Dion DiMucci
Encyclopedia
Dion Francis DiMucci better known as Dion, is an American
singer-songwriter
whose work has incorporated elements of doo-wop
, pop oldies music
, rock
and R&B
styles.
One of the most popular American rock and roll performers of the pre-British Invasion
era, Dion had over a dozen Top 40 hits in the late 1950s and early 60s. He is best remembered for the 1961 singles "Runaround Sue
" and "The Wanderer
".
Due to changing public tastes and personal problems, Dion faltered in the mid-1960s; he regained popularity later in the decade and into the early 1970s with more mature, contemplative material such as "Abraham, Martin & John". He has continued making music to the present, earning reappraisals from critics who earlier dismissed him as a teen idol
.
This artist was elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.
, New York
. As a child, he used to accompany his father, a vaudeville
entertainer, on tour, and developed a love of country music
– particularly Hank Williams – as well as a fondness for the blues
and doo-wop
stars he heard in local bars and on the radio. His singing was honed on the street corners and local clubs of the Bronx, where he and other neighborhood singers created a cappella
licks.
In early 1957, he auditioned for Bob and Gene Schwartz, who had just formed Mohawk Records. They recorded him with a vocal group, The Timberlanes, and released a single "The Chosen Few", arranged by Hugo Montenegro
, which became a minor regional hit.
, a vocal group named for nearby Belmont Avenue, and teamed them, with Dion singing lead. The new group's breakthrough came in early 1958, when "I Wonder Why" (on their newly formed "Laurie" label) made No. 22 on the U.K. charts, followed by "No One Knows" and "Don't Pity Me", which also charted.
This success won Dion and the Belmonts a place on the "The Winter Dance Party" tour with Buddy Holly
, Ritchie Valens
, The Big Bopper
(J.P. Richardson) and others. On February 2, 1959, after a concert stop in Clear Lake, Iowa
, Holly and others decided to take a flight to the next venue rather than travel on the tour bus. Dion was invited to accompany the group but decided that he could not afford the cost of the $36 flight, as it was the same monthly rent his parents paid for his childhood apartment and he couldn't justify the indulgence. The plane crashed
, killing all aboard, including Holly, Valens and Richardson. Dion and The Belmonts continued on the tour, along with replacements Jimmy Clanton
and Bobby Vee
.
Dion and the Belmonts' next single, "A Teenager in Love
", was released in March 1959, eventually hitting No. 5 on the U.S. pop charts and No. 28 in the UK. The trio's biggest hit, "Where or When
", was released in November of that year, and reached No. 3 on the U.S. charts. However, in early 1960, Dion checked in to hospital for heroin addiction, a problem he had had since his mid-teens. Further single releases for the group that year were less successful. There were musical, personal and financial differences between Dion and members of the Belmonts, and in October 1960, Dion decided to quit for a solo career.
, an up-tempo number co-written with Ernie Maresca
. The record, "Runaround Sue
", stormed up the U.S. charts, reaching No. 1 in October 1961, and No. 11 in the UK, where he also toured. "Runaround Sue" sold over a million copies, achieving gold disc
status.
For the next single, Laurie promoted the A-side, "The Majestic", but it was the B-side, Maresca’s "The Wanderer
", which received more radio play and climbed swiftly up the charts to reach No. 2 in the U.S. in February 1962 and No. 10 in the UK (the 1976 re-release made the UK Top 20).
By the end of 1961, Dion had become a major star, touring worldwide and making an appearance in the Columbia Pictures
musical film Twist Around the Clock
. He followed with a string of singles – "Lovers Who Wander" (No. 3), "Little Diane" (No. 8), "Love Came To Me" (No. 10) - in 1962, several of which he wrote or co-wrote. He also had successful albums with Runaround Sue and Lovers Who Wander.
At the end of 1962, Dion moved from Laurie to Columbia Records
. The first Columbia single, Leiber and Stoller’s "Ruby Baby
" (originally a hit for The Drifters
) reached No. 2, while "Donna the Prima Donna" and "Drip Drop" (another cover of a Drifters hit) both reached No. 6 in late 1963. (Dion also recorded an Italian version of "Donna the Prima Donna" using the identical backup vocals.) His other Columbia releases were less successful, and problems with his addiction and changing public tastes saw a period of commercial decline.
. To the consternation of his management, he began recording more blues-oriented material, including Willie Dixon
’s "Hoochie Coochie Man
" and "Spoonful
", but these releases – some produced by Tom Wilson, with Al Kooper
on keyboards - were not commercially successful. In 1965, still with Columbia, Dion formed a new group to back him, The Wanderers, comprising John Falbo on guitar, Pete Baron (Pete Falciglia) on bass, and Carlo Mastrangelo of The Belmonts on drums. A number of self-penned tracks were recorded and released unsuccessfully as singles, but were not released in album format.
In 1966, Dion briefly reunited with The Belmonts for the album Together Again on ABC Records
. The album bombed, despite one classic self-penned song, "My Girl The Month Of May". Although by this stage Dion’s career appeared to be nearing an end, he retained enough credibility to be, along with Bob Dylan
, featured on the album cover of The Beatles
' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
in 1967.
In April 1968, Dion experienced what he identified as a powerful religious experience. After getting clean once again from heroin addiction, an experience he documented in his 1970 song "Your Own Backyard", he approached Laurie Records for a new contract. They agreed on condition that he record the song "Abraham, Martin & John", written by Dick Holler
(also the writer of The Royal Guardsmen
’s "Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron") in response to the assassination of John F. Kennedy
and those of Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy
during the summer of 1968. The success of this song – later recorded by many others including Marvin Gaye
– which reached # 4 in the US charts and #1 in Canada, resuscitated Dion’s career. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
.
There followed a one-off live reunion show with the Belmonts at Madison Square Garden
in 1972, released on album. This was followed in 1975 by the album Born To Be With You, produced by Phil Spector
. The album was a commercial failure, but has been subsequently praised by such artists as Jason Pierce
of Spiritualized
and Pete Townshend
of The Who
.
In 1978 Dion released an album drawing on many of his teenage influences, Return of the Wanderer, another commercial failure. In December 1979 there was a radical spiritual change in Dion, who had become a born-again Christian. Thereafter, his recordings for several years were in a contemporary Christian
vein, in which he released a number of albums on the Dayspring label reflecting his evangelical
Christian convictions. Singles were successfully released to Christian radio, notably "Still in the Spirit" from his 1985 release entitled Kingdom in the Streets.
In 1984 he won the Dove Award (Christian Music Award) for the album 'I Put Away My Idols'. He was also nominated for Grammy Award
, best male Gospel performance, for the same album.
in New York. The two disc CD of this concert was released in 2005, featuring concert photos by Dion's friend, Michael J. Friedman. This concert helped free him to celebrate both his past and his future, and led to a series of special appearances, including a fundraiser for homeless medical relief. There he shared the stage with fans such as Bruce Springsteen
, Paul Simon
and Lou Reed
, all of whom cited Dion as one of their prime influences.
In 1988 Dion's autobiography (co-authored by Davin Seay) titled The Wanderer: Dion's Story was published. In the following year, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
, the induction speech being given by Lou Reed.
In 1989 he returned to rock music with the contemporary album Yo Frankie, which included appearances by Paul Simon, Lou Reed, k.d. lang
, Patty Smyth
and Bryan Adams
. Produced by Dave Edmunds
(who also played guitar on the album), "Yo Frankie has a sharp sound while never losing sight of Dion's soulful, doo-wop
voice."http://www.buy.com/prod/yo-frankie/q/loc/109/61703991.html Overall, "the relevant and nostalgic statement from an artist who helped forge rock & roll's first wave" found his way back on radio
and in music videos during this period (both on VH-1 and MTV
), as well as touring
.
In the late 1990s, Dion visited his old Bronx parish, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and returned to Catholicism.
Since then, Dion has released several albums with contemporary rock artists. His Déjà Nu album in 2000 found him covering Bruce Springsteen, a major follower over the years. Dion joined Springsteen onstage in Miami in 2002 for a performance of "If I Should Fall Behind" from Dream On Fire.
He joined Scott Kempner
of The Del-Lords and Mike Mesaros of The Smithereens
in a short-lived band called Little Kings. A live album was later released, but not widely circulated or promoted.
In 2002 he was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for "Runaround Sue
". Dion continues to perform songs from his albums live.
In January 2006, he released Bronx in Blue, an album of blues and country standards, which was nominated for a Grammy. In November 2007 he issued a follow-up in similar vein, Son of Skip James
.
In October 2008, he released Heroes: Giants of Early Guitar Rock, an album of his covers of early rock and roll songs he considers seminal to the genre. The album includes versions of songs originally recorded by Buddy Holly
, Ritchie Valens
, Ricky Nelson
, Johnny Cash
and many other early rock guitarists.
In October 2009, he performed "The Wanderer" with Paul Simon
at the 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concert.
Now a practicing Roman Catholic
, Dion pursues prison ministry and reaches out to men going through addiction recovery. He is also a member of the American Board of Directors
of Renewal Ministries. He currently lives in Boca Raton, Florida
, and New York City
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
whose work has incorporated elements of doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
, pop oldies music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
styles.
One of the most popular American rock and roll performers of the pre-British Invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
era, Dion had over a dozen Top 40 hits in the late 1950s and early 60s. He is best remembered for the 1961 singles "Runaround Sue
Runaround Sue
"Runaround Sue" is a pop song, originally a US No. 1 hit for the singer Dion during 1961. The song ranked No. 342 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".-Original recording:...
" and "The Wanderer
The Wanderer (Dion song)
"The Wanderer" is a song written by Ernie Maresca and originally recorded by Dion. The song, with a 12-bar blues-base verse and an eight-bar bridge, tells the story of a travelling man and his many loves...
".
Due to changing public tastes and personal problems, Dion faltered in the mid-1960s; he regained popularity later in the decade and into the early 1970s with more mature, contemplative material such as "Abraham, Martin & John". He has continued making music to the present, earning reappraisals from critics who earlier dismissed him as a teen idol
Teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity who is widely idolized by teenagers; he or she is often young but not necessarily teenaged. Often teen idols are actors or pop singers, but some sports figures have an appeal to teenagers. Some teen idols began their careers as child actors...
.
This artist was elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.
Early years
Dion was born to an Italian-American family in the BronxThe Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. As a child, he used to accompany his father, a vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
entertainer, on tour, and developed a love of country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
– particularly Hank Williams – as well as a fondness for the blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
stars he heard in local bars and on the radio. His singing was honed on the street corners and local clubs of the Bronx, where he and other neighborhood singers created a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
licks.
In early 1957, he auditioned for Bob and Gene Schwartz, who had just formed Mohawk Records. They recorded him with a vocal group, The Timberlanes, and released a single "The Chosen Few", arranged by Hugo Montenegro
Hugo Montenegro
Hugo Montenegro was an American orchestra leader and composer of film soundtracks. His best known work is derived from interpretations of the music from Spaghetti westerns, especially his cover version of the main theme from the 1966 film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...
, which became a minor regional hit.
With the Belmonts, 1957-1960
Bob and Gene Schwartz also signed Dion's friends, The BelmontsThe Belmonts
The Belmonts are an American doo-wop group that originated in the mid 1950s. The group consisted of Fred Milano, Angelo D'Aleo, Carlo Mastrangelo, and Nick Caruso.. The group took their first name from Belmont Avenue in the Bronx. There were several stages in their history, including the 1958–1960...
, a vocal group named for nearby Belmont Avenue, and teamed them, with Dion singing lead. The new group's breakthrough came in early 1958, when "I Wonder Why" (on their newly formed "Laurie" label) made No. 22 on the U.K. charts, followed by "No One Knows" and "Don't Pity Me", which also charted.
This success won Dion and the Belmonts a place on the "The Winter Dance Party" tour with Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
, Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens was a Mexican-American singer, songwriter and guitarist....
, The Big Bopper
The Big Bopper
Jiles Perry "J. P." Richardson, Jr. also commonly known as The Big Bopper, was an American disc jockey, singer, and songwriter whose big voice and exuberant personality made him an early rock and roll star...
(J.P. Richardson) and others. On February 2, 1959, after a concert stop in Clear Lake, Iowa
Clear Lake, Iowa
Clear Lake is a city in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 8,161 at the 2000 census. The city is named for the large lake on which it is located. It is the home of a number of marinas, state parks and tourism-related businesses. Clear Lake is also a major stop on Interstate...
, Holly and others decided to take a flight to the next venue rather than travel on the tour bus. Dion was invited to accompany the group but decided that he could not afford the cost of the $36 flight, as it was the same monthly rent his parents paid for his childhood apartment and he couldn't justify the indulgence. The plane crashed
The Day the Music Died
On February 3, 1959, a small-plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, killed three American rock and roll pioneers: Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, as well as the pilot, Roger Peterson. The day was later called The Day the Music Died by Don McLean, in his song...
, killing all aboard, including Holly, Valens and Richardson. Dion and The Belmonts continued on the tour, along with replacements Jimmy Clanton
Jimmy Clanton
Jimmy Clanton is an American singer who became known as the "swamp pop R&B teenage idol". His band recorded a hit song "Just A Dream" which Clanton had written in 1958 for the Ace Records label. It reached number four on the Billboard chart and sold a million copies...
and Bobby Vee
Bobby Vee
Robert Thomas Velline , known as Bobby Vee, is an American pop music singer. According to Billboard magazine, Vee has had 38 Hot 100 chart hits, 10 of which hit the Top 20.-Career:...
.
Dion and the Belmonts' next single, "A Teenager in Love
A Teenager in Love
"A Teenager in Love" is a song written by Doc Pomus and partner Mort Shuman and was originally sung and released by Dion and the Belmonts in March 1959. It reached #5 on the Billboard pop charts. In May 1959, the song held three positions in the British Top 20, the other two versions being by Marty...
", was released in March 1959, eventually hitting No. 5 on the U.S. pop charts and No. 28 in the UK. The trio's biggest hit, "Where or When
Where or When
"Where or When" is a show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical Babes In Arms. It was first performed by Ray Heatherton and Mitzi Green. That same year, Hal Kemp recorded a popular version. It also appeared in the movie of the same title two years later...
", was released in November of that year, and reached No. 3 on the U.S. charts. However, in early 1960, Dion checked in to hospital for heroin addiction, a problem he had had since his mid-teens. Further single releases for the group that year were less successful. There were musical, personal and financial differences between Dion and members of the Belmonts, and in October 1960, Dion decided to quit for a solo career.
Solo stardom, 1960-1964
By the end of 1960, Dion had released his first solo album on Laurie, Alone with Dion, and the single "Lonely Teenager", which rose to No. 12 in the US charts. The name on his solo releases was simply "Dion". Follow-ups "Havin’ Fun" and "Kissin’ Game" had less success, and the signs were that Dion would drift onto the cabaret circuit. However, he then recorded, with new vocal group The Del-SatinsThe Del-Satins
The Del-Satins were an American vocal group in the 1960s who recorded on their own but are best remembered for their harmonies on hit records for Dion and others....
, an up-tempo number co-written with Ernie Maresca
Ernie Maresca
Ernest "Ernie" Maresca is an American singer-songwriter and record company executive, best known for writing or co-writing some of Dion's biggest hits....
. The record, "Runaround Sue
Runaround Sue
"Runaround Sue" is a pop song, originally a US No. 1 hit for the singer Dion during 1961. The song ranked No. 342 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".-Original recording:...
", stormed up the U.S. charts, reaching No. 1 in October 1961, and No. 11 in the UK, where he also toured. "Runaround Sue" sold over a million copies, achieving gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
status.
For the next single, Laurie promoted the A-side, "The Majestic", but it was the B-side, Maresca’s "The Wanderer
The Wanderer (Dion song)
"The Wanderer" is a song written by Ernie Maresca and originally recorded by Dion. The song, with a 12-bar blues-base verse and an eight-bar bridge, tells the story of a travelling man and his many loves...
", which received more radio play and climbed swiftly up the charts to reach No. 2 in the U.S. in February 1962 and No. 10 in the UK (the 1976 re-release made the UK Top 20).
By the end of 1961, Dion had become a major star, touring worldwide and making an appearance in the Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
musical film Twist Around the Clock
Twist Around the Clock
Twist Around the Clock is an American musical film released in 1961. It was a remake of Sam Katzman and Robert E. Kent's Rock Around the Clock. Like Rock Around the Clock, which was followed by a sequel titled, Don't Knock the Rock, this film was followed by a sequel titled, Don't Knock the...
. He followed with a string of singles – "Lovers Who Wander" (No. 3), "Little Diane" (No. 8), "Love Came To Me" (No. 10) - in 1962, several of which he wrote or co-wrote. He also had successful albums with Runaround Sue and Lovers Who Wander.
At the end of 1962, Dion moved from Laurie to Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. The first Columbia single, Leiber and Stoller’s "Ruby Baby
Ruby Baby
"Ruby Baby" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was originally recorded by The Drifters and was a major R&B hit for them in 1956...
" (originally a hit for The Drifters
The Drifters
The Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953...
) reached No. 2, while "Donna the Prima Donna" and "Drip Drop" (another cover of a Drifters hit) both reached No. 6 in late 1963. (Dion also recorded an Italian version of "Donna the Prima Donna" using the identical backup vocals.) His other Columbia releases were less successful, and problems with his addiction and changing public tastes saw a period of commercial decline.
Changing fortunes, 1964-1968
Following a European tour, Dion returned to the U.S. and was introduced to classic blues by Columbia’s John HammondJohn H. Hammond
John Henry Hammond II was an American record producer, musician and music critic from the 1930s to the early 1980s...
. To the consternation of his management, he began recording more blues-oriented material, including Willie Dixon
Willie Dixon
William James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...
’s "Hoochie Coochie Man
Hoochie Coochie Man
"Hoochie Coochie Man" is a blues standard written by Willie Dixon and first performed by Muddy Waters in 1954 . The song was a major hit upon its release, reaching #8 on Billboard magazine's Black Singles chart...
" and "Spoonful
Spoonful
"Spoonful" is a blues standard written by Willie Dixon and first recorded in 1960 by Howlin' Wolf. It is loosely based on "A Spoonful Blues", a song recorded in 1929 by Charley Patton , itself related to "All I Want Is A Spoonful" by Papa Charlie Jackson and "Cocaine Blues" by Luke Jordan...
", but these releases – some produced by Tom Wilson, with Al Kooper
Al Kooper
Al Kooper is an American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears , providing studio support for Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965, and also bringing together guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills to...
on keyboards - were not commercially successful. In 1965, still with Columbia, Dion formed a new group to back him, The Wanderers, comprising John Falbo on guitar, Pete Baron (Pete Falciglia) on bass, and Carlo Mastrangelo of The Belmonts on drums. A number of self-penned tracks were recorded and released unsuccessfully as singles, but were not released in album format.
In 1966, Dion briefly reunited with The Belmonts for the album Together Again on ABC Records
ABC Records
ABC Records was an American record label, founded in New York City in 1955 as ABC-Paramount Records. It originated as the main popular music label operated the Am-Par Record Corporation, the music subsidiary of the American Broadcasting Company . ABC-Paramount Records' first president was Samuel H....
. The album bombed, despite one classic self-penned song, "My Girl The Month Of May". Although by this stage Dion’s career appeared to be nearing an end, he retained enough credibility to be, along with Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, featured on the album cover of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released on 1 June 1967 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin...
in 1967.
In April 1968, Dion experienced what he identified as a powerful religious experience. After getting clean once again from heroin addiction, an experience he documented in his 1970 song "Your Own Backyard", he approached Laurie Records for a new contract. They agreed on condition that he record the song "Abraham, Martin & John", written by Dick Holler
Dick Holler
Dick Holler is a songwriter, pianist and performer. He is best known as the writer of the folk-pop standard "Abraham, Martin and John" which has been recorded by numerous artists including Dion, Ray Charles, Kenny Rogers, Emmylou Harris, Andy Williams, Marvin Gaye.-Early life :He moved with his...
(also the writer of The Royal Guardsmen
The Royal Guardsmen
The Royal Guardsmen are an American rock band, best known for their 1966 hit single "Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron".-Snoopy vs. the Red Baron:...
’s "Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron") in response to the assassination of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and those of Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
during the summer of 1968. The success of this song – later recorded by many others including Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
– which reached # 4 in the US charts and #1 in Canada, resuscitated Dion’s career. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
.
The mature period, 1968-1986
For the next few years, Dion’s music became radically different, moving to more contemplative and mature material. He released several albums essentially as a singer-songwriter, to moderate sales, moving to the Warner Brothers label in 1969.There followed a one-off live reunion show with the Belmonts at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in 1972, released on album. This was followed in 1975 by the album Born To Be With You, produced by Phil Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
. The album was a commercial failure, but has been subsequently praised by such artists as Jason Pierce
Jason Pierce
Jason Pierce , also known as J. Spaceman or Spaceman, is an English musician. He was formerly the joint leader – with Peter Kember – of the alternative rock band Spacemen 3, and is now the leader and sole permanent member of the band Spiritualized.In between his work with Spiritualized...
of Spiritualized
Spiritualized
Spiritualized are an English space rock band formed in 1990 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Jason Pierce after the demise of his previous outfit, space-rockers Spacemen 3...
and Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
of The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
.
In 1978 Dion released an album drawing on many of his teenage influences, Return of the Wanderer, another commercial failure. In December 1979 there was a radical spiritual change in Dion, who had become a born-again Christian. Thereafter, his recordings for several years were in a contemporary Christian
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
vein, in which he released a number of albums on the Dayspring label reflecting his evangelical
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
Christian convictions. Singles were successfully released to Christian radio, notably "Still in the Spirit" from his 1985 release entitled Kingdom in the Streets.
In 1984 he won the Dove Award (Christian Music Award) for the album 'I Put Away My Idols'. He was also nominated for Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, best male Gospel performance, for the same album.
Recent work
In 1987 Dion agreed to do a concert of his old hits at Radio City Music HallRadio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
in New York. The two disc CD of this concert was released in 2005, featuring concert photos by Dion's friend, Michael J. Friedman. This concert helped free him to celebrate both his past and his future, and led to a series of special appearances, including a fundraiser for homeless medical relief. There he shared the stage with fans such as Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
, Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
and Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
, all of whom cited Dion as one of their prime influences.
In 1988 Dion's autobiography (co-authored by Davin Seay) titled The Wanderer: Dion's Story was published. In the following year, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
, the induction speech being given by Lou Reed.
In 1989 he returned to rock music with the contemporary album Yo Frankie, which included appearances by Paul Simon, Lou Reed, k.d. lang
K.D. Lang
Kathryn Dawn Lang, OC , known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress...
, Patty Smyth
Patty Smyth
Patty Smyth is an American rock and roll musician. She first enjoyed mainstream success in 1982 as lead singer of the band Scandal and later scored a solo #2 hit with her song "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough"...
and Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
. Produced by Dave Edmunds
Dave Edmunds
David 'Dave' Edmunds is a Welsh singer, guitarist and record producer. Although he is primarily associated with Pub rock and New Wave, and had numerous hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, his natural leaning has always been towards 1950s style rock and roll.-Early bands:As a teenager Edmunds first...
(who also played guitar on the album), "Yo Frankie has a sharp sound while never losing sight of Dion's soulful, doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
voice."http://www.buy.com/prod/yo-frankie/q/loc/109/61703991.html Overall, "the relevant and nostalgic statement from an artist who helped forge rock & roll's first wave" found his way back on radio
Music radio
Music radio is a radio format in which music is the main broadcast content. After television replaced old time radio's dramatic content, music formats became dominant in many countries...
and in music videos during this period (both on VH-1 and MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
), as well as touring
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
.
In the late 1990s, Dion visited his old Bronx parish, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and returned to Catholicism.
Since then, Dion has released several albums with contemporary rock artists. His Déjà Nu album in 2000 found him covering Bruce Springsteen, a major follower over the years. Dion joined Springsteen onstage in Miami in 2002 for a performance of "If I Should Fall Behind" from Dream On Fire.
He joined Scott Kempner
Scott Kempner
Scott "Top Ten" Kempner is the rhythm guitarist with The Dictators since they formed in 1974. He is also a founding member of The Del-Lords....
of The Del-Lords and Mike Mesaros of The Smithereens
The Smithereens
The Smithereens are a rock band from Carteret, New Jersey, United States. The group formed in 1980 with members Pat DiNizio , Jim Babjak , Mike Mesaros , and Dennis Diken...
in a short-lived band called Little Kings. A live album was later released, but not widely circulated or promoted.
In 2002 he was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for "Runaround Sue
Runaround Sue
"Runaround Sue" is a pop song, originally a US No. 1 hit for the singer Dion during 1961. The song ranked No. 342 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".-Original recording:...
". Dion continues to perform songs from his albums live.
In January 2006, he released Bronx in Blue, an album of blues and country standards, which was nominated for a Grammy. In November 2007 he issued a follow-up in similar vein, Son of Skip James
Skip James
Nehemiah Curtis "Skip" James was an American Delta blues singer, guitarist, pianist and songwriter, born in Bentonia, Mississippi, died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
.
In October 2008, he released Heroes: Giants of Early Guitar Rock, an album of his covers of early rock and roll songs he considers seminal to the genre. The album includes versions of songs originally recorded by Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
, Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens was a Mexican-American singer, songwriter and guitarist....
, Ricky Nelson
Ricky Nelson
Eric Hilliard Nelson , better known as Ricky Nelson or Rick Nelson, was an American singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and actor...
, Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
and many other early rock guitarists.
In October 2009, he performed "The Wanderer" with Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
at the 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concert.
Now a practicing Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, Dion pursues prison ministry and reaches out to men going through addiction recovery. He is also a member of the American Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of Renewal Ministries. He currently lives in Boca Raton, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Albums (non-compilation)
- 1959: Presenting Dion & The Belmonts
- 1960: Wish Upon a Star With Dion & The Belmonts
- 1961: Alone With Dion
- 1961: Runaround Sue #11
- 1962: Lovers Who Wander #12
- 1962: Love Came to Me
- 1963: Dion Sings to Sandy' (and all his other gals)' #115
- 1963: Ruby Baby #20
- 1963: Donna the Prima Donna
- 1964: 60 Greatest of Dion & The Belmonts - Laurie Records - SLP-6000 (3 records set)
- 1967: Dion & The Belmonts - Together Again
- 1968: Dion #128
- 1969: Wonder Where I'm Bound
- 1970: Sit Down Old Friend
- 1971: You're Not Alone
- 1971: Sanctuary #200
- 1972: Suite For Late Summer #197
- 1973: Dion & The Belmonts - Reunion, Live at Madison Square Garden #144
- 1975: Born to Be With YouBorn to Be with You (album)- Production credits :* Phil Gernhard - Producer* Pete Romano - Engineer* Phil Spector - Producer-External links:* on Radio3Net a radio channel of Romanian Radio Broadcasting Company...
- 1976: Streetheart
- 1978: Return of the Wanderer
- 1980: Inside Job
- 1981: Only Jesus
- 1983: I Put Away My Idols CCM #37
- 1984: Seasons
- 1985: Kingdom in the Streets
- 1986: Velvet & Steel
- 1989: Yo Frankie #130
- 1990: Fire in the Night (recorded 1979)
- 1992: Dream on Fire
- 1993: Rock 'n' Roll Christmas
- 2000: Déjà Nu
- 2003: New Masters
- 2005: Live New York City
- 2006: Bronx in Blue #2 Blues Lps.
- 2007: Son of Skip James #4 Blues Lps.
- 2008: Heroes: Giants of Early Guitar Rock
Chart singles
| Release date | Title | US record label | Chart Positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US AC | UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
US United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
|||
| Dion and the Belmonts Dion and the Belmonts Dion and the Belmonts was a leading American vocal group of the late 1950s. The group formed when Dion DiMucci, lead singer , joined The Belmonts - Carlo Mastrangelo, baritone , Freddie Milano, second tenor , and Angelo D'Aleo, first tenor , in late 1957.-History:After an unsuccessful first single,... |
||||||
| 1958 | "I Wonder Why I Wonder Why "I Wonder Why" is a doo-wop song, written by Melvin Anderson and Ricardo Weeks, and first recorded by Dion and the Belmonts in 1958. It is sung from the point of view of a man telling to his girlfriend that he neither knows nor ultimately cares to know the reasons for his love for said other... " |
Laurie | 22 | |||
| 1958 | "No One Knows" | Laurie | 19 | 12 | ||
| "Don't Pity Me" | Laurie | 40 | ||||
| 1959 | "A Teenager in Love A Teenager in Love "A Teenager in Love" is a song written by Doc Pomus and partner Mort Shuman and was originally sung and released by Dion and the Belmonts in March 1959. It reached #5 on the Billboard pop charts. In May 1959, the song held three positions in the British Top 20, the other two versions being by Marty... " |
Laurie | 5 | 28 | ||
| "A Lover's Prayer" | Laurie | 73 | ||||
| "Every Little Thing I Do" | Laurie | 48 | ||||
| 1960 | "Where or When Where or When "Where or When" is a show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical Babes In Arms. It was first performed by Ray Heatherton and Mitzi Green. That same year, Hal Kemp recorded a popular version. It also appeared in the movie of the same title two years later... " |
Laurie | 3 | 19 | ||
| "Little Miss Blue" | Laurie | 96 | ||||
| "When You Wish Upon a Star When You Wish upon a Star "When You Wish upon a Star" is a song written by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington for Walt Disney's 1940 adaptation of Pinocchio. The original version of the song was sung by Cliff Edwards in the character of Jiminy Cricket, and is heard over the opening credits and again in the final scene of the... " |
Laurie | 30 | ||||
| "In The Still of the Night In the Still of the Night (1937 song) "In the Still of the Night" is a popular song written by Cole Porter for the MGM film Rosalie sung by Nelson Eddy and published in 1937.... ” |
Laurie | 38 | ||||
| Dion | ||||||
| "Lonely Teenager" | Laurie | 12 | 47 | |||
| 1961 | "Havin’ Fun" | Laurie | 42 | |||
| "Kissin’ Game” | Laurie | 82 | ||||
| "Somebody Nobody Wants" | Laurie | 103 | ||||
| "Runaround Sue Runaround Sue "Runaround Sue" is a pop song, originally a US No. 1 hit for the singer Dion during 1961. The song ranked No. 342 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".-Original recording:... " |
Laurie | 1 | 11 | 4 | ||
| "The Wanderer The Wanderer (Dion song) "The Wanderer" is a song written by Ernie Maresca and originally recorded by Dion. The song, with a 12-bar blues-base verse and an eight-bar bridge, tells the story of a travelling man and his many loves... " |
Laurie | 2 | 10 (also 16, 1976) |
|||
| "The Majestic" | Laurie | 36 | ||||
| 1962 | "Lovers Who Wander" | Laurie | 3 | 16 | ||
| "Little Diane" | Laurie | 8 | ||||
| "(I Was) Born to Cry" | Laurie | 42 | ||||
| "Love Came to Me" | Laurie | 10 | 24 | |||
| "Ruby Baby Ruby Baby "Ruby Baby" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was originally recorded by The Drifters and was a major R&B hit for them in 1956... " |
Columbia | 2 | ||||
| 1963 | "Sandy" | Laurie | 21 | |||
| "This Little Girl" | Columbia | 21 | ||||
| "Come Go With Me Come Go with Me "Come Go with Me" is a song written by C. E. Quick , an original member of the American doo-wop vocal group The Del-Vikings. The song was originally recorded by The Del-Vikings in 1956 and was released on Fee Bee Records... " |
Laurie | 48 | ||||
| "Be Careful of Stones That You Throw" | Columbia | 31 | ||||
| "Lonely World" | Laurie | 101 | ||||
| "Donna the Prima Donna" | Columbia | 6 | 17 | |||
| "Drip Drop" | Columbia | 6 | ||||
| 1964 | "I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man" | Columbia | 113 | |||
| "Shout" | Laurie | 108 | ||||
| "Johnny B. Goode Johnny B. Goode "Johnny B. Goode" is a 1958 rock and roll song written and originally performed by American musician Chuck Berry. The song was a major hit among both black and white audiences peaking at #2 on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides chart and #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.The song is one of Chuck Berry's... " |
Columbia | 71 | ||||
| 1968 | "Abraham, Martin and John Abraham, Martin and John "Abraham, Martin and John" is a 1968 song written by Dick Holler and first recorded by Dion. It is a tribute to the memories of icons of social change, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy... " |
Laurie | 4 | |||
| "Purple Haze Purple Haze "Purple Haze" is a song written in 1966 and recorded in 1967 by The Jimi Hendrix Experience and released as a single in both the United Kingdom and the United States. It appeared on their 1967 album Are You Experienced... " |
Laurie | 63 | ||||
| 1969 | "From Both Sides Now" | Laurie | 91 | |||
| 1970 | "Your Own Back Yard" | Warner Bros. | 75 | |||
| 1971 | "Sanctuary" | Warner Bros. | 103 | |||
| 1989 | "And the Night Stood Still" | Arista | 75 | 16 | ||
| 1989 | "King of the New York Streets" | Arista | 74 | |||
| 1989 | "Written on the Subway Wall" / "Little Star" with Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles... |
Arista | ||||
| 1990 | "Sea Cruise Sea Cruise -Covers:The song was initially covered by Frankie Ford in 1959, with a top-20 hit, using Smith's original backing track.It was later also covered by:* Herman Hermits covered the song in 1965 on the album Introducing Herman's Hermits.... " (From "The Adventures of Ford Fairlane") |
28 |
Quotation
External links
- Official Dion Website
- Dion "time line" - masses of information
- Comprehensive Rolling Stone profile
- Dion (German)
- The Spiritual Journey of the Wanderer Who Came Home By Dion Dimucci
- Dion the Wanderer, Back In Blue (an article at NPR.com)
- The Wanderer Settles Down With The Blues (an article at Perfect Sound Forever)