Diane Schuur has inspired raves from around the world as "the new First Lady of Jazz." She has been awarded two Grammies as the best jazz vocalist, twice played the White House, and her recordings have been topping the charts.

Acclaimed worldwide for her vocal versatility and incredible 3 1/2 octave range, Diane was "discovered" by Dizzy Gillespie who brought her on stage at the 1979 Monterey Jazz Festival. She wowed the audience and jazz saxophonist Stan Getz.

"I couldn't believe what I heard. This girl had the makings of somebody with depth and staying power. She takes from the tradition of an Ella (Fitzgerald) and Sarah (Vaughn) and what comes out is her own advancement of that tradition." Getz became her mentor, introducing her during a televised performance at the White House. Record producer Larry Rosen of GRP saw the show. "I was blown away," he said. The next day he called Getz to get in touch with her and she has been recording hits under the GRP label ever since.

Diane was an extremely shy child, having been blind since birth when excessive oxygen in her incubator damaged the optic nerve. She soon found her voice to be a bridge to the world and at age nine her first gig at the Tacoma Hilton started her on her meteoric career.

Schuur's career has been a whirlwind schedule of festivals around the world and recording sessions. Since her first GRP release, "Deedles," (her childhood nickname) has recorded more than a dozen albums including "In Tribute." It is an affectionate salute to the influences in her life, especially Dinah Washington whom she has idolized since her earliest jazz "sing-a-longs."

She was nominated for her fifth Grammy as "best vocalist-traditional pop category for her album "Love Songs." Her recording with B.B. King, "Heart of Heart," shows the breadth of her brilliant talent. "Love Walked In," is a salute to Dinah Washington and "Blues For Schuur" a tribute to some of "Blues greatest." Her release, "Very Best Of Diane Schuur," is a compilation album of some of her best recordings.

This Schuur-fire singer says, "Nothing's going to stop me because the only thing that limits you is your own mind, if you let it. I feel very blessed when I'm on stage. I want to go out and hug everybody." And that's exactly what her voice does.

Some of Diane Shuur's notable songs include: