HISTORY
DIAMOND DUPREE
A New York City Band Story
Diamond: Shiny, sparkly, an object to be desired, hard and a touch forbidding.
Dupree: Soulful, funky, a little off the beaten track, with just the right amount of grease.
Put together, this unique combination adds a distinctive voice to the growing pantheon of pop/rock artists.
Diamond Dupree started out with Rafael Fuentes (vocals, guitar) as a simple singer/songwriter. Rafael, along with Glen Robert Allen (drums) and Walter Libero (bass) formed an un-named band that very early on included Alan Menken (Little Mermaid, Beauty and The Beast) on vocals and piano. That combination was short lived and Howard Hauer, a recent acquaintance, was brought in to man the guitar chair. Christened Baby Moon, this combo made its mark in the early CBGB’s era sharing the stage with The Ramones, Blondie, Mink DeVille and Television. They would also enter the recording studio and record what became a signature track, Settin’ the Woods On Fire. As was typical of most bands, this did not last and the members went their separate ways.
But, fate has a way of turning. After each Baby Moon member played and recorded with other outfits, Rafael found he had built up a cache of songs and needed a steady band to work with. Getting together with Arthur Neilson (guitar), Len Holness (bass) and again with Glen, the band, was named Diamond Dupree after Rafael’s birth stone and in homage to Champion Jack Dupree. The band supported the single Settin’ the Woods On Fire, originally recorded as Baby Moon that was released independently with support by Greg Allen, the co-writer. This early version of the band subsequently recorded tracks that would later attract attention. Soon after, Arthur would leave to join Blue Angel with Cindy Lauper and Len departed as well.
With Rafael and Glen feeling stranded, they reached out to Walter and Howard, who had been working together. After some air clearing, the four rejoined forces to conquer the world. It certainly looked that way for a while. Those earlier tracks attracted the attention of Genya Ravan who was working with Ronnie Spector . They chose three tracks: Settin’ The Woods On Fire, Dynamite and Hell Of A Nerve (Lonely), with the band backing Ronnie. The album, Siren, was a critical success with the Dupree tracks receiving special mention. Meanwhile, Diamond Dupree became a live powerhouse, headlining clubs and venues up and down the East Coast and sharing the stage with AC/DC, Jorma Kaukonen, James Brown and others. But as before, it wouldn’t last, as Walter and Howard decided to strike out on their own.
Rafael and Glen determined to soldier on. Enlisting an old friend, Jeff Phillips (bass) and Tad Lathrop (guitar), the foursome entered the studio to record the most extensive collection of songs yet. Alas, this combo would meet the same fate as before. Seemingly now on their own, Diamond Dupree (Rafael and Glen) decided that more recording was in store. Over the next ten years or so, using various combinations of musicians, they performed and recorded numerous tracks with the hope of releasing them. But again fate would throw a curve.
Creating Fountainbleu Entertainment, originally as a vehicle for Diamond Dupree, Rafael decided instead to make the label a real venture and not just a vanity project. To that end, Fountainbleu has distributed or released over 20 albums featuring artists such as Jon Paris, The Delphines (featuring Kathy Valentine of the Go-Go’s), Orville Davis, Doña Oxford and Stew Cutler. After all that production, it finally seemed the time to come full circle.
Diamond Dupree released its long awaited debut album, Wake Me When I’m Famous, a compilation of the best tracks recorded over the years in 2019. Also included were a track recorded with the most storied Dupree lineup. An EP of long held songs, Cool, Smooth & Easy was released in 2021, following the untimely death of beloved friend and long time partner, Glen Robert Allen.
Now, seemingly solo, Rafael has retained the mantel and fully embraced his nom de plume. New tracks by him, along with new and long time collaborators will be forthcoming and it is expected that these will be released while everyone is fully awake, if not quite famous.
Diamond Dupree: A glittering, soulful combination of pop, punk, r&b and… well baby, it’s all rock and roll! Time to dance!