#23: My Guy by Dianne James

City: Halifax, NS
Radio Station: CHNS
Peak Month: June  1965
Peak Position in Halifax ~ #8
Peak position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ did not chart
Peak Position on RPM Top Singles chart ~ #13
YouTube: “My Guy”
Lyrics: N/A

Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Dianne James moved to Edmonton where she started singing with various groups. James became a headliner at The Mayfair Club with a group called the Shamrocks. She appeared regularly on the local CBC-TV show Teen Tempo. James was discovered in Edmonton by manager Don Eckess who signed her to Arc Records. James released her first single “Don’t Go”/ “The Time Has Come”. “Don’t Go” peaked at #12 in Calgary. While “The Time Has Come” was a Top 50 hit in Regina (SK). James also released two other singles at the age of 20. The second of these was “My Guy”, not to be confused with the 1964 same-titled song by Mary Wells from 1964.

In March 1965, RPM Magazine wrote an article about Dianne James. It exclaimed “You recognize the James star quality as soon as you meet her. She’s energetic and interested in everything around her…. Everywhere she goes, Dianne meets as many people as she can and these people can only fall in love with Canada’s newest potential female great, and what an image for the singing gals across Canada to look up to. From the skiing, motorcycling, to all the outdoor sports Dianne is a winner. Indoors she cooks up a storm and really loves popular music. She resembles the consumer more than the product and the hits are her cup of tea.’ The magazine reported that Dianne James was currently in the lineup for the “Shower of Stars” cross-Canada tour. The tour was headliner by J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers and the Larks.

Dianne James wrote “My Guy”. She sings that the boy she loves is the “real thing” and she won’t need anyone else. She’s going to make him “my guy.”

Jon Lyons was the drummer in the studio and was part of James backing band in the summer of ’65. The backing band named Barry Ennis and the Keymen was from Saskatoon.

“My Guy” peaked at #8 in Halifax (NS), #9 in Edmonton (AB), and charted in the Top 40 in Winnipeg. On the national RPM Top Singles chart in Canada, “My Guy” peaked at #13.

Dianne James was 2nd runner up for RPM’s “Top Female Vocalist Award” for 1965. RPM wrote “The ingredients for success in this story seems to beg charm, talent and a sincere appreciation for people, places and things. Dianne James will be Canada’s new female discovery and if you take your eyes off this gal, you’ll miss seeing it happen.”

James released her third single, “Better To Have Loved And Lost” later in ’65. In 1966 James left Arc and signed to Edmonton-based Pace Records. However, by 1967 she but faded from view into obscurity.

One tip after she left the music industry is the world of fashion. The March 1965 article in RPM mentioned Dianne James was interested in fashion. And in 1967 there was at least one photo of her modeling a dress that ended up in the Provincial Archives of Alberta.

Provincial Archives of Alberta photo with this caption:
“Dianne James modeling clothes, Edmonton, Alberta, 1967”

March 8, 2024
Ray McGinnis

References:
“Dianne James,” RPM, March 1, 1965.
Jon Lyons, “James, Dianne – My Guy b/w All Alone,” CitizenFreak.com.
Michael Panontin, “Dianne James,” Canuckistanmusic.com.

CHNS 960-AM Halifax (NS) Top Ten | June 13, 1965