Diamondback, a blues rock band from Connecticut, was formed in 1988 by Paul Bassett, Paul Lusky, Jeff Wheeler, and Jeff Alamed. In barely any time at all, they were being called the “Best Band in New England.”
After two years of relentless touring, they released their 1990 debut CD, “Diamondback,” which led to consistent airplay and many live radio and television appearances, including shows on WHCN, WCCC, WPLR, and NBC Channel 22, just to name a few. This album earned them an endorsement deal from Dean Markley Guitars and sponsorship from Jose Cuervo Tequila, stemming from their award-winning “Cuervo Song.”
Soon after, local and regional appearances turned into national tours and made Diamondback a fixture at “Bike Week” events such as Laconia, NH; Daytona, FL; and Sturgis, SD. After the 75th anniversary of Laconia’s Bike Week Celebration, their song “Legacy was featured on “One Wild Ride, a nationally broadcast, pay-per-view event. Around the same time, the band performed live on ESPN’s “Bruno and Golick Morning Show,” which was broadcast over 650 affliliate stations and led to another of their original songs, “Leaving Em’ Screamin,” aired on ESPN Televisions sports video show, “Maxed Out.”
Other notable appearances include NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) in Nashville, TN (sponsored by Guitar Player Magazine and Peavey Amplifiers); Aerosmith’s personally owned club ‘Mama Kins,’ in Boston, MA; the Rainforest Benefit at the Harley Davidson Cafe in New York City (with Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray, Jackson Brown and others) and inclusion in the Charlie Daniels Volunteer Jam.
Their second CD, “Legacy,” was recorded over the next year-and-a-half at many different studios, including, most notably, Sunset Studios in Nashville, TN; and Longview Farm in MA, (made famous by the Rolling Stones, J. Geils, The Cars, Living Color, and other legends in the music industry).
Diamondback has also shared the same stage with a diverse group of artists over the years, including Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sugarland, Los Lobos, Gretchen Wilson, Foghat, 38 Special, Hank Williams Jr., The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Allman Brothers/Gov’t Mule Guitarist Warren Haynes, Molly Hatchet, Marshall Tucker, Missing Persons, Blackfoot, Steppenwolf, and many, many more.
In 2002, the band members went their separate ways, by reunited in 2006 with all the original members, and began writing and recording new songs, including several produced by Grammy Award Winning Producer Tom Hambridge for a brand new CD entitled “Blindsided.” They continue to write, record, and tour, playing and sounding better than ever. Diamondback is still the total package of ability, experience, and professionalism.