Celebrating Vocalist and Songwriter Diane Charlemagne With Blue Heritage Plaque
Karen Gabay and Chantelle Charlemagne standing next to the heritage blue plaque celebrating Diane Charlemagne.
The exceptional life and remarkable contributions of Manchester vocalist and songwriter, Diane Charlemagne has been honoured with a blue heritage plaque in her childhood neighbourhood of Moss Side, Manchester.
The exceptional life and remarkable contributions of Manchester vocalist and songwriter, Diane Charlemagne has been honoured with a blue heritage plaque in her childhood neighbourhood of Moss Side, Manchester. This significant event marks a sincere tribute to an artist whose voice resonated across genres and captivated audiences both in the UK and around the world.
Diane Charlemagne’s journey in music was nothing short of extraordinary. She first gained recognition with the Manchester band 52nd Street, who were signed to the iconic Factory Records and later to Virgin’s 10 record label. Their signature hit, “Tell Me (How it Feels),” soared to success reaching number 8 on the American Billboard R & B charts. The band were produced by renowned producers and musicians, Nick Martinelli and Lenny White.
Following this, the band reformed as Cool Down Zone, and Diane continued to make waves in the music scene with her involvement in the dance track “The Key, The Secret” by Urban Cookie Collective in 1993, and with Goldie’s iconic drum and bass anthem “Inner City Life” in 1994.
Throughout her career, Diane collaborated with a variety of artists, including Neville Staple, Dave Lee , Andy Rourke and Netsky.
She performed globally alongside Moby, including a memorable appearance at Glastonbury. Her former manager and long-time friend, Lindsay Reade, fondly recalled, “I especially loved her voice on Moby’s track ‘Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad.’”
Aniff Akinola, co-producer of “The Key, The Secret,” confirmed what many collaborators have said, stating, “She was a one-take wonder in the studio, an incredible vocalist who is dearly missed.”
Tragically, Diane passed away in 2015 at the age of 51, leaving behind a powerful legacy.
This blue plaque installation at St Mary’s C of E school in Moss Side is the second in a series dedicated to black musicians, curated, and led by Karen Gabay, a social historian, TV producer, and radio broadcaster, in collaboration with the Nubian Jak Community Trust and the Manchester Digital Music Archive, with strong support and donations from Manchester’s music community musicians overseas and fans who knew Diane.
The campaign for blue plaques for black musicians in Manchester was devised by Karen Gabay who has collaborated with the Manchester Digital Music Archive and the Nubian Jak Community Trust, an organisation dedicated to commemorating influential individuals from under-represented communities through the installation of blue plaques.
Karen’s vision is to celebrate a series of black musicians in Greater Manchester, and thereafter commemorate musicians and artists, often overlooked.
The first plaque, installed last year in honour of Denise Johnson, made history as the first blue plaque for a woman of colour in Manchester, paving the way for future commemorations of artists who have shaped the cultural landscape of the city.
The next plaque will be for the icon Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the Godmother of Rock ‘n’ Roll which has the support of musicians, fans and DJ’s around the world.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Karen Gabay – email: misskarengabay@gmail.com
Notes to editors:
About Karen Gabay: Karen has interviewed hundreds of Black and global majority musicians, producers, promoters, and label owners in Greater Manchester locations and on an international basis for many years. Her award-winning work within local, national, and international archives and history spaces is the driving force behind this campaign
About Nubian Jak Community Trust: The trust is led by Dr Jak Beula. When the Nubian Jak Community Trust first started installing plaques within the public realm only 1.9% of blue plaques in London represented people of colour. To date, NJCT has installed over 100 plaques (with 71 of those being in London), some in consultation with English Heritage.
About Manchester Digital Music Archive: This is an online digital community archive that is crowd sourced. It is a virtual space that gives fans, musicians, and music industry professionals a place to deposit their archival materials that celebrate hidden chapters of Manchester events online. https://www.mdmarchive.co.uk/
Let’s change Manchester’s Black music historical narrative.
Published by
Greater Manchester Music Commission