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Biography
BLP sources|date=January 2008Infobox musical artist | name = Dion DiMucci| image =DionDiMucci.jpg| caption =| image_size = | background = solo_singer| birth_name = Dion Francis DiMucci| alias = Dion| Born = birth date and age|1939|07|18 The Bronx , New York , United States | death_date =| origin = Italian-American| instrument = Human voice|Vocals , guitar | genre = Rock music|Rock , Pop music|pop , doo-wop , R& B , blues music|blues | occupation = Singer , songwriter | years_active = 1957–present| label =Laurie, Arista, Mohawk, Columbia, ABC, Warner Brothers, Dayspring| associated_acts = Dion and the Belmonts , Dion and the Del-Satins, The Timberlanes, The Wanderers| website = http://www.diondimucci.com/| current_members =| past_members =| notable_instruments = guitarDion Francis DiMucci (born July 18, 1939), better known as Dion , is an United States|American singer-songwriter whose work has incorporated elements of doo-wop , pop music|pop oldies music , Rock music|rock and Rhythm and blues|R& B styles to straight blues in his recent work.
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 (Dion song)|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 .Allmusic|class=artist|id=p4100|pure_url=yes Unterberger writes, "his critical rep has risen steadily since the early '60s, with many noted contemporary musicians showering him with praise and citing his influence."
Dion was elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.
Early years
Dion was born to an Italian-American family in the Bronx , New York City|New York .cite news |work=New York Times |title=A Wanderer, Dion Returns to His Roots |author=Sam Howe Vaerhovek |date= June 19, 1987 |url= http://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/19/nyregion/a-wanderer-dion-returns-to-his-roots.html 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 Dion singing lead for a song that had been arranged by Hugo Montenegro and completely pre-recorded with only the lead part missing. The vocal group was called The Timberlanes , who Dion never met.DiMucci, Dion with Davin Seay: ''The Wanderer - Dion's Story. Beach Tree, 1988, p. 58 The single "The Chosen Few" was released under the name of Dion and the Timberlanes and became a minor regional hit.
Career
With the Belmonts, 1957-1960
Main|Dion and the Belmonts Bob and Gene Schwartz also signed Dion's friends, The Belmonts , (Carlo Mastrangelo, Fred Milano, and Angelo D'Aleo), 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.S. 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 would not want to spend $36 for a flight, as it was the same monthly rent his parents paid for his childhood apartment and he couldn't justify the indulgence.DiMucci, Dion: "The Wanderer", page 89. Beech Tree Books, 1988 The Day the Music Died|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.Citation needed|date=May 2008 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-Satins , 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 music recording sales certification|gold disc status.cite book | first= Joseph | last= Murrells | year= 1978 | title= The Book of Golden Discs | edition= 2nd | publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd | location= London | page= 134 | isbn= 0-214-20512-6
For the next single, Laurie promoted the A-side, "The Majestic", but it was the B-side, Maresca’s " The Wanderer (Dion song)|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.
Changing fortunes, 1964-1968
Following a European tour, Dion returned to the U.S. and was introduced to classic blues by Columbia’s John H. Hammond|John Hammond . 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 (producer)|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 music recording sales certification|gold disc .cite book | first= Joseph | last= Murrells | year= 1978 | title= The Book of Golden Discs | edition= 2nd | publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd | location= London | page= 238 | isbn= 0-214-20512-6
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 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 .Citation needed|date=November 2007 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 . http://ecceagnusdei.blogspot.com/2005/06/spiritual-journey-of-wanderer-who-came.html Semper Fidelis: The Spiritual Journey Of The Wanderer Who Came Home By Dion Dimucci Thereafter, his recordings for several years were in a contemporary Christian music|contemporary Christian vein, in which he released a number of albums on the DaySpring Records|Dayspring label reflecting his Evangelism|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.
Recent work
In 1987 Dion agreed to do a concert of his old hits at Radio City Music Hall 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 . http://music.aol.com/album/yo-frankie/4808 AOL.com 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 Music radio|radio and in music videos during this period (both on VH-1 and MTV ), as well as Concert|touring . http://www.mtv.com/videos/dion/59131/and-the-night-stood-still.jhtml MTC.com http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/dion_the_belmonts/albums.jhtml? albumId=36515 MTV.com http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/dimucci_dion/artist.jhtml VH1.com http://www.mtv.com/videos/dion/59130/written-on-the-subway-wall.jhtml#artist=5978 VH1.com
In the late 1990s, Dion visited his old Bronx parish, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and returned to Catholicism.cite news |work=New York Times |url= http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/14/nyregion/14dion.html |date=May 14, 2008 |title='Wanderer' Has Given Up Wandering |author=David Gonzalez
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. http://www.blockbuster.com/movies/dion-live.html Blockbuster.com
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.cite web|url= http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/23/dion.heroes/index.html |publisher=CNN.com|title=Dion salutes his 'Heroes' on new CD|author=Todd Leopold |date=October 23, 2009 The album includes versions of songs originally recorded by Buddy Holly , Ritchie Valens , Ricky Nelson , Johnny Cash and many other early rock guitarists. http://www.fretbase.com/fretbase/2008/11/dion-takes-on-guitar-legends.html Fretbase, Dion Tackles Giants of Early Guitar Rock
In October 2009, he performed " The Wanderer " with Paul Simon at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame#25th Anniversary Concert|25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concert .cite web|url= http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042ZH87C/ |title=The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Concerts (4CD)|publisher=Amazon.com |accessdate=2011-11-25
Now a practicing Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic , Dion pursues prison ministry and reaches out to men going through drug addiction|addiction recovery. He is also a member of the American Board of Directors of Renewal Ministries.cite web|title=Board|url= http://www.renewalministries.net/board.php|publisher=Renewal Ministries|accessdate=2009-01-13Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot He currently lives in Boca Raton , Florida , and New York City . Dion posts frequently on Facebook.
On January 24, 2012, his new album Tank Full of Blues will be released.
A new musical
On October 13, 2011, an industry-only reading of a new play about Dion's life was performed in New York City.cite web|last=Bowling|first=Suzanna|title=The New Musical About The Life of Dion “The Wanderer” Wows Producers|url= http://t2conline.com/2011/10/13/the-new-musical-about-the-life-of-dion-%e2%80%9cthe-wanderer-wows-producers/|accessdate=19 December 2011|publisher=The Times Square Chronicle|date=October 19|year=2011
In a December 9, 2011 article in The New York Times , Dion and his collaborator, writer/director Charles Messina , discussed details about the project, titled The Wanderer - the Life and Music of Dion , revealing that it will focus on the years between 1957 until the late 60’s and will feature more than 20 songs from that era as well as new, original music. In the article, Dion gave his perspective on the story: “You know, I always saw my story as a young ‘Sopranos’ with great music and a Rocky Graziano ‘Somebody Up There Likes Me’ ending. It’s a story of redemption. A rock and roll redemption story!”cite news|last=Gonzalez|first=David|title=A Wanderer, the Singer Dion Returns to the Bronx|url= http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/nyregion/a-wanderer-the-singer-dion-returns-to-the-bronx.html? pagewanted=all|accessdate=19 December 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|month=December 9, 2011
"Written on the Subway Wall" / "Little Star" with Paul Simon http:/ / www.mtv.com/ videos/ dion/ 59130/ written-on-the-subway-wall.jhtml MTV.com
Arista
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" Sea Cruise " (From "The Adventures of Ford Fairlane")
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Quotation
copy section to Wikiquotequote|We sang on the beaches, or on the rooftops, or in hallways of tenement buildings. We must have been sensitive artists. Even back then, because we always looked for the hallway that had the best sound.cite book| first= Paul | last= Du Noyer | year= 2003 | title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music | edition= 1st | publisher= Flame Tree Publishing | location= Fulham, London | isbn= 1-904041-96-5 | page= 20
http://www.webcitation.org/query? url= http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Basement/9489/timeline/dtl_highlights.html& date=2009-10-25+10:47:56 Dion "time line" - masses of information
http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/dion/biography Comprehensive Rolling Stone profile
http://die-rock-and-roll-ag.de/html/dion.html Dion (German)
http://ecceagnusdei.blogspot.com/2005/06/spiritual-journey-of-wanderer-who-came.html The Spiritual Journey of the Wanderer Who Came Home By Dion Dimucci
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php? storyId=10511110 Dion the Wanderer, Back In Blue (an article at NPR.com)
http://www.furious.com/perfect/dion.html The Wanderer Settles Down With The Blues (an article at Perfect Sound Forever )
Persondata | NAME = Dimucci, Dion | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Dion | SHORT DESCRIPTION = United States|American singer-songwriter | DATE OF BIRTH = July 18, 1939 | PLACE OF BIRTH = The Bronx , New York City|New York , United States | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Dimucci, Dion Category:1939 births Category:Living people Category:American male singers Category:American musicians of Italian descent Category:American pop singers Category:American folk singers Category:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Category:People from the Bronx Category:American Roman Catholics Category:American performers of Christian music
