Denny Diante is a music biz multi-threat. As a producer, arranger, engineer, and musical contractor, he has worked with Paul Anka, Elton John, B.B. King, Bill Withers, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Neil Diamond, and Henry Mancini, among many others. Born in New Kensington, PA, on June 21, 1943, Diante was a singer/drummer in surf bands before switching to the music publishing field. The experience honed his skills at hearing a good song. Around 1972, Diante became the vice president of A&R and a staff producer with United Artists Records. Some of the highlights of his stint were producing several gold records, working with the group War, and producing Paul Anka's gold single "One Man Woman, One Woman Man" (number seven pop, 1974). UA president Al Teller tapped Diante's services when he became president of RCA Records. In the early '80s, former UA president Mike Stewart made Diante vice president and creative director of CBS Songs. In 1981, Diante was hired as vice president of A&R at Columbia Records. Teller as president of MCA Records hired Diante as vice president of A&R for the label. Diante started his own OutWest label in 1996. Also on Diante's resume are Maxine Nightingale's two gold singles, "Right Back Where We Started From" (number two pop for two weeks in spring 1976) and "Lead Me On" (number five pop in spring 1979), and Johnny Mathis and Denise Williams' cover of Major Harris' 1975 gold hit, "Love Won't Let Me Wait." Denny Diante-related CDs are Lean on Me: The Best of Bill Withers; The Ultimate Hits Collection, Better Together: Duet, Hollywood Musicals, Love Songs, Heavenly/Greatest Hits/Live,and the multi-LP CD That's What Friends Are For/You Light Up My Life/Better Together: Duet by Johnny Mathis; Proud Mary: The Best of Ike & Tina Turner; Blues Summit and How Blue Can You Get: Classic Live 1964-94 by B.B.King; Till I Loved You by Barbra Streisand;The Movie Album: Classical Pictures by John Bayless; The World of Sheena Easton: The Singles Collection; George and Ira Gershwin in Hollywood by George Gershwin; The Best of the Jets; The Music of Johnny Mathis: A Personal Collection; Apla Tribute to Gershwin; Johnny Mathis Live; Best of the United Artists Years (1973-1977) by Paul Anka; Primitive by Neil Diamond; What Comes Naturally by Sheena Easton; Raw Elvis (Live at the Eagles Hall in Houston); and Swing Alive! and Nothin on but the Radio by T.G. Sheppard. ~ Ed Hogan