Our Inspiration

Remembering Darin Diehl 

The first thing almost everyone noticed about Darin Diehl was his natural and generous sense of humour. The second thing was what a tender-hearted and compassionate person he was. This combination of humour and kindness was a big part of Darin’s tool kit for connecting with people. And connect, he did.  

Darin felt that everyone is in some way remarkable, everyone has something to contribute, and that everyone has in them the potential to shine.

Though born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and raised in Winnipeg (a city he would always love) Darin lived and worked most of his adult life in Toronto. First as a journalist, then in marketing in the financial services industry, Darin wrote, edited, and created. He managed teams, developed corporate strategies, and launched publications. Over three decades in journalism and finance, he left behind a legacy of respect and friendships.       

One particular passion of Darin’ s was live music. He would catch performances at any kind of venue, the smaller, the better. He would often introduce himself to musicians, curious about their artistic journey, where they came from, and where they dreamed of going. And, always, Darin would make sure they knew how much he loved what they did, offering any support he could, frequently using his social media skills to promote the talent he admired.

In May, 2020, while in recovery from heart bypass surgery, Darin received a devastating diagnosis – stage-four lung cancer. 

As difficult as this news was, it didn’t stop Darin from trying to help others around him. Over the next three years, he widely shared the story of his health issues and the compounding financial pressures they created. He was never self-pitying, was always curious, and endlessly helpful to those around him. In blogs and online interviews, Darin spoke with unsparing candour and healthy doses of humour.   

You can get a flavour of Darin’s tremendous spirit in this interview, recorded with his friend, Preet Banerjee, in March of 2021. 

On January 10, 2023, Darin died surrounded by family – his wife Jeanette, and children, Natalie, Sean, and Alana (with her partner, Greg), as well as his mother, Margaret, sister Kathy, and her husband Ger.

Darin believed that every person has within them the potential for the remarkable. This belief, combined with his passion for building relationships and for live music, are at the heart of PlayOnward, a new online community that offers a network of wisdom, advice and tools that can help emerging Canadian musicians find success.

Connecting new artists with the people who have the expertise they need – like studio production, social media, marketing, and career management – that’s what PlayOnward is about. And this is the kind of support and relationship-building that Darin was all about.