her latest, sold out, appearance at the festival, at which she has performed more than two dozen times.
“Because I’ve been doing this since 1985, some grandparents—even great-grandparents—come to the shows,” says Diamond, who lives in Richmond. “And sometimes the parents sing along with the songs. It makes for a wonderful choir; it’s amazing to reach that many people.”
Diamond’s pathway into music was an unusual one. Born and raised in Vancouver, she always loved music, from the time her mother sang to her at night. “I was brought up on Scottish and Irish folk tunes.” She graduated from the University of B.C. with a Bachelor of Secondary Education, majoring in Zoology and French. She took further studies in French Language at Laval University in Quebec, then taught science, French, music, and phys ed at the junior high school level at New Westminster Secondary for ten years.
“I brought my guitar to French classes and played and sang classic French songs,” she says. “Then I made up songs, and did some drama. From that interest in working with kids I formed an extra-curricular choir, the New West Minstrels, and then branched out into musical theatre.”
Diamond left full-time teaching to become a mom, then found herself writing songs for her children and performing them at pre-school. “Other parents said ‘Those are great; why don’t you record them?’ I really wanted to record the songs I’d written, so becoming a musician was really a combination of my background in music, teaching, and then having children.”
She was part of a quartet that opened for a Pete Seeger concert at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, and the experience was an eye-opener. “There were 3,000 people there, and it was such an exhilarating experience. I thought ‘I could do this.’”
Having young children of her own had made Diamond aware that “children’s music is pretty amazing.” She began collecting music from other children’s performers and writing music of her own, and assembled the Hug Bug Band to independently produce her first album, 10 Carrot Diamond, in 1985. In 1986 it won a Juno Award and became a certified gold record in Canada; and overnight Diamond’s career went professional and international.
In addition to speaking English and French, Diamond is also fluent in Spanish. “I learned Spanish through songs,” she says with a laugh. “And French-Canadian folk songs are a big part of my early albums.”
Her degree in Zoology has had a huge influence on her songs, many of which have an emphasis on animal life, wildlife, and the environment. “I like to combine all these elements.” But she notes that she gets inspired by many things, and also writes about confrontation, not just the “easy” side of life.
Diamond says that her audience is generally aged two to nine, and that she includes a lot of opportunities for children to get up and moving during her shows. “I have a background in dance, so there’s lots of movement. I choose parents and children to come up on stage and be involved. Kids want to be involved.”
Since many audience members know her songs—such as “Four Hugs a Day”, “I am a Pizza”/”Je Suis une Pizza”, “Octopus” (“Slippery Fish”), and “All the Nations Like Banana”— there is a lot of singing along. During her song “Ottie the Otter” she produces two puppets and invites a child and an adult up on stage to act out the life of an otter.
“Artistic vehicles are so important in children’s lives,” she says. “Music, drama, art: they educate the whole child, and give them life skills for the future. They allow children to problem-solve via self-expression and creativity.”
Last year Diamond was inducted into the Order of Canada. Her citation reads: “Over the past 30 years, Charlotte Diamond has made an enduring contribution to Canadian children’s music. A singer, songwriter and entertainer, she has engaged children with her gentle melodies and catchy tunes that get them singing, dancing, and learning. Her understanding of how music and lyrics are foundational to literacy has also helped teachers, as she has produced learning guides that focus on brain development and language patterns in young learners. An ambassador for UNICEF, she continues to perform for audiences of all ages.”
Diamond says that she’s looking forward to the investiture ceremony in Ottawa on August 25. “It’s nice to be validated. It’s difficult to work in music and the arts. When you get validated by your country it means a lot, and is a real honour.
“Music has made my life richer, and I want to give that gift to families and kids.”
Charlotte Diamond will be performing at the Ashcroft HUB at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 24 (seating starts at 1:45). Starting at 1:15, and after the show, a CD and merchandise table will be open, and Charlotte and Matt will be available for autographs and photos after the show.
Advance tickets are $8 for those aged two to 12, and $10 for those aged 13 and older; tickets at the door are $13/$15. Advance tickets are available at the Ashcroft HUB during business hours, at the Ashcroft and Clinton StrongStart centres during class hours, and at the Desert Sands Community School fun fair on Thursday, June 8 from 4 to 8 p.m. Cash purchase only.