 Diana began her 50-year journey with Sweet Adelines the same year as Kim Vaughn. When Diana Riley first heard the Santa Monica Chorus sing on Valentine’s Day more than five decades ago, something inside her shifted. “I was hooked the first moment I heard them,” she recalls. “I didn’t care what people said — I knew I was going to sing.” That spark ignited a journey spanning 50 years with Sweet Adelines International — a journey filled with harmony, leadership, travel, and friendships that have sustained her life in and out of music.
 Diana Riley was honored at a luncheon to celebrate 50 years of Sweet Adelines Membership in September of 2025. Voice Discovered, Confidence Found Diana didn’t arrive at Sweet Adelines with a confident voice. “All my life, I had been told I couldn’t sing,” she says. “But when I auditioned, they told me, ‘You’re a bass. You can sing — you just weren’t singing what they wanted you to sing.’” It was validation she hadn’t expected. While she experimented with other parts — lead and baritone — bass became her lasting home. Her musical background gave her a foundation to build on: orchestra with an emphasis on cello.
Raised on Rhythm and Rodeo Though she didn’t step onto the risers until adulthood, Diana had been steeped in showmanship since childhood. Her grandparents met while performing with the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show, traveling the country with rope tricks, whips, and stunts. Her parents followed as professional entertainers, touring with the WesternAires. Her father performed with Bob Hope for U.S. troops during World War II. Diana’s father even began as a Western stuntman — his first role was flying off a horse at seven months old. “I was the kid backstage living in a trunk,” she laughs, recalling her upbringing surrounded by costumes and performers. That immersion gave her confidence under bright lights and comfort onstage. As a young woman, she trained and performed on the cello, even performing Aaron Copland’s *Billy the Kid* with the San Jose Philharmonic — while also dancing in the same production. Movement, as much as music, shaped her artistry and later gave her the courage to audition for the front row in several choruses, where choreography is as vital as vocal power. “I miss the movement and dance part,” she admits. “That was always such a joyful piece of performing for me.”   Diana most recently competed internationally with the San Diego Chorus in Kansas City in 2024.  A Village of Song Her Sweet Adelines journey took her through multiple choruses — Santa Monica, Simi Valley, ChannelAires, Verdugo Hills, and San Diego — across both Region 11 and the (then) newly formed Region 21. Wherever she landed, she found more than music: she found community. “The people are so incredible,” Diana says. “They helped me raise my two kids. I’d bring them to chorus, or quartet rehearsal, and everyone just pitched in.” In Simi Valley, her chorus wasn’t just a singing group but a village. “We put on weddings. We had a baker, a lady from Hawaii who did all the flowers, and of course, the entertainment. We sang for everything. It was an incredible chorus.”
Stages Across the World Diana competed internationally numerous times, including multiple trips to Hawaii and performances with choruses that reached the top ten. International travel became one of the hallmarks of her barbershop career. She toured Scotland and Wales, with her mother by her side. “We’d get in, and within an hour we’d have to be ready for a gig. My mom was handing me costumes and makeup. I don’t know how people managed without their mothers,” she laughs. Trips to Japan and China followed, expanding her circle of friends worldwide. “I’ve met so many people internationally. Even if you only see them for a few days, those friendships last. It gives you a broader sense of people and the world.”  Quartets, Sisters, Lifelong Bonds Diana has sung in many quartets, but “Girls’ Night Out” remains the dearest. “We were all brand new - we even won the novice quartet award,” she recalls. “We had so much fun together," she says. Decades later, they still meet regularly. Other quartets came and went, sometimes formed around mother and daughter duos, but what mattered most were the bonds created. “They’re lifelong friends. Those connections never fade.”
 Leading With Purpose Beyond singing, Diana’s leadership has left an enduring mark at every level of Sweet Adelines. In her choruses, she served in nearly every imaginable role — from Board President and Membership to Business Development, Fundraising, Events, Front Row Choreography, Makeup, and Costuming. “The only jobs I never touched were finance and secretary,” she laughs. “Those skills definitely weren’t in my wheelhouse.” At the regional level, she coordinated transportation for conferences and oversaw videotaping of educational sessions, turning them into valuable resources for choruses. “I really enjoyed the regional work,” she says. “It made me feel like I was contributing to something bigger than myself.” For Diana, leadership is about more than titles or tasks — it’s about ensuring the vitality of the organization she loves. “It takes all of us being willing to contribute beyond the singing,” she emphasizes. “That’s how our organization continues to be diverse, dynamic, and growing.”  From Rigid Rules to New Rhythms Over 50 years, Diana has seen the organization transform. “It was more rigid back then,” she reflects. “Now we’re more fluid, more accepting. The changes in culture, costuming, and makeup have been good for us. The growth has been very educational.” She also believes the pandemic, though difficult, sparked innovation. “COVID actually helped us learn to use the internet to recruit and connect,” she explains. “Now we’re bringing in younger members, even people in their twenties. That wasn’t happening when I started.” Still, she sees room to grow. “I’m an advocate of seeing all choruses do more sing-outs — small groups in public spaces. That type of visibility connects us to people and opportunities. We need to be out there, exposing people to our art form and community.”  The Joy That Keeps Her Coming Back Even after decades of late-night rehearsals and long drives, Diana finds renewed joy in singing. “I always feel better after rehearsal,” she says. “Even when I’m tired, the chorus lifts you up.” She acknowledges the challenges — her commute is over an hour — but the music and community make it worthwhile. “The support is fantastic. I try to invite as many people into Sweet Adelines as possible. I just wish my home chorus were a bit closer these days.” When she looks back, it’s clear what Sweet Adelines has given her: a life rich in harmony, friendship, and purpose. “It’s made my life bigger,” she reflects. “I have friends around the world, confidence in myself, and memories I wouldn’t trade for anything.” Fifty years may seem like a long time, but for Diana Riley, it’s simply been life lived in four-part harmony.
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