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Lady Dottie & the Diamonds

Sound description

Drummer Brian Cantrell has described the band's sound as "a sloppy MC5 backing up a street-version Etta James."

RIYL

Betty Wright, Ella Fitzgerald, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Etta James, Bessie Smith, Muddy Waters

Current Status

Playing every week around town.

Influences

Big Mae Bell, Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Etta James, Ike & Tina Turner, Billie Holiday, Otis Redding, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Sam Cooke, Robert Johnson, Bessie Smith, Muddy Waters, Betty Wright, Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Ross

Discography

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Lady Dottie & the Diamonds -- including former members of GoGoGo Airheart -- perform covers of songs by Etta James, Muddy Waters, BB King, Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers, the Staple Singers, Sam and Dave, Ray Charles, Howling Wolf, Danzig, the Rolling Stones, Leadbelly, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, the Sonics, Chuck Berry, Nazareth, Ike & Tina Turner, Billie Holiday, Little Richard, Guitar Slim, Otis Redding, T-Bone Walker, Skip James, Stevie Wonder, AC/DC, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Foghat, Sam Cooke, Robert Johnson, Bessie Smith, Huey Piano Smith, and the Clowns,.

Originally a gospel singer, Dorothy Mae "Lady Dottie" Whitsett's early career included performing with Kool and the Gang and Clarence Carter, among others. Back then, she called herself Miss Dynamite, moving around from residences in Alabama, New Jersey, Portland, Seattle, and Atlanta.

After moving from Atlanta to San Diego in 1984, she eventually formed a jazz duo after meeting keyboardist Joey Guevara in a local piano bar. They were joined by Guevara's bandmates from Operator X, Stephen Rey (bass) and Brian Cantrell (drums). Rounding out the band are two guitarists, Isaiah Mitchell and Nathan Beale (of Dirty Sweet), as well as Joey's brother Dan Guevara on horns.

The band won two 2007 San Diego Music Awards, for Best Blues and Best Blues Album, as well as landing Best Blues again in 2008. They earned another Best Blues Album award in September 2009, as well as winning Best Blues (again) in 2011 and 2012.

As of 2009, they are signed with Hi-Speed Soul Records, a label launched by local music store M-Theory Records.

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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