Diane Schuur, who has thus far been on the periphery of jazz, has the potential to be an important jazz singer although her screeching in the upper register and her desire to include an over-abundance of pop material in her repertoire has resulted in her significance being much less than originally expected. Blinded at birth due to a hospital accident, Schuur (who would later be nicknamed "Deedles") imitated singers as a child. She had her first gig at a Holiday Inn when just ten and originally sang country music. The turning point in her career occurred when she sang "Amazing Grace" at the 1979 Monterey Jazz Festival, greatly impressing Stan Getz. After Getz featured her singing at a televised concert from the White House in 1982, Schuur was signed to GRP and began recording regularly. Although her 1987 collaboration with the Count Basie Orchestra was a highpoint, Diane Schuur's recordings tend to be a mixed success from the jazz standpoint; hopefully her best work is still in the future. ~ Scott Yanow
Source: AMG Biography