Diamond Rio Releases Their First Live Album

By Timothy Yap Nov 23, 2014 01:21 AM EST

On Tuesday this coming week, country music group Diamond Rio will be releasing their first ever live records, "Diamond Rio Live." In 1991, Diamond Rio released their debut single "Meet in the Middle," the single shot all the way up to #1 on the Billboard Hot Singles chart, making Diamond Rio one of the few acts to have a debut #1 hit!

25 years later, they are returning with their first ever live album, something the band has never done before. The live album will feature some of their biggest hits including "Beautiful Mess," "Meet in the Middle," "Norman Jean Riley" as well as some of their inspirational Christian songs. One highlight would be their live version of "In God We Still Trust."

Lead singer Marty Roe explained the wait. "It's hard to believe that after 25 years together, we haven't done a live project, because in all reality, that's a big part of our identity," he told Billboard. "We have always taken such great pride in our live show sounding so much like our records. That's been our hope, anyway, and that's what has always motivated me to be in this business -- that immediate response of being on stage and the live reaction of the crowd."

Guitarist Jimmy Olander said that he was influenced by live country albums as a kid in a big way. He said, "Being a country and bluegrass fan, I've always loved live records. I remember Jerry Reed's live album at the Exit/In being killer, and the J.D. Crowe live album from Japan when Ricky Skaggs and Tony Rice were in the band. You get a treatment of what it's like when they are on the road -- sometimes things are a little bit hotter, and the tempo is a little faster. Maybe it's not as polished as the studio records. I think it's sometimes a little more real."

It's tough to believe it's been a quarter century since the boys signed to Arista Records.

"It seems like it was only yesterday, but then again, it seems like this is the only thing I've ever done in my whole life," Olander said. "It's hard to remember being in grade school, but I remember being a struggling musician in the Tennessee River Boys [the group's name before Diamond Rio] and everything we've done. I've actually been involved in this band for 30 years. It's been a great ride."

Diamond Rio Live tracklist:

01. Beautiful Mess
02. Bubba Hyde
03. How Your Love Makes Me Feel
04. I Believe
05. In God We Still Trust
06. Meet In The Middle
07. Mirror Mirror
08. Norma Jean Riley
09. One More Day
10. This Is My Life
11. Unbelievable
12. Western Medley