Jim Diamond (singer)



James Aaron "Jim" Diamond (28 September 1951 – 8 October 2015) was a Scottish singer-songwriter, best known for his three Top 5 hits. The first was "I Won't Let You Down" (1982), as the lead singer in the trio PhD, with Tony Hymas and Simon Phillips. His solo performance, "I Should Have Known Better", was a United Kingdom No.1 in 1984. The third track was the theme song from Boon, "Hi Ho Silver" which reached No.5 in the UK Singles Chart in 1986. He has also featured as a vocalist on the charity No.1s "You'll Never Walk Alone" with The Crowd and "Let It Be" with Ferry Aid. His last UK chart success was with "Young Love (Carry Me Away)" in 1986.

Early years
He started his music career at the young age of 15 with his own band, The Method. This was discovered through a recent interview with Jim Diamond. Diamond, at age 16, also fronted a Glasgow band called Jade. That line-up included bassist Chris Glen who went on to play with The Sensational Alex Harvey Band and Jim Lacey on lead guitar who later went on to join The Alan Bown!. Jade played many pub, club and college gigs in London in 1969, playing at Brunel University, West London College in Cricklewood, The Pied Bull in Islington, West Hampstead Country Club, another college in Virginia Water and many more in 1969. They also supported The Move on their Scottish tour with The Stoics in the same year.

He later toured Europe with Gully Foyle. Rare recordings of his performances with Gully Foyle were recently discovered on the internet.

Diamond was discovered by Alexis Korner. He spent the next couple of years as part of Korner's band. He provided additional and backing vocals on many of Korner's songs. Most of which would appear on The Lost Album.

In 1976 Diamond left Korner to form Bandit. The line-up included AC/DC band member Cliff Williams. They were soon signed up by Arista Records and released their début album, Bandit. They failed to reach the chart. In 1979 Diamond was lead vocalist for a Japanese band called BACCO. The debut album was Cha Cha Me.

Diamond went to Los Angeles, California to form Slick Diamond with Earl Slick. He spent some time touring and recording and provided music for a film soundtrack.

In 1978, Jim married Christine Bailey (born 1951, Wellington, New Zealand). The couple had a daughter, Sara Rosaline Diamond (b. 1978 in Hammersmith and Fulham, London) and, a son, Lawrence James Diamond (b. 1984 in Hammersmith and Fulham, London).

Big break
1981 would be Diamond's big break into the public eye when he formed PhD (Phillips, Hymas and Diamond), with pianist/keyboard player Tony Hymas and drummer Simon Phillips. They were signed by WEA Records and had a hit single with the multi-million selling "I Won't Let You Down".

Diamond contracted hepatitis and the band later decided to part ways. In 1984, he decided to go solo and was signed to A&M Records. He had a number one hit with "I Should Have Known Better" and also was number one in Latin America. He scored another hit soon after with the theme song from Boon, "Hi Ho Silver". It reached No.5 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1986. Diamond is also known for some guest vocals on two Genesis band members' solo outings including:
 * "You Call This Victory" (From the movie Starship) on the album Soundtracks by Tony Banks in 1986.
 * "Days of Long Ago" on the album Darktown by Steve Hackett in 1999.

The 1999 compilation The Best of Jim Diamond compiles singles and B-sides from his short time with A&M Records.

Later years
In the late 1990s, Diamond teamed up with saxophonist Chris "Snake" Davis, who is known for his work with soul outfit, M People. The pair were known as The Blue Shoes, but were later billed as Jim Diamond and Snake Davis.

In 2005, Diamond released his first studio album in eleven years. Souled and Healed also gave Diamond the single releases "When You Turn" and "Blue Shoes".

Diamond's son Lawrence has followed in his father's musical footsteps. He is the keyboardist of the UK indie pop group, Citizens! and the former bass player of Official Secrets Act.

Jim Diamond's last album, City of Soul, released by Camino Records in 2011, featured, among others, Wet Wet Wet drummer Tommy Cunningham and Greg Kane of Hue & Cry. All proceeds from this album of soul music covers benefited the children's charity Radio Clyde Cash for Kids.

Diamond was a friend of Father Ted star Dermot Morgan and was present at the small dinner party in which Morgan died suddenly in 1998.

Death
On 10 October 2015, the BBC News website announced Jim Diamond's death at the age of 64. According to Jim's daughter, Sara, the cause of death was a pulmonary edema. His family said that he "passed away suddenly but peacefully in his sleep". He is survived by his wife Christine and their two children.