“She’s good.  She’s damn good.”  Sting’s summation of his duet with singer songwriter Diane Durrett speaks for anyone who’s ever heard her perform. 

Durrett has long reflected the musical passions that inspired her when growing up in Atlanta, Georgia.  From her energy-driven breakthrough debut “50,000 Volts of Soul” (1993) to her superbly executed “Rhythm of Life” (1998) to her most recent release “Chill,” Durrett has continued her musical expedition towards defining her soulful voice and creating colorful songs.  ,

Durrett spent the last five years earning her education on Nashville’s Music Row.  During her stint at Polygram Publishing, Durrett learned the songwriting business from an inside perspective.  She is president of The Durrett Publishing Company (BMI)  now based in Atlanta, and songs in her catalog include co-writes with Bonnie Bramlett (Superstar), Jerry Ragovoy (Piece of My Heart) , Jimbeau Hinson (Party Crowd) , and Georgia Music Hall of Famer William Bell (Born Under A Bad Sign) .  She has received accolades in Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany for her song “Take Me As I Am,” which is featured on the soundtrack of the film “Ready, Willing, and Able.”

>You can hear Durrett’s distinctive lyric style on the latest CD from blues artist Donna Hopkins (U-Haul You Back,  Dirty Alabama Road).  Also co-written with Hopkins is “Everything Money Can’t Buy” which appears on Atlanta Magazine’s 2002 Best of Atlanta disc.  Since 1998 Durrrett  has performed in the Women of Rock in the Round with the “earth mother” of Atlanta’s acoustic scene Caroline Aiken.

Durrett’s soulfully acoustic “Chill,” recorded with engineer Markham White at After Dark Designs Studio,  marks yet another rung up the musical ladder.  Although the acoustical element is a departure from her previous releases, “Chill” retains the soulful roots that have become her trademark.  Durrett’s mantra, “A great song holds up without excessive production,” is proven true as Barry Thrasher on acoustic guitar, Joe Reda on stand up bass, Tom Grose on piano, and Chuck Bithorn on percussion weave so much warmth that listeners loosen up and “chill,” even as Durrett’s sultry voice sends chills up the spine.

Honored early on by the Atlanta Songwriter’s Association, Durrett has continued to hone her craft by producing music in major studios.  Her newest work expresses the maturity of a songwriter seasoned by the spices of experience, and the resulting “Chill” can be found woven into every track.  Each selection has the meat of a stand-alone great, with the center cuts “Somebody Else,” “The Mirror,” and “Waiting In The Wings” providing the marrow.  Durrett says, “Songs are the colorful fibers that weave our lives together.  They comfort us, help us reflect and find direction, and express our love.  Great songs are invisible threads that  pull people together.”   “Chill” is all fiber and no fluff.  From its acoustical leanness to its standout lyrics, “Chill” is prime.

Durrett has opened for Faith Hill, Patty Loveless, Tina Turner, Delbert McClinton, and Derek Trucks, and lit up Atlanta in a “Stormy Monday” duet with Gregg Allman.  In the corporate arena, she lent her vocal talents to a major ad campaign for Ford and co-wrote the annual theme song for Primerica with Jayne Olderman, and the Kroger Corporation selected their acclaimed song “Whatever Makes Your Soul Sing” for their 100^th year celebration.

Durrett was once quoted as saying, “I want to write songs that reach across generations and bring people together.”  With “Chill,” her legacy will always live on.