Boogie–woogie, swing, the blues: Diane Lines kicks off inaugural music series in Port Moody

Musician Diane Lines performs "Jump!" in her hometown of Port Moody on Sept. 17 as part of the Inlet Theatre Music Series.

Port Moody musician Diane Lines will launch the first-ever Inlet Theatre Music Series on Sept. 17, 2022.Diane Lines

Diane Lines credits her childhood piano teacher for going outside of the Royal Conservatory of Music box.

Music students typically follow that route for their classical music studies, but Lines’ teacher opened her up to other genres, too.

“She mixed it up,” Lines said of her former North Shore instructor.

“She felt good music was good music, from Beethoven to pop.”

Lines’ teacher also encouraged her to compose songs, which formed part of her foundation as she launched her professional music career.

Now, the BC Entertainment Hall of Famer is launching a new lineup in her hometown of Port Moody.

Lines is the first performer in the inaugural Inlet Theatre Music Series that’s being organized by musicians Bill Sample and Darlene Cooper.

“I’m so excited to be a part of it,” Lines told the Tri-City News on Monday.

Lines will kick off the series with her show Jump! that focuses on the music after the big band era, but before rock ’n roll burst out.

Lines and her band showcase boogie–woogie, swing and the blues — the original R&B music, she said — and feature songs made famous by The King Cole Trio, Dinah Washington, Ray Charles and more.

For her Port Moody show, Lines will also have her son, Sam Ellington, on stage.

“It’s a retrospective from 1946–56,” she said.

“A lot of big bands became smaller after the war because of costs, and a lot of that music evolved to rock. Elvis, Bill Haley and Jerry Lee Lewis borrowed from that time.”

During the performance, Lines will give a bit of background so the audience can learn about the music during that period.

It’s an era that Lines savours and loves sharing.

Since 2011, she’s played Jump! around North America and in Europe. And, before his death in 2015, Lines was the principal pianist and vocalist with the Dal Richards Orchestra, a fixture at the PNE and Lower Mainland concert halls.

Lines also known for her collaborations with Michael Bublé, Jim Byrnes, Shari Ulrich and other musical sensations.

She hopes Tri-City residents will be able to see the full Inlet Theatre music series to hear the diverse tunes and enjoy the stories.

“Darlene Cooper and I are excited to bring this music series to the Inlet Theatre,” Sample told the Tri-City News. “We believe that music is the heart and soul of a community and hope the people will come out and support it.”

• For tickets $30 (or $40 at the door) to see Diane Lines’ Jump! on Sept. 17 at the Inlet Theatre (inside Port Moody City Hall, 100 Newport Dr.), visit inletmusicseries1.eventbrite.ca.