Cole Diamond at Lake Harriet Bandshell

Mixing up an unlikely concoction of vintage rock & roll and outlaw country, Cole Diamond is, depending on when you ask, either the stage name for singer/songwriter Ryan Otte or the collective handle for Otte and his Band. For years Otte spent most weekends behind a drum kit playing with too many band to list. The idea for Cole Diamond came about as a way for Otte to step out from behind the drums and try his hand at the front of the stage. In the years since “Cole Diamond” was conceived he has released an EP, a string of singles, received airplay on 89.3 The Current, and opened for national acts such as Corb Lund. Drawing on influences that range from Waylon and Willie to Brooks & Dunn, Cole Diamond delivers a modern take on a classic sound.